Head of Reward and Pensions

Head of Reward / Senior Reward Leader
Bedford (Hybrid, typically 2 days per week onsite)
£100,000 + £7,000 Car Allowance (or Company Car) + 5% Flex Benefit + Up to 30% Bonus

My client is seeking an experienced Reward leader to shape and drive the future of Reward strategy across a large, complex and operationally focused business.

This is a high-profile leadership role, partnering directly with senior leaders and the Executive team to ensure Reward supports business performance, organisational priorities, colleague experience and long-term talent outcomes.

We're looking for someone who combines deep compensation expertise with strong commercial acumen, strategic thinking and the ability to influence at the highest levels.

The Opportunity

This role will lead the design and evolution of Reward strategy, ensuring reward programmes are commercially sound, market competitive and aligned to business objectives.

The successful individual will be responsible for translating complex data, market insight and business challenges into clear and actionable Reward recommendations. They will be equally comfortable analysing reward trends and modelling scenarios as they are presenting recommendations and influencing senior stakeholders.

Whilst oversight of benefits and pensions forms part of the role, the primary technical expertise sought is in compensation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of Reward and compensation strategy.
• Review and evolve pay philosophy, reward principles and market positioning.
• Design and maintain pay structures, salary frameworks and grading architectures.
• Lead reward governance and annual pay review strategy.
• Design and enhance bonus and incentive arrangements.
• Develop market-leading approaches to frontline and operational pay.
• Shape progression, skills-based and capability-led reward frameworks.
• Oversee job evaluation and organisational grading methodologies.
• Utilise market data, benchmarking and external insight to inform decision-making.
• Deliver sophisticated Reward analytics, modelling and scenario planning.
• Translate complex data into compelling strategic recommendations.
• Partner with Executive and senior leadership teams to influence business decisions.
• Ensure Reward strategy supports talent, engagement, retention and performance outcomes.
• Lead and develop a high-performing Reward team.

What We're Looking For

Technical Expertise

Applicants should demonstrate significant experience across:

• Reward and compensation strategy
• Pay philosophy and reward principles
• Pay structures and salary range design
• Job evaluation, grading and job architecture
• Frontline and operational workforce reward
• Pay review and remuneration planning
• Bonus and incentive design
• Market benchmarking and external reward intelligence
• Reward analytics and modelling
• Developing strategic recommendations from data and insight

Leadership & Commercial Capability

Successful candidates will be:

• Commercially minded and business-focused
• Naturally curious and intellectually challenging
• Strategic, forward-thinking and proactive
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and complexity
• Confident in forming and articulating independent views
• Able to influence and challenge senior stakeholders constructively
• Strong storytellers who can simplify complex reward concepts
• Credible in Executive-level environments
• Collaborative, engaging and relationship-oriented
• Passionate about developing capability within teams

Ideal Background

You may already be operating as a Head of Reward or in a senior Reward leadership position. Equally, exceptional candidates ready to step into their first Head of Reward role will be considered where they can demonstrate:

• Deep compensation expertise
• Strong strategic capability
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Commercial judgement
• Proven leadership experience

Package

• Salary circa £100,000 
• £7,000 car allowance or company car
• 5% flexible benefit allowance
• Up to 30% annual bonus
• Hybrid working with an expectation of approximately two days per week in the office, alongside occasional travel to other UK locations as business needs require.

For a confidential discussion, please get in touch. This is an outstanding opportunity to shape Reward strategy within a business where Reward has a genuine seat at the table and plays a critical role in driving commercial performance.