Direct Report Responsibilities: Rewards Analyst
Reports to: Chief Executive
Location: Theale, Reading
Overview
To be the central point of expertise on HR matters within the Group, to provide HR and remuneration advice to the Board and executives, and to provide HR support to the Group Headquarters team.
Key responsibilities
- Advise the Cohort plc senior executive team and Board on HR matters affecting the Group, including legislative changes in the Group’s operating territories and wider HR trends.
- Provide HR data and statistics as required by legislation, regulatory requirements or as requested by the Cohort plc Board or executives.
- Advise the Cohort plc Board and Remuneration Committee on senior remuneration matters including emerging public company remuneration issues. Draft the Remuneration Report in the Group’s Annual Report for approval and sign off by the Remuneration Committee Chairman.
- Draft the workforce related disclosures for the Annual Report.
- Support the Chair of the Remuneration Committee and be responsible for the preparation of timely, concise and accurate papers for the Committee including but without limitation, in consultation with the Group’s executive team, an annual paper setting out recommendations on bonus and LTIP payouts, and bonus schemes for the following year.
- Manage the communication of the in-year bonus, LTIP and share schemes with the Group Board and executives, and subsidiary Managing Directors in a consistent, clear and timely manner.
- Manage the process for senior executive recruitment and selection in the Group HQ and operating companies.
- Develop and maintain succession plans for senior management positions in Group and the subsidiary companies, in conjunction with the Cohort executive team and subsidiary Heads of HR and Managing Directors, reporting regularly to the Board.
- Chair the Group HR Forum, comprising the HR leads of the Group’s operating businesses, leading on good practice, and assisting with the implementation of Group initiatives.
- Monitor changes in employment legislation and advise managers on the impact to group companies through the Group HR Forum.
- Support subsidiary Heads of HR as required, providing expert advice on difficult/complex subsidiary HR matters.
- Manage the Group’s all-employee and executive share schemes, ensure the schemes are effectively communicated to employees and assess their ongoing effectiveness as a tool for employee engagement.
- Provide HR leadership and expertise on Group change initiatives, acquisitions, restructuringand other matters, as required.
- Develop and maintain group HR policies ensuring compliance with employment legislation and good practice and ensure that our policies and legislative requirements are effectively implemented across the Group.
- Manage the Group’s HR and benefits supplier relationships (e.g. Pensions, PMI, Life Assurance, Income Protection, XpertHR, Skillcast, Safecall)
- Develop, monitor and support the Group-wide Leadership Development Programmes, working closely with suppliers.
- Work with the General Counsel on management of the Group’s third-party whistleblowing facility and ensure reports are handled in accordance with our procedures.
- Provide operational HR service to the 20 head office employees (e.g. recruitment, on-boarding, learning and development, maintaining the Cohort employee handbook, annual salary review process).
Other responsibilities
- Undertake learning and development activities as agreed.
- Exploit opportunities to keep up to date with areas of expertise/profession, e.g background reading, meetings with local HR networks, attendance at seminars.
- Undertake other duties and tasks that from time to time are appropriate to the role.
- Comply with all relevant internal rules, policy and procedures, including those relating to Health and Safety, Data Protection, Anti-Bribery and all others contained within the Cohort Employee Handbook.
About the Candidate
We’re keen to hear from experienced Heads of HR or HR Directors with previous experience in a similar public company centre role with the confidence to engage and influence at executive and Board level.
- We’re looking for someone who is a real people person, has broad HR knowledge and outstanding leadership, coaching and influencing capabilities.
- The person will have a good understanding of senior executive remuneration in public companies and the relevant reporting requirements.
- An understanding of what is required from an HR perspective to support an organisation through various stages of growth both in the UK and internationally. Cohort currently has subsidiary businesses based in the UK, Australia, Germany and Portugal and operations in Canada, the Netherlands, Italy and Malaysia.
- Ideally the person will have experience of working for organisations with a highly technical employee population.
In addition we are looking for someone who:
- Is a driven professional with strong thought leadership on the drivers of enhancing capability, performance, talent and engagement.
- Has a degree and is CIPD-qualified or has equivalent senior HR experience.
- Has solid experience of leading and managing HR teams, with prior generalist experience across all aspects of HR.
- Has experience in leading, driving and delivering cross-team projects and streamlining processes within the HR teams.
- Can evidence strong/complex employee relations skills and knowledge.
- Has a mindset of continuous improvement, self-motivation and flexibility.
- Has the ability to work autonomously in a constantly changing environment and an analytical approach to understanding and interpreting issues.
- Who can demonstrate the ability to build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior decision-makers and the ability to influence and secure the confidence of senior stakeholders.
- Has effective planning, organisational and project management skills.
This role is intended as a permanent full-time role, however we are open to discussing flexible options or specific schedules.
We are offering a competitive salary dependent on experience, and you must be eligible and willing to undergo Security Check (SC) clearance. There will be some UK and international travel required.
- 25 days holiday (FTE) with the opportunity to purchase up to another 5 days
- Discretionary annual bonus of up to 20% of salary, dependent on performance
- Death in service benefit of up to four times base salary
- Private medical insurance, with the option to add family members at own expense, with an invitation to join after three months' service
- Group income protection
- Access to the company's Employee Assistance Program
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, with an invitation to join after three months' service
- Auto enrolment into the company's pension scheme with up to7% company matched contributions
- The opportunityto participate in the company’s all employee share schemes through annual invitation
About Us
Cohort is a London stock exchange AIM-listed company composed of agile, specialist businesses united by a shared purpose: advancing defence technology for a safer tomorrow. What makes Cohort distinctive is its unique operating model, which empowers smaller, expert-led companies to retain their agility while benefiting from the financial strength, leadership, and stability of a larger group. This balance of independence and support enables swift decision-making, close customer engagement, and practical solutions with real-world impact.
At Cohort HQ, we provide light-touch guidance to our operating businesses and continue to support the growth of the Group. Our core values underpin every action and guide how success is achieved. We are Expert, applying deep knowledge and sharing expertise; Responsible, acting with integrity to make the right decisions; Practical, delivering what works for the right situation; and Dynamic, thinking innovatively and adapting quickly. These values shape a culture that reinforces strong governance, sustainable growth, and long-term success.
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