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- Tasks: Lead and evolve the total reward strategy for a leading retailer.
- Company: Join a highly recognisable retailer with a people-first culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, car allowance, bonus, and hybrid working.
- Why this job: Shape reward strategies that attract and engage top talent.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in senior reward leadership and strong analytical skills.
- Other info: Opportunity to influence culture and performance in a dynamic environment.
The predicted salary is between 104000 - 156000 £ per year.
We’re partnering with a leading, highly recognisable retailer to appoint an exceptional Head of Total Reward to lead and evolve their reward strategy within a high-performance, people-first culture. This is a pivotal senior leadership role, responsible for shaping and delivering a market-leading total reward proposition that attracts, retains, and engages top talent across a complex, customer-centric organisation.
As Head of Total Reward, you’ll have end-to-end ownership of reward, compensation, benefits, recognition, and organisation design frameworks. Working closely with Executive leadership, Finance, HR, and wider stakeholders, you’ll ensure reward strategies are fair, transparent, data-led, and closely aligned to business and people objectives. You’ll play a key role in embedding a performance-driven reward philosophy that supports growth, transformation, and long-term success.
Key Responsibilities:- Reward Strategy
- Lead the design and execution of a comprehensive total reward strategy aligned to commercial and people priorities
- Ensure reward approaches are evidence-based, commercially sound, and deliver clear ROI
- Partner with HR technology teams to deliver robust reward systems and tools
- Act as a strategic advisor to senior leaders on reward-related decisions
- Compensation & Benefits
- Design and manage competitive, equitable pay structures across all levels
- Lead market benchmarking, salary review cycles, and variable pay schemes (including bonus and LTIP)
- Oversee benefits strategy, platforms, brokers, and providers to deliver strong colleague value
- Ensure compliance with UK pay governance, including gender pay gap reporting
- Provide governance and insight to Executive and Remuneration Committees
- Recognition
- Own and evolve the organisation’s recognition strategy to drive engagement and appreciation
- Lead flagship colleague recognition events and initiatives
- Drive innovation in non-financial reward across a diverse workforce
- Organisation Design & Workforce Architecture
- Lead organisation design initiatives supporting transformation and workforce planning
- Own role architecture, grading, and job evaluation frameworks
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on organisational effectiveness
- Leadership & Collaboration
- Lead and develop a high-performing Total Reward and Organisation Design team
- Partner closely with HR leadership, Finance, Talent, and business stakeholders
- Champion inclusion, engagement, and colleague development across the function
About You: You’ll be a commercially astute, forward-thinking reward leader with a strong passion for people and performance. You’ll bring:
- Proven experience in a senior Reward leadership role within a complex organisation
- Deep expertise in UK compensation, benefits, recognition, and pay governance
- Experience leading organisation design and structural change initiatives
- Strong analytical capability with the ability to translate data into strategic insight
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, including at Executive and Board level
- A proactive mindset with the ability to balance strategy and operational delivery
This is a rare opportunity to shape reward strategy at scale within a high-profile retailer undergoing ongoing evolution and transformation. You’ll have real influence, strong executive exposure, and the chance to leave a lasting impact on culture and performance.
Head of Rewards in City of London employer: FG Recruitment
Contact Detail:
FG Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Rewards in City of London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to connections in the industry, attend events, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn. We can’t stress enough how important it is to make those personal connections that could lead to job opportunities.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their culture, values, and recent news. We want you to walk in feeling confident and ready to show how you can contribute to their total reward strategy.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to articulate your experience and how it aligns with the role of Head of Total Reward. We suggest rehearsing with a friend or in front of a mirror to nail that delivery.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A simple thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds. And remember, apply through our website for the best chance!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Rewards in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Total Reward role. Highlight your experience in reward strategy, compensation, and benefits, and don’t forget to showcase your leadership skills. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how your background aligns with our people-first culture. We love seeing genuine enthusiasm, so let your personality come through!
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves a lot of data-driven decision-making, make sure to highlight your analytical capabilities. Share examples of how you've used data to shape reward strategies or improve organisational effectiveness. We’re all about evidence-based approaches!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at FG Recruitment
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Head of Total Reward, you'll need to demonstrate your analytical skills. Brush up on key metrics related to compensation and benefits, and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive strategic decisions in the past.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Mindset
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in designing and executing reward strategies. Think about how you’ve aligned these strategies with business objectives and be ready to share specific outcomes that resulted from your initiatives.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
This role requires excellent stakeholder management. Be prepared to discuss how you've collaborated with senior leaders and other departments. Share stories that illustrate your ability to influence and advise at the executive level.
✨Emphasise Inclusion and Engagement
Given the focus on a people-first culture, think about how you've championed inclusion and engagement in previous roles. Prepare to discuss innovative recognition strategies you've implemented and their impact on employee morale and performance.
