At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and evolve the reward strategy for a top retailer, shaping compensation and benefits.
- Company: Join a leading, recognisable retailer with a people-first culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £130k, car allowance, bonus, and hybrid working.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on talent engagement and organisational success in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Proven senior leadership experience in reward, with strong analytical and stakeholder management skills.
- Other info: Opportunity to influence culture and performance in a high-profile organisation undergoing transformation.
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.
Responsibilities
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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 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 London
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to current employees at your target companies. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream job.
✨Ace the Informational Interview
If you can, set up informational interviews with professionals in the rewards field. This is your chance to learn more about the role and the company culture while also making a great impression. We recommend preparing thoughtful questions and showing genuine interest in their experiences.
✨Showcase Your Expertise
When you get the chance to meet potential employers, make sure to highlight your experience and insights in total reward strategies. We want you to demonstrate how your skills align with their needs, especially in areas like compensation and benefits. Bring examples of your past successes to the table!
✨Apply Through Our Website
Don’t forget to apply directly through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged. So, go ahead and take that step towards landing your next big opportunity!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Rewards in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Rewards 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. Let us know how you can help shape our reward strategy!
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 inform reward strategies or improve employee engagement in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to hear from you!
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 previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Mindset
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in shaping reward strategies. Think about how you've aligned these strategies with business objectives and how they’ve contributed to organisational success. This will show your potential employer that you can think big picture.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Since this role involves working closely with senior leaders, practice articulating your ideas clearly and confidently. Be prepared to discuss how you've successfully managed relationships with various stakeholders in the past, especially at the executive level.
✨Emphasise Inclusion and Engagement
This position is all about creating a people-first culture. Be ready to share your thoughts on how to foster inclusion and engagement through reward strategies. Highlight any initiatives you've led that have positively impacted employee satisfaction and retention.