Head of Pay, Reward & Benefits in London

The Head of Pay, Reward and Employee Benefits is the senior specialist lead responsible for developing and delivering an integrated pay, reward and employee benefits strategy that supports organisational objectives, workforce sustainability, employee engagement, and value for money.

The role provides expert leadership across pay policy, pay strategy, reward frameworks, recognition, employee benefits, and financial wellbeing.

Operating in a complex organisational group environment, the postholder will ensure compliance with Civil Service pay controls and government guidance whilst delivering innovative and future focussed, evidence-based reward solutions that support attraction, retention, and workforce performance.

The role leads a team of reward professionals and works closely with senior HR leaders, Finance, Trade Unions, Shared Services, Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and Defra’s Arm's Length Bodies.

• Head of Pay, Reward & Benefits
• Company: Government Recruitment Service
• Job type: Permanent
• Posting date: 6 Nov 2026

Key responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Lead the development and implementation of the organisation's pay, reward, and employee benefits strategy.
• Provide strategic advice to senior leaders on reward, pay policy, employee value proposition, and workforce affordability.
• Ensure reward and benefits arrangements support organisational priorities, workforce plans, and people strategies.
• Ensure pay, reward, and benefits strategy support delivery of the water reform agenda, equipping the organisations and new regulator to attract, retain and deploy the capability needed through significant transformation.
• Work with cluster departments to design and implement a reward and benefits solution through the Synergy ERP project that delivers for customers, aligns with wider transformation priorities, and supports consistent, effective services.
• Shape future reward approaches using market intelligence, workforce insight, and benchmarking.
• Pay and Reward
• Lead delivery of annual pay award processes and pay remit submissions across Defra and its ALBs, Natural England and the Environment Agency.
• Oversee the development of pay frameworks, grading structures and reward policies.
• Provide expert advice on pay flexibility cases, recruitment and retention measures and reward interventions across Defra Group.
• Ensure compliance with Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and Civil Service pay guidance.
• Lead pay modelling, affordability assessments, and equality impact considerations.
• Employee Benefits and Recognition
• Lead the strategic development and ongoing review of the employee benefits portfolio.
• Ensure benefits support wellbeing, engagement, attraction, and retention objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement in employee benefit offerings through market research, employee feedback, and data analysis.
• Oversee recognition schemes and wider employee value proposition activity.
• Build strong relationships with external suppliers and service providers, ensuring value for money and high-quality service delivery.
• Governance, Risk and Assurance
• Ensure robust governance arrangements across pay, reward and benefits activity.
• Provide oversight and assurance of new reward and benefits solution design and implementation, particularly the new Synergy ERP, ensuring risks, controls, dependencies, and customer impacts are identified and managed.
• Oversee a robust assurance and testing regime for pay accuracy, including clear controls, test criteria, defect management, and readiness decisions, to protect employees and maintain confidence in payroll outcomes.
• Manage organisational risks associated with pay, reward, pensions, and employee benefits.
• Ensure compliance with legislation, policies, financial controls, and audit requirements.

Produce high-quality papers, submissions and recommendations for Executive Teams, Boards, and governance groups.

• Stakeholder Engagement and Influence
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across HR, Finance, operational groups, and government departments.
• Lead engagement with Trade Unions on reward-related matters.
• Represent the organisation in cross-government reward and pay networks.
• Influence strategic decision-making through evidence-based recommendations and expert advice.
• Leadership and Capability
• Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing specialist team.
• Create an inclusive, collaborative, and continuous improvement culture.
• Build organisational capability in reward, benefits, and pay management.
• Drive innovation and service improvements that enhance efficiency and employee experience.
• Key outcomes

The postholder will be accountable for

• Delivery of annual pay awards and reward processes.
• Development and implementation of reward and benefits strategies.
• High-quality reward advice to senior leaders.
• Effective management of reward governance and compliance.
• Improved employee engagement with reward and benefits provision.
• Strong workforce outcomes relating to attraction, retention, and employee experience.
• Successful delivery of strategic reward projects and organisational change programmes.
• Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme