Compensation Assistant Manager (12 month FTC)

The KPMG People function is a cornerstone of our UK business. Operating from 20 UK locations and sitting with KPMG Central Services, we do work that matters. Within Group Corporate Services, we are part of a community of experts across a wide range of critical activities who help grow, run, and protect KPMG in the UK.

The Compensation team supports the UK firm of around 17,000 employees. This role involves supporting the team in delivering and managing the UK compensation strategy and related initiatives. This position is ideal for someone with a logical mindset, strong Excel capabilities, and a passion for solving complex problems using data. You will play a key role in supporting compensation analysis and building tools to enable data-driven decisions.

The role will also support job evaluation, market benchmarking, salary structure planning and maintenance of compensation documentation and governance to help ensure our approach remains competitive, fair and well-governed. This role is an integral part of the wider Reward team.

What will you be doing?

• Support the UK Compensation team in coordinating and delivering the annual salary and bonus review process across the UK businesses in line with firm-wide guidance and compensation strategy.
• Build and maintain advanced Excel tools and models to support compensation planning and workforce analytics.
• Use appropriate technology and AI-assisted tools where relevant to develop improvements to the speed, consistency and quality of analysis, and to reduce manual efforts.
• Proactively seek improvements in reporting and data analytics.
• Translate data into meaningful insights and present them in a clear, business-friendly format, preparing compensation data and reports for HR and business leadership.
• Provide in-depth analytical support for compensation initiatives and projects to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Source and maintain all market benchmarking data.
• Responsible for internal data collection and timely input into external surveys.
• Benchmark roles against market pay data and evaluate and grade job roles using established job evaluation methodologies.
• Support the Compensation Director in delivering strong governance and compliance across all compensation activity, ensuring documentation exists with processes clearly recorded and updates made proactively in response to changes.
• Responsible for project managing work stream(s) within the salary and bonus review, organising resources and ensuring that project teams deliver on time.

What will you need to do it?

• Experience of working in UK compensation is essential.
• Experience in HR analytics, or a related quantitative role is desirable but not essential.
• Strong logical and analytical thinking; able to work through complex problems methodically.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (including pivot tables, formulas, VBA/macros, and data modelling).
• Familiarity with other data tools is a plus (Tableau, PowerBI, Alteryx, Power Query, SQL or AI-assisted modelling and benchmarking tools).
• Proven ability to build Excel-based models and analytical tools.
• Comfortable working independently and managing time effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience working with market pay survey data, salary structures and job evaluation methodologies.
• Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving abilities.
• A team player who can work collaboratively but also thrives when working independently.
• Proven record of accuracy, attention to detail, managing large data sets.
• Confident stakeholder management capabilities, with the ability to explain compensation recommendations, pay structures and analytical findings clearly to HR Business Partners.
• Proven ability to deliver high-quality reports/presentations and analysis.
• Awareness of pay transparency, pay equity reporting and the importance of maintaining fair and competitive compensation practices is advantageous.
• Works at pace, and is a self-starter, with the ability to maintain resilience and effectiveness during sustained periods of pressure, change or uncertainty.
• Can work proactively in ambiguity and a “just in time” environment, executing according to project plans with a high level of attention to detail.
• Proactively drives continuous improvement in tools, processes and all compensation activities.
• A team player who works collaboratively but also thrives working independently with the ability to plan and prioritise own workload effectively within a very busy, fast-paced environment, across multiple demands.
• Takes responsibility for their actions and decisions.
• Has a can-do attitude and positive mindset.

To discuss this or wider Group Corporate Services roles with our recruitment team, all you need to do is apply, create a profile, upload your CV and begin to make your mark with KPMG.

Our Locations: We are open to talk to talent across the country but our core Group Corporate Service hubs for this role are: Watford, Manchester. With 20 sites across the UK, we can potentially facilitate office work, working from home, flexible hours, and part-time options. If you have a need for flexibility, please register and discuss this with our team.