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- Tasks: Lead the design and implementation of compensation strategies to attract and retain top talent.
- Company: Join Royal Mail, a leading organisation committed to inclusion and community representation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, healthcare, 30 days leave, and family-friendly support.
- Why this job: Shape reward practices during an exciting transformation and influence senior leaders.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in designing incentive schemes and strong stakeholder communication skills required.
- Other info: Hybrid working role with opportunities for personal and professional development.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK\’s leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.
Job reference 327125
Head of Compensation
Competitive salary, plus car allowance, healthcare, 35% annual bonus potential,30 days annual leave plus bank holidays and a company pension scheme with highly competitive contribution rates
Permanent Full time
185 Farringdon Road, London
About the role
Royal Mail is seeking a strategic and influential Head of Compensation to lead the design, development and implementation of the company\’s compensation strategy in collaboration with the Director of Reward. This is a high-impact, group-wide role that plays a critical part in ensuring our reward practices attract, motivate and retain exceptional talent while aligning with our business goals and values.
As part of our Reward leadership team, you will have the opportunity to shape reward thinking at the highest level, simplify frameworks, and bring clarity to our reward offering during an exciting period of transformation.
Reporting into the Reward Director – this is a hybrid working role with a requirement to attend our Head Office in Farringdon, London.
Key Responsibilities
• Play a key role in shaping and implementing the company\’s compensation approach, in alignment with business goals and HR strategy
• Influence senior stakeholders – up to and including the Group CEO – on complex reward matters
• Oversee and refine compensation structures, benchmarking methodologies, incentive plans and other reward initiatives
• Lead the successful execution of annual salary reviews and bonus schemes, ensuring a consistent and fair employee experience
• Analyse internal data and external market trends to maintain competitive positioning and highlight areas of misalignment
• Provide expert, data-led guidance to senior leaders on reward policies and practices
• Manage vendor relationships for compensation surveys and reward technology platforms
• Collaborate closely with HR, Finance, and business leaders to align reward with engagement and retention strategies
• Ensure delivery of legal and regulatory requirements related to compensation requirements
• Build effective relationships with trade union representatives to support pay discussions and negotiated outcomes
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing reward team
About You
Essential Skills and Experience:
• Extensive experience of designing incentive schemes within large, complex or multinational organisations
• Expertise in fixed and variable pay design and incentive structures
• Strong ability to influence and communicate with senior stakeholders
• Commercially minded, numerically strong, and able to interpret and present complex data clearly
• Experience leading reward cycles and engaging in unionised pay negotiations
• Comfortable operating in change-driven, fast-paced environments
Desirable:
• CIPD qualified
• Well-developed external reward network
Extra Benefits
• Family friendly support – enhanced maternity pay, paternity leave, adoption leave and shared parental leave
• Discounts and offers – there are more than 800 offers to help you save on things like groceries, days out, holidays and your household bills*.
• Supportive and generous company sick pay
• Your Wellbeing – you and your family have 24/7 access to services and tools to help you get the most out of life. From your physical and mental health to financial and social support and advice. It\’s free, and it\’s for everyone.
*Available only to perm employees
Next Steps
The next stage of the selection process will be a face to face/virtual interview consisting of competency based and role specific questions.
Royal Mail Group is committed to inclusion and representing the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals. As a proud Gold signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, we especially encourage applications from the Armed Forces community, including cadet instructors and spouses/partners.
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. If you require any adjustments to support you during the hiring process, please discuss these with your recruiter when contacted.
We are Forces family friendly and a Gold signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant. We welcome applications from ex-Armed Forces personnel, reservists, veterans, cadet instructors and military spouses/partners.
For more information on Royal Mail Group and our values please click here:
Closing Date: 29th July 2025. Please note, this advert may close early if the appropriate number of applications has been reached.
#LI-Hybrid #LI-POST #LIMRT
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Head of Compensation and Benefits employer: Royal Mail Group
Contact Detail:
Royal Mail Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Compensation and Benefits
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in compensation and benefits, especially within large organisations. This knowledge will help you engage in meaningful discussions during interviews and demonstrate your expertise.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the compensation and benefits field. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to connect with others who can provide insights or even referrals for the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with incentive schemes and how you've influenced senior stakeholders in previous roles. Be ready to share specific examples that highlight your strategic thinking and leadership skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Royal Mail's current compensation practices and any recent changes in their reward strategy. This will allow you to tailor your responses in the interview and show that you're genuinely interested in the company's direction.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Compensation and Benefits
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your extensive experience in designing incentive schemes and your ability to influence senior stakeholders. Use specific examples that demonstrate your expertise in fixed and variable pay design.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for shaping compensation strategies and how your background aligns with the role's requirements. Mention your experience in leading reward cycles and engaging in unionised pay negotiations.
Showcase Data Skills: Since the role requires analysing internal data and external market trends, include examples of how you've successfully interpreted and presented complex data in previous roles. This will demonstrate your numerically strong capabilities.
Prepare for the Interview: Anticipate competency-based and role-specific questions during the interview. Prepare to discuss your experience in managing vendor relationships and collaborating with HR and Finance to align reward strategies with business goals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Royal Mail Group
✨Understand the Compensation Landscape
Familiarise yourself with current trends in compensation and benefits, especially within large organisations. Be prepared to discuss how you would align Royal Mail's compensation strategy with these trends to attract and retain top talent.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement
Since this role involves influencing senior stakeholders, practice articulating your ideas clearly and confidently. Think of examples from your past experiences where you've successfully navigated complex discussions or negotiations.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Be ready to demonstrate your ability to analyse data and market trends. Prepare to discuss specific instances where your data-driven insights led to successful compensation strategies or improvements in employee engagement.
✨Highlight Leadership Experience
As a Head of Compensation, you'll need to lead and mentor a team. Share your leadership philosophy and provide examples of how you've developed high-performing teams in previous roles, particularly in fast-paced environments.
