Reward and SCS Pay

Job summary

This role plays a key part in shaping and delivering pay and reward policy that supports the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) priorities by attracting, motivating and retaining a talented workforce. The role works closely with the wider Reward & Employee Experience team to ensure reward policy is designed and delivered as part of a coherent, end‑to‑end employee experience across Defence.

The postholder will contribute to the development and implementation of reward strategies, support the modernisation and simplification of pay arrangements, and help improve how reward is delivered across the organisation, including using data and digital solutions.

You will lead and develop a small team of reward professionals to deliver a demanding and evolving agenda, working closely with senior leaders and a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. The role offers significant autonomy and the opportunity to influence the future direction of pay and reward policy.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

In this role, you will:

• Lead and contribute to the development, implementation and governance of pay and reward frameworks with MOD, including supporting annual pay review activity.
• Review, improve and oversee reward and pay policies to ensure they are aligned with organisational objectives, workforce priorities and relevant central guidance.
• Provide oversight of specific pay or workforce cohorts, including the development of associated policy, framework design and performance or reward mechanisms (depending on business need).
• Oversee elements of the wider reward offer, such as benefits and pensions policy, and provide expert advice on complex or high‑profile casework.
• Use data and analysis to inform policy development, support decision‑making and assess the impact of pay and reward proposals.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior leaders and a wide range of stakeholders, which may include central government bodies, arm’s‑length organisations and trade unions.
• Provide leadership and direction to a small team of reward specialists, and contribute to wider leadership across the HR or Reward function. This will include setting priorities, managing resources, developing capability, and fostering an inclusive and high‑performing team culture.

• Work in close partnership with colleagues across the Reward & Employee Experience team (including employee relations, conduct and standards, complaints and wellbeing) to ensure reward policies align with and support a joined‑up employee experience.
• Contribute to Civil Service HR governance, forums and decision‑making, ensuring reward considerations are integrated into wider people policies and change activity.

This is an opportunity to play a visible role in shaping pay and reward policy and practice, contributing innovative ideas and driving continuous improvement in how reward is designed and delivered.

Person specification

We are looking for an experienced HR professional with a strong background in pay and reward, or closely related policy areas. CIPD Level 7 is desirable, or a commitment to work towards this.

You will have:

• Strong working knowledge of pay and reward principles, with an understanding of how they operate within large or complex organisations (experience within the Civil Service or public sector is desirable but not essential).
• Experience of developing, modelling and implementing pay or reward policy, using data and insight to address complex problems.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly and concisely to senior audiences, both verbally and in writing.
• Proven leadership and line management experience, including the ability to plan and prioritise work, manage competing demands, and use initiative to drive delivery.
• Strong organisational skills and the confidence to operate with a high degree of autonomy.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Changing and Improving

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and the following:

• Making effective decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Changing and Improving

At interview, you will be assessed against the following:

• Making effective decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Changing and Improving

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : People-CivHR-RewardMailbox@mod.gov.uk
• Email : People-CivHR-RewardMailbox@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)EXTERNAL PACK Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Document in 26-06 Defence Internal Brief notice for inclusion of all adverts and issued alongside Posting Notices_O Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)