Reward Specialist

Job summary

Are you an experienced reward professional looking for an opportunity to use your expertise to help shape organisational decision making and make a meaningful impact?

The People Unit works in partnership with leaders across the organisation to attract, develop and retain talented people. Within the People Unit, the Reward team provides specialist expertise across reward, recognition, benefits and job evaluation, helping ensure our reward approaches are fair, evidence-based and aligned with Civil Service principles.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a small but highly visible team where you will have the chance to influence organisation-wide decisions, work with senior stakeholders and help shape the future of reward at the Planning Inspectorate.

The Planning Inspectorate has a long and proud history in ensuring a fair planning system for England. The work we do has a significant impact on people’s lives, the communities where they live and the economy.

For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please visit our careers page at Civil Service Careers

Job description

You'll play a key role in shaping and delivering the Planning Inspectorate's reward offer, helping to ensure our pay, benefits and job evaluation frameworks are fair, effective and support our organisational priorities.

Working closely with colleagues across the People Unit and the wider business, you'll provide expert advice on reward matters, analyse data to inform decision making, and contribute to projects that enhance our people policies and employee experience. You'll also support the governance of our job evaluation framework, deliver assurance activities and help ensure reward processes are delivered to a high standard.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence organisation-wide initiatives that directly impact our people. The role offers a unique blend of strategic thinking and hands-on delivery, giving you the chance to shape policies, improve processes and help drive positive change.

We're looking for someone who is curious, analytical and solutions-focused. You'll enjoy working with data, identifying opportunities for improvement and translating complex information into clear, practical advice. You'll be confident building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where priorities can evolve.

You'll have an interest in reward and people practices, a strong eye for detail, and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes. You'll enjoy improving processes, building collaborative relationships and finding practical solutions to complex challenges.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. Internal rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

This role is being advertised at SEO Grade which has a salary of £46,689.

Working hours:

Standard working week is 37 hours, part time at 30 hours or above, flexible working hours policy available.

Office Attendance

This role is contractually based at our office in Bristol, 10-minute walk from Temple Meads train station. We recognise and value the mutual benefits of hybrid working and have a flexible approach to in person attendance, which can vary dependent on the requirements of individual business units - the details of which can be discussed with candidates if invited to attend an interview. Excitingly, we're relocating to a brand-new office in December, while maintaining excellent transport links with Bristol Temple Meads station just a 10 minute walk away.

Person specification

We will assess your application against the Essential Criteria listed:

Essential Criteria

• CIPD qualified to level 5, or equivalent experience with a commitment to achieve the qualification within 3 years.
• Experienced in pay and reward, including annual pay review cycles, gained in the public, private or voluntary sector.
• Able to analyse large data sets, with the ability to interpret and present pay data in an impactful way that is easily understood by those without reward expertise.
• Advanced Excel user with the ability to produce Pivot charts, Lookups and graphs.
• Evidence of designing, implementing, and embedding people policies, processes and governance frameworks. Demonstrating a systems thinking approach, so measures are user friendly and achieve their aims.
• Demonstrates delivery focus with the ability to judge priorities and work on multiple projects based on strategic and operational priorities.
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy.

For guidance on how to structure your application please visit: About the application process , Civil Service Careers

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

• Will need to demonstrate: pay, reward and recognition expertise ability to use data to support decision making.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,689, Planning Inspectorate contributes £13,525 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Flexible working options, including flexi-time, part-time, compressed hours and home working if suitable for the role.
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
• 25 days annual leave increasing by 1 day per year up to 30 days after 5 years, plus 1 privilege day to mark the King’s birthday. In addition to the normal bank holidays.
• Generous family friendly policies.
• Fast and modern IT kit which utilises Windows 11 and Microsoft 365, enabling seamless working from home and collaboration across teams.

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, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application

Complete the online application form on Civil Service Jobs which requires the following information: