Head of Total Reward

Role: Head of Total Reward
Location: University of Oxford
Reports to: Director of Talent and Deputy Director of HR
Terms: Full-time
Salary: Grade 10, Competitive salary commensurate with experience

The University

The University of Oxford aims to be a world leader in both research and education for the benefit of society globally. Oxford’s researchers engage with academic, commercial, and cultural partners across the world to stimulate high-quality research and enable innovation through a broad range of social, policy and economic impacts.

Whilst retaining traditions of scholarship, Oxford is forward-looking, creative, and cutting-edge. Oxford is one of Europe’s most entrepreneurial universities and ranks first in the UK for university spinouts. In recent years, Oxford has typically incubated and spun out 15-20 new companies every year, whilst being recognised as a leader in the support of social enterprise.

Our ambition is clear: to maintain our position as the leading University in the world, while fostering an inclusive, diverse and values-driven culture, in partnership with the colleges. We are already making strides towards achieving this.

At the University of Oxford, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive and enriching environment for our staff and students. As part of our commitment to excellence, we are expanding our Reward team and seeking an experienced Head of Total Reward to lead the delivery of our comprehensive total reward strategy. This role is pivotal in aligning our reward offerings with the University’s strategic goals, advancing our commitment to equitable pay and benefits.

The Role

As Head of Total Reward, you will be responsible for managing the University’s expanding Reward team, ensuring the effective delivery of our total reward strategy. You will collaborate across the University to support and enhance our reward structures, policies, and initiatives. This is an ideal opportunity for a strategic thinker with a strong background in reward management who is ready to make a significant impact.

The successful candidate will oversee the daily operations of the Reward team, ensuring quality support for pay, benefits, and reward processes across the University. You will collaborate with the wider People Department to implement the University’s People Strategy seamlessly. In leading the development and implementation of reward strategies and policies, you will manage projects that align with the overall goals of the organisation.

Your role will involve analysing and interpreting complex reward-related data, enabling you to provide informed recommendations for the People Committee. You will also take charge of managing equal pay and gender pay gap reporting, developing comprehensive action plans and commentaries that are ready for publication. It is essential that you ensure robust governance arrangements for senior staff compensation, maintaining compliance with regulatory codes. Additionally, you will maintain the integrity of the University’s grading structures and oversee post-management processes. Your expertise will be crucial as you provide advice on complex reward issues and delivering training sessions and briefings.

The Successful Candidate will present with proven expertise in reward strategy development and management, with a solid understanding of employment law and best practices. You will have evidence of strong experience advising managers on reward-related matters with a proactive and professional approach. Your experience will demonstrate an ability to motivate and lead staff to deliver an effective service. Overall, you will have excellent analytical, organisational, and communication skills, with the ability to manage complex issues and influence stakeholders. Additionally, experience in managing benefits provisions with a Total Reward approach, as well as a background in reward management within the public or private sectors, is desirable. Experience in a start-up environment would be a plus.

In return for your expertise and leadership, the University of Oxford offers a competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the well-being of our staff. You will have opportunities for professional development and the chance to contribute to a dynamic work environment focused on excellence.

If you are passionate about creating a fair and rewarding workplace and meet the above criteria, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

The closing date for applications is noon on 18th June 2025

Applications should consist of:

• A full CV.
• A covering letter (maximum of two pages) outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.
• Please include details of three referees on your CV, though please note that we will not approach your referees without your prior consent and only should you be shortlisted.

Should you wish to discuss the role in strict confidence, please contact Aino Betts on Aino.Betts@andersonquigley.com  or +44 (0)7743 934 723 or Kiersten Avery on kiersten.avery@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7510 384 735.

The University of Oxford is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.