Pay and Reward Specialist – AR

Pay and Reward Specialist

Human Resources & Organisational Development,  Tower Hamlets Council
Day rate: £450 (inside IR35)
3 – 6 Month Assignment

Purpose of the Role

Tower Hamlets Council is seeking a highly experienced Interim Pay and Reward Specialist to provide senior professional expertise across complex pay, grading and reward activity during a period of organisational change.

This role provides the council with authoritative subject matter expertise to lead on complex and high‑risk pay and reward matters, assure the integrity of job evaluation outcomes, and mitigate organisational and legal risk.

This role requires a seasoned reward specialist with deep technical expertise, sound professional judgement and confidence operating under challenge and scrutiny with knowledge and experience of local government pay and grading schemes including NJC.

Core Requirements

The Pay and Reward Specialist will:

• Act as the council’s senior professional subject matter expert on pay, grading and reward matters under the direction of the Director of HR and OD.
• Take ownership of complex, high‑risk or contentious pay and job evaluation cases, including escalations and challenges
• Lead on the application and assurance of the council’s job evaluation scheme (e.g. NJC / HAY or equivalent), providing professional authority on outcomes
• Provide expert advice on pay risk, equal pay implications and consistency of application
• Work closely with HR Business Partners, finance, ER and legal colleagues to ensure pay and reward decisions are robust, defensible and compliant
• Provide senior level advice to HR leaders and Directors on pay, grading and reward risks, options and implications
• Set professional standards and provide quality assurance across pay and reward activity delivered by consultants and HR colleagues
• Contribute to strengthening governance, transparency and confidence in pay and reward decision‑making, ensuring that documentation and records are

Day to Day Tasks:

• Leading and quality assuring complex or sensitive job evaluation cases, including roles associated with restructures, senior posts or where there is significant challenge.
• Reviewing and assuring evaluation outcomes produced by consultants to ensure consistency, rigour and defensibility
• Advising on pay and grading challenges, appeals and disputes, including preparation of professional advice and recommendations
• Supporting the management of equal pay risk, including analysis, assurance and contribution to mitigation actions
• Providing expert input to pay modelling, benchmarking and reward proposals where complexity or risk is high
• Advising on market supplements, allowances and non‑standard payments in line with policy and governance and the local conventions
• Working constructively with Trade Unions on complex pay and grading matters to resolve issues and reduce escalation
• Supporting backlog reduction through prioritisation, triage and professional oversight of in train cases

Skills, Knowledge and Experience Required

The successful interim will bring:

• Expert‑level knowledge of public sector pay and reward, job evaluation and grading
• Substantial experience operating as a senior reward specialist within a complex, unionised organisation
• Proven experience leading and assuring job evaluation schemes and managing complex or contested cases
• Strong understanding of equal pay, pay transparency and employment legislation as it relates to reward
• Experience advising HR leaders, Directors and senior stakeholders on complex reward matters
• Ability to apply professional judgement, challenge constructively and operate under scrutiny
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, particularly in evaluation and pay risk assessment
• High levels of professional credibility, resilience and discretion
• CIPD qualification (Level 7 preferred) or equivalent senior‑level reward expertise