Strategic Reward and Insight Lead

We have an exciting opportunity for a HR professional that specialises in Reward to join us as the Strategic Reward and Insight Lead, working across Kingston and Sutton Council on a fixed term basis for 12 months. The aim of the role is to provide strategic insight and implementation of our rewards offer, in support of our recruitment and retention objectives across both authorities.

Reporting to Head of HR Shared and Traded Services, you will be leading on the development and application of our pay and reward initiatives, whilst building trusted relationships with HR professionals and managers across both organisations. As a subject matter expert, you will be advising on green book terms and conditions, developing our employee value proposition, and providing guidance on suitable remuneration enhancements, as appropriate.

Your expertise as a Reward specialist will enable you to review and develop our total reward and recognition package, conduct market research to ensure our remuneration and benefits offer remains competitive, and lead on the development of innovative reward initiatives with due regard for relevant legislation. As a strategic leader you will effectively enhance and drive our reward strategy, managing stakeholders at all levels across the organisation. With 2 direct reports, a Data Analyst and Reward and Data Associate, you will manage a small team to produce robust workforce reports for both Councils, coordinate Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and respond to a range of statutory data requests, whilst providing strategic insight and accountability for relevant project work related to reward. You will also oversee our job evaluation process, identify opportunities for improvement, and provide robust advice to HR colleagues and senior managers, on all reward
and benefits matters.

This role will give you a great opportunity to explore the concept of rewards within local authority, combined with an environment that promotes a diversity and inclusion and empowers career growth and development. If you are a strategic thinker with an eye for data and analytics, we encourage you to apply.

The successful candidate will have experience of leading the strategic approach to pay, reward and non-cash benefits, preferably in a public sector environment. Your strong interpersonal skills will enable you to develop credible relationships with key stakeholders across both organisations, whilst your research and analytical skills will help you identify trends and best practice, resulting in robust evidence based recommendations and decisions. Your confidence as a strategic leader, and excellent communication skills will enable you to effectively influence, shape and drive our reward strategy.

Kingston and Sutton councils have a number of shared services serving both authorities, with some teams and roles more focussed on one council than the other, but the majority are shared across both, meaning you get multiple opportunities to learn from a wider pool of activities and two different political bodies.

We work flexibly in both Kingston and Sutton offices, and support working at home or flexible working patterns that enable you to tailor your working and personal life. We provide the equipment and tools to enable you to work flexibly, and in return ask you to use that flexibility to be creative and ambitious in the services we deliver.

There are some really exciting things happening in both boroughs. In Sutton, we are developing the London Cancer Hub, a world leading cancer research and treatment hub that will bring together professionals from across different sectors to identify and test new treatments and therapies. Over in Kingston, we are undertaking the largest housing regeneration programme ever delivered in the borough, building new energy efficient housing that will transform some of our oldest Council owned housing. Both boroughs have publicly committed to doing what they can to tackle the climate emergency and are investing in new technologies and societal change that will help bring carbon emissions down and improve our climate impact.

You should choose Kingston and Sutton if you are looking for an opportunity that will challenge you to deliver more, support you to achieve personal ambitions, and expect you to put borough residents at the heart of what you do.

Kingston is a beautiful Royal borough with a historic setting on the banks of the Thames with excellent schools and a bustling retail centre, all surrounded by open green spaces such as Richmond Park and Bushey Park, former recreation grounds for Tudor Kings and Queens. The Council is controlled by a Liberal Democrat Administration and has a council plan "Greener, Fairer, Safer, Together", that sets out a vision to be a vibrant, diverse and inclusive borough where residents are active, empowered, engaged and able to remain independent and resilient. The Council engages with residents through a number of forums and events through the year, and like Sutton plays a leading role in developing the South West Region of London.

Sutton is a well connected attractive part of London that has a reputation for excellent schools, green and leafy open spaces, and a history that drives a thriving heritage and culture offer through our museums and libraries. The Council is controlled by a long established Liberal Democrat Administration and has high ambitions set out in its corporate plan "Ambitious for Sutton", that will ensure Sutton remains a great place to live, work and raise a family. The Council plays a leading role in a number of local partnerships and places great emphasis on engaging effectively with its residents, listening to local voices and making their message heard across London Government., The Royal Borough of Kingston and the London Borough of Sutton employ nearly 500 staff across its shared services in HR, Finance, Customer Service, Neighbourhoods, Environment and ICT.

This is a highly rewarding way of working that will help you develop new skills as you manage relationships and provide a consistent service across multiple partners. This is an exciting opportunity to join a progressive HR and Organisational Development (OD) Shared Service that focuses on our customers' needs across Kingston Council, Sutton Council and our traded services. We are building a strategically focused OD service that is responsive to our internal customer needs and enables them to provide the services needed for the communities we work with. This is a great place to be a HR and OD Professional!

We are an award winning HR Shared Service, because people are at the heart of everything we do. Our service is very proud to be recognised for our achievements and our commitment to being a diverse and inclusive employer, having won the MJ Award for Workforce Transformation Award in 2022 for Community Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Best Inclusion and Diversity Programme and Best candidate Experience, both awarded by the PPMA (Public Services People Managers Association) in 2023 and 2024 respectively., We are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) so all personal information that can identify job applicants e.g. name, title etc is completely anonymised during the shortlisting process. Our hiring managers review applications based on the knowledge, skills and experience demonstrated in your application, and how well these match the job profile. Our HR Shared Service with Sutton Council was recently recognised nationally for having the 'Best Inclusion and Diversity Programme' at the PPMA Excellence in People Management Awards 2023, something that we're incredibly proud of., We are proud to be a diverse and welcoming Borough. Our aim is to create a workforce which reflects the community we serve, and staff feel a sense of belonging. We celebrate and respect differences and appreciate the value of having a diverse workforce. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, and disabled candidates, as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce.

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to thinking differently about disability and taking action to improve how we recruit, retain and develop disabled people. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for a role.

We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums and inclusive staff networks who help drive our diversity agenda.

We are an accredited London Living Wage Employer and this means that everyone working at the Royal Borough of Kingston, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers receive the London Living Wage. The real Living Wage is higher than the government's minimum, or National Living Wage, and is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay that is based on the actual cost of living.

The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.

This will be a fixed term appointment for 12 months to cover maternity leave. We are happy to consider candidates who may be interested in covering the post as a secondment.
Our Offer To You

As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we're committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We're constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across however big or small; will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team.

In addition we offer a modern and flexible working environment for our staff supported by our IT infrastructure, Google Chromebooks and Google Apps, which have acted as a key enabler for collaborative and streamlined working. We operate hybrid working, a flexible working model which allows staff to work from a variety of locations and staff are not required to work within the office 5 days a week. It enables staff to achieve a work life balance whilst still meeting the needs of the organisation.

Employees have access to a wide range of benefits, some of which include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply)


• Three volunteering days per year in Kingston or Sutton


• Flexible and agile working arrangements


• Comprehensive learning and development programme


• Discounts on a range of local shops, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres


• Interest free season ticket loans


• Local Government Pension Scheme


• Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme


• Zip car scheme


• Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses


• Confidential wellbeing and counselling support


• Subsidised gym membership