Pay & Reward HR Business Partner

Job description

Job Title:  Pay & Reward HR Business Partner

Band: 4

Salary:  £48,027 - £54,751

Available Locations: Liverpool

The following locations listed below are restricted to contracted GCA staff already based in one of these offices:

London, Bristol, Manchester or York.

External applicants are not eligible for these sites.  If you select one of these locations as an external applicant your application will unfortunately be withdrawn.

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full Time

Closing Date: 27-09-26

Interview Date(s): 12/13th October, Please note these interviews will be in person in the Liverpool office (subject to change)

Insight into GCA - Webinar 

Watch our Webinar on the above link and gain valuable insight into GCA and our recruitment processes. 

Are you passionate about shaping a workplace culture that empowers people to do their best work? As a Pay & Reward HR Business Partner, you’ll be at the heart of the GCA’s mission, crafting the strategies that attract and retain the talent delivering value to the nation. This isn't just about policy—it’s about designing a reward landscape that motivates our workforce and helps solve the complex puzzle of modern talent retention. Ready to make a real impact on our People Strategy?

Job Summary

Centred on our total reward and policy frameworks, this position plays a key role in designing, delivering, and continuously refining GCA's pay and reward strategy. You will deliver best-practice, fit-for-purpose solutions that help make GCA an outstanding workplace, including leading the pay award modelling for delegated grades.

To support complex, high-profile deliverables, you will collaborate closely with key stakeholders across Corporate Services, Senior Leadership teams, and Trade Unions.

Key Accountabilities

Pay Award Modelling & Reward Strategy:

• Lead on designing pay award modelling scenarios, formulating options for consultation, and overseeing final implementation following central pay remit guidance.

• Assist the Head of HR Strategy, Reward and Policy in designing reward and benefit strategies that align with organizational goals, culture, and core values.

• Drive the GDaT pay framework by managing annual evaluation processes and aligning reward structures with industry best practice and compensation trends.

High-Performance Culture:

• Manage the In-Year Reward Scheme, generating quarterly dashboards and auditing nominations to ensure fair, consistent, and inclusive application.

• Ensure the Performance Management framework actively supports the broader reward strategy.

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Financial Analysis & Policy Review:

• Conduct in-depth data analysis and financial modelling for policy proposals, executive briefings, and submissions to support evidence-led decision-making.

• Review and simplify pay frameworks and policies, assessing affordability, equality impacts, and alignment with central pay controls.

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​​Stakeholder & Trade Union Collaboration:

• Build collaborative relationships across Corporate Services, Senior Leadership teams, central government entities, and Trade Unions.

• Provide key secretariat support for internal trade union meetings and input into trade union relations to enable positive policy and reward changes.

• Lead key HR reward projects and cross-functional initiatives end-to-end.

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Essential Criteria (to be assessed at application stage):

• • Pay & Reward Expertise: Deep knowledge of pay, reward, and benefits frameworks and their role in driving an inclusive employment experience

• • Analytical & Financial Capability: Robust analytical skills to interpret complex data sets, perform precise financial modelling, and generate actionable strategic insights.

• • Policy & Legislative Knowledge: Up-to-date knowledge of HR best practice, central pay controls, and employment legislation, with proven experience developing HR policies.

• • Project & Portfolio Leadership: Proven track record of managing projects end-to-end, prioritizing competing tasks under pressure, and delivering results to tight deadlines. 

• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to create a range of content for different stakeholder groups, demonstrating a clear and concise delivery style. Ability to produce clear, high quality written outputs, including briefings and policy documents for senior audiences.

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Success Profiles (to be assessed at interview):

Experience

Behaviours

• Communicating & Influencing - lead success profile at interview

• Making Effective Decisions

• Managing a Quality Service

• Seeing the Big Picture

(A link to the Civil Service Success Profiles Framework is provided below)

Success Profiles Framework

Valuing our people:

• Competitive salary 

• Generous pension scheme

• A discretionary non-contractual performance related bonus 

• Working remotely in addition to working in advertised office location

• Flexi time scheme (available for B1-B6)

• Minimum 25 days annual leave to a maximum service related 30 days excluding bank holidays

Want to make a difference? Find out more about the rewarding work that we do in our candidate pack.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

We want to make our recruitment process accessible to everyone, so if there is any way that we can support you, please contact [email protected]

Working flexibly, delivering outcomes

GCA operates a smarter working model that balances flexibility with collaboration. Successful candidates are expected to spend at least 26 days per quarter (approximately 2 days per week, pro-rata) at their contracted office, another GCA site, or off-site for meetings. For the remainder of the time, you may work from home or another suitable location that meets business needs.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. 

Selection Process

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitably similar vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview. Should you be placed on a reserve list and want to be removed please contact [email protected].

Please note that as part of this recruitment process, if you are unsuccessful at the interview stage but are close to the benchmark score you may be considered for and offered a role at a lower pay band within the same job family.

Please note the lead success profile for this role will be Communicating and Influencing.

#GCAIND  

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. 

Complaints Procedure

 Our recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles details of which can be found at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-principles/

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact [email protected] in the first instance.

If you remain unsatisfied with the response you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission at [email protected]

Internal candidates should apply using their Workday account. Please use the careers hub for your application.