Reward Director

Job description

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities. GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career. Job Summary We're currently looking for a reward director to join us on a permanent basis. The Reward Director is responsible for leading the development, implementation, and governance of the organisation's reward strategy, policies, and frameworks. The role acts as the organisation's recognised authority on reward, executive compensation, incentive design, benefits, reward governance, and market competitiveness. Working closely with HR leadership, Finance, senior business leaders, and the Remuneration Committee, the role ensures reward programmes support the attraction, retention, engagement, and performance of employees while maintaining strong governance and compliance. The role will be on a remote contract however the intention will be for you to be able to to travel to our UK on a regular basis. The London office will be an office you will need to visit frequently. As this is a global role, there will also be an opportunity and expectation for global travel. What You'll Be Doing Reward Strategy Develop and maintain the organisation's reward strategy and operating framework. Ensure reward programmes are aligned with objectives. Lead the design and ongoing review of compensation, benefits, recognition, and incentive programmes. Identify opportunities to improve reward effectiveness, employee experience, and organisational competitiveness. Executive Reward Lead the design and administration of executive remuneration arrangements, including salary, annual incentives, long-term incentives, and share plans. Ensure executive remuneration arrangements remain competitive, compliant, and aligned with organisational performance. Governance & Compliance Maintain robust reward governance frameworks and controls. Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, reporting requirements, and governance standards. Oversee remuneration disclosures, gender pay reporting, pay transparency requirements, and regulatory obligations. Monitor emerging regulatory developments and assess their impact on reward practices. Reward Operations & Analytics Develop reporting, analytics, and management information to support reward decision-making. Ensure reward programmes are delivered consistently, accurately, and efficiently. Support the Remuneration Committee, using data and market intelligence to evaluate reward effectiveness and identify improvement opportunities. What You'll Be Doing (Continued) Reward Expertise Act as the organisation's recognised subject matter expert on reward strategy, executive compensation, benchmarking, and reward governance. Develop reward frameworks, methodologies, and best practices. Provide expert advice on complex reward issues and business decisions. Support organisational transformation, restructuring, and talent initiatives. Leadership Lead, develop, and coach reward professionals within the reward function. Build reward capability across the wider HR community. Drive reward consistency and champion continuous improvement. Stakeholder Management Build strong relationships with internal and external business stakeholders. Influence reward decisions through professional expertise. Communicate complex reward concepts clearly. Develop user guides, toolkits, and training materials for HR and managers. What You'll Bring Significant experience (typically 10–15+ years) in executive compensation, rewards, or related fields. Strong operational and delivery focus with excellent attention to detail. Highly organised with ability to manage multiple processes and deadlines. Advanced Excel and data handling skills. Clear and practical communication style. Ability to train and support non-specialists in reward processes. Problem-solving mindset with focus on efficiency and accuracy. What We'll Offer Once you’re on board you’ll get the following perks and benefits: Competitive salary and remuneration package dependent on experience. 36% company bonus based on personal and business performance. £6,300 annual car allowance. Single cover private medical (option to pay for family). Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we’ll 1.5x employee contributions (max 12%). Life Assurance 8 x salary. 25 days holiday + bank holidays. Flexible working hours. Income protection. Shopping discounts. Cycle To Work Scheme. Employee Assistance Programme. Virtual GP Clinic for you and immediate family. A collaborative, dynamic working environment. As well as a competitive package we’ll offer you a world of opportunity. We want to see your career fly! We’ll support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities. That’s the beauty of being part of a global business, once you’re on board you never know where your career journey may take you! We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go? A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work. We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know. We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology. ​ ​