If you’re forward thinking, passionate about reward and recognition and are looking for a role that can make a difference, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) have the opportunity for you! We are looking for a Reward and Recognition Advisor to join our team on a 12-month fixed term contract, based at Newcastle upon Tyne. It’s the perfect opportunity to join the NHS and take the next step in your career!
If you take a proactive approach to your work and enjoy finding innovative solutions to reward and recognition challenges, then you have what this role needs! You will join the People Team, supporting the reward and recognition lead in transforming our reward and recognition offerings and initiatives, ensuring our colleagues have the best experience at work. We are a collaborative team within the People Team, working together to develop the best people initiatives and leverage our collective talents and skills. You will need to be enthusiastic, organised and committed to being an ambassador for the team!
What do we offer?
27 days leave (increasing with length of service) plus 8 bank holidays
Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours or reduced hours)
Hybrid working model
Career development
Active wellbeing and inclusion networks
Excellent pension
NHS Car Lease scheme
Access to a wide range of benefits and high street discounts!
Main duties of the job
Provide an excellent advisory service on aspects including reward, recognition and benefits. You’ll challenge the status quo and develop and implement initiatives that support our ambition to be a great place to work.
Taking an evidence-based approach, you’ll work collaboratively to develop both local and business wide initiatives, ensuring a holistic approach that aligns to our strategy and values.
Continually carry out benchmarking research to inform and action our future approach on such initiatives, which will be supported by feedback gained from within the business.
Work collaboratively with all members of the People team to ensure our reward, recognition and benefits schemes are in alignment and support our strategic aims.
Take ownership of projects, taking full accountability for delivery within the business to develop our people offering.
Here at the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), what we do matters.
We manage the NHS Pension scheme, process prescription payments and much more. Our services are used by NHS organisations, contractors and the public: we’re proud to be part of something meaningful, that touches millions of lives.
We design our services around customer needs and place people at the heart of our organisation. That’s why when you join us, you’ll be empowered and supported to help your career grow.
As one of the UK’s Best Big Companies to work for, we’re connected to our values: Collaborative, Adventurous, Reliable and Energetic. We care about our people, our purpose, and your progress.
We strive to offer a fantastic colleague experience, where every colleague is heard, supported and respected. Wellbeing, diversity and inclusion is at the centre of this, and you can join our Lived Experience Networks who help us bring our authentic selves to work.
We’re committed to being a flexible employer and we try to offer a working pattern that suits you where possible, through hybrid working, flexible hours and more.
Alongside a competitive salary with pay progression, we offer a people-centric benefits package, connecting you to the rewards and benefits you value most!
Ready to join us in delivering business service excellence to the NHS, helping people live longer, healthier lives? Apply today and see where the NHSBSA can take you.
We are people connected to care.
Job description

1. Leading the continual review, development and implementation of the NHS Business Services Authority’s approach to reward and recognition, ensuring to incorporate local and Business wide initiatives to have a holistic approach for the Business.
2. Continual development of our colleague benefit offering, ensuring this is clearly communicated to colleagues through regular promotions throughout the year. This will include research into the benefit landscape and what other businesses are offering so we can continuously evolve our benefits and be an employer of choice.
3. Continual review and development of our benefit platforms ensuring these are both customer and cost effective, and providing the best offering of service.
4. Developing and regularly updating our internal website and channels regarding reward, recognition and benefits to ensure information on these is easily accessible and providing a great user experience. This will include working with the Internal Communications team to actively communicate reward , recognition and benefits through a number of different effective channels.
5. Gathering feedback from within the Business and carrying out benchmarking external research into reward, recognition and benefit initiatives, providing data insight to inform and then action our future approach within the business.
6. Working with the Wellbeing and Inclusion team and Talent Acquisition Team to ensure our recognition and benefit schemes are in alignment with their strategic aims.
7. Providing an excellent proactive advisory service to managers and colleagues within the NHSBSA. This will involve coaching and supporting managers to be confident in reward, recognition and benefits, whilst applying your knowledge to business challenges to proactively support leaders in the delivery of the NHSBSA strategy and the reward and recognition elements within this.
8. Research, develop and advise on the practical application of Reward and Recognition policies and procedures. In addition, the Reward and Recognition Advisor will support the Reward and Recognition Lead in continually reviewing Reward and Recognition policies, ensuring these are legally compliant and fit for business needs.
9. Effectively managing and advising on the full Job Evaluation process within the NHSBSA, ensuring this is a consistent and time efficient process that supports the business and meets organisational priorities and customer needs. In addition, ensure the job descriptions that are submitted through job evaluation are well structured with appropriate content and occasionally participating as an active job evaluation panel member.
10. Working with the Reward and Recognition Lead and Senior HR Business Partnering team to support the NHSBSA approach to pay, which will include Agenda for Change pay progression, pay awards and additional payments.
11. Lead on the Colleague engagement survey from within the HR Team, from the initial data provision through to the breakdown of results and collaboratively working with the wider People team to ensure they have the data they need to progress as needed. In addition, you will work with the Senior Leadership team within the People Team on our survey results and resulting initiatives and actions.
12. Work collaboratively with the wider People team to achieve our strategic people aims, owning HR/People team projects (or parts of) and work streams, taking full responsibility and accountability for delivery, with direction and support from People Team leadership.
13. Continually developing your professional knowledge and skills by keeping up to date with external trends and best practice in the areas of expertise and HR more broadly. This will include keeping up to date on NHS developments, providing advice and interpretation on the implications of such changes, and cascading this knowledge within the People team
14. Building active internal and external networks/relationships/partnerships within the NHS and wider organisations , to share working practices and build innovative ideas and enable the function to be more effective.
15. Building our employer brand by being an ambassador for the NHSBSA though networking, speaking at events and partner relationships.
16. Being an active member of the wider People team, continually supporting team development and challenging the status quo to ensure a consistent, value adding People provision to leaders and colleagues. This will involve being an advocate of continual improvement within the People team, actively embracing changes and taking accountability for any on-going issues that you identify .
    Person Specification
    Experience
    Essential
    Significant relevant experience in a full reward and recognition advisor role, working in a customer focused environment
    Significant experience of advising on reward and recognition policies and procedures, best practice within these areas
    Experience of providing business focused reward and recognition solutions
    Significant experience of interpreting and advising on the application of terms and conditions
    Desirable
    Experience of working with NHS terms and conditions of service
    Experience of developing and delivering training
    Experience of working with pay information, and the skill to interrogate and analyse data
    Qualifications
    Essential
    Degree or equivalent qualification or experience
    NHS Job Evaluation training
    Desirable
    Assoc CIPD
    Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills
    Essential
    Excellent working knowledge of reward, recognition and benefits, and applying this within a working environment.
    Ability to develop inivative solutions regarding reward and recognition to meet business need .
    Ability to maintain confidentiality and deal with situations in a sensitive manner
    Advanced communication skills in order to establish good working relationships with leaders and colleagues.
    Desirable
    Knowledge of Agenda for Change and the NHS Pla