Benefits Lead - Rewards & Benefits - HR - Contract to end of October 2026
Reading or Newbury | Hybrid (2 days per week onsite). There could be occasional travel to the London office
We are seeking an experienced Benefits Lead to work alongside the Reward and Benefits Manager in delivering a major transformation of our UK benefits offering. This role will play a central part in aligning all employees to a single benefits system by October 2026, ensuring a seamless, modern, and market-leading experience for our people.
The successful candidate will be a credible expert in employee benefits and benefits operations, providing specialist advice and guidance to senior stakeholders across the business. They will be responsible for leading the end-to-end integration programme, including provider consolidation, contract management, system connectivity, data and reporting requirements, and all associated implementation activities.
A key focus of the role will be shaping and delivering a simplified, intuitive, and engaging employee journey that reflects our ambition to be a leading employer. The role holder will partner closely with HR Technology, Compliance, Finance, and business teams to ensure solutions are robust, compliant, and deliver excellent employee outcomes.
This role offers an exciting opportunity to have a tangible impact on the experience of every colleague. The successful candidate will play an influential role in modernising the benefits ecosystem and contributing directly to the overall people strategy.
Key Accountabilities and Decision Ownership
* Lead the benefits alignment programme, migrating all employees onto a single benefits platform by October 2026
* Oversee all integration activity, including provider consolidation, contract management, process design, and operational readiness
* Work with Technology and People Systems teams to ensure benefits processes and data flows integrate effectively with employee management systems
* Develop governance, reporting, and tracking mechanisms to ensure effective project delivery and visibility to senior stakeholders
* Drive the design and delivery of a simple, engaging, and high-quality employee experience across the end-to-end benefits journey
* Act as a subject matter expert representing the benefits workstream in cross-functional forums, steering groups, and project boards
* Support pension auto-enrolment reviews to ensure correct governance and reporting
* Core Competencies, Knowledge and Experience
* Strong impact and influencing skills, with the ability to engage senior managers and directors
* Proven background in employee benefits, ideally including alignment or transformation projects
* Highly numerate with strong analytical and strategic thinking capability
* Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex information to diverse audiences
Technical Experience
* Experience with benefits systems such as Darwin / Aon
* Experience with SAP SuccessFactors