About the role

This is a permanent, part-time role, working two days a week. Unity is a scaling business with strong reward foundations already in place. We now need a senior reward specialist to strengthen them, fill the gaps and shape them into a framework that grows with the firm. We want reward that reflects how Unity actually works: Partner-led client teams, Functional Leader-led enablement teams, and a culture built on trust, direct feedback and progress over process. We don’t want a generic framework lifted from a larger, more traditional firm.

You’ll take what we have, judge what’s working and what isn’t, and build it out where it needs to go next. You’ll also run it: pay reviews, benefits renewals, and the data and reporting that keep it trusted. You’ll refine it each cycle and make sure the framework is well documented and easy for others to work with.

It suits someone who gets energy from building and improving, and who knows that reward only proves itself once it’s live. You’ll be comfortable with ambiguity and confident making judgement calls. You’ll respect what’s already been done while being willing to challenge it. You’ll also take satisfaction in the steady work of keeping a system accurate, fair and well-run.

This is a role where one expert can own reward end to end, without needing a full-time seat. It will suit an experienced reward specialist who wants a senior, high-impact role with a bounded commitment, including people with a fractional or portfolio background who now want a permanent home.

What you’ll own

Reward strategy and philosophy: build on and evolve Unity’s approach to pay. That covers how we position against the market, how pay works across client-facing and enablement tracks, and how reward reinforces Unity’s “progress over process” culture rather than working against it.

Pay structure and benchmarking: develop and maintain salary bands and grading across roles and levels, benchmarked against relevant professional services and advisory market data.

Pay review cycles: design and run the annual (or biannual) pay and bonus review. That includes timelines, guidance for Partners and Functional Leaders, calibration support, and sign-off with the Management Team / Partners Group.

Benefits: own the benefits offering end to end, including provider relationships, renewals, flexible benefits design and clear communication of value to employees.

Pay equity and compliance: run regular pay equity analysis (including gender pay gap reporting where applicable), keep Unity compliant with UK reward-related employment law, and flag risk to the CPO early.

Reward governance and data: keep reward data accurate and current in our people systems, and produce clear reporting for the Management Team on pay spend, equity and market position.

Advisory support: partner directly with Partners and Functional Leaders on individual pay decisions, such as new hire offers, promotions and retention cases. Your recommendations will be clear, defensible and grounded in the framework, not one-off improvisation.

The future of reward at Unity: work with the CPO to shape how reward evolves as the firm grows, including the capability, capacity and structure we’ll need over time.

What success looks like in your first 12 months

A refined, published pay and grading framework that Partners and Functional Leaders trust and actually use

A clean, well-governed annual pay review with no surprises for the Management Team

Reward decisions that are consistent, benchmarked and easy to explain, in keeping with Unity’s “trust and accountability” and “no surprises” principles

Reward documented and embedded, so that the framework is understood, easy to work with and keeps improving with each cycle

What we’re looking for

Senior reward / compensation and benefits experience, ideally including time in professional services, consulting or another partnership-style environment

Equally at home developing and extending an existing framework and running it well day to day, from benchmarking data and banding mechanics to benefits contracts and review timelines