Overview

Join to apply for the Head of Reward and Employee Relations role at Civil Aviation Authority

Salary: Up to £100,000 per annum dependent on experience
Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time
Security Level: BPSS
Base Location: Aviation House, Gatwick – however regular travel to our Westferry Circus, London office will be required
Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship.

The CAA has engaged a search partner, Miles Advisory, to work on its behalf to fulfil its search for a Head of Reward and Employee Relations. All applications MUST be made directly to Miles Advisory using the below links. Please send your CV to CAAHR@miles-advisory.com or email June.Wang@miles-advisory.com for an initial discussion.

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.

The Role

The successful role holder will act as a member of the CAA Senior Leadership Team and People and Culture leadership team, accountable for enhancing and delivering the CAA’s reward strategy, known as Reward Model, to ensure the CAA protects people and enables aerospace. Leadership of the CAA’s Reward Team and an Employee Relations Manager ensuring:

• The CAA’s Reward Model is fit for the future to attract and retain colleagues as well as being financially sustainable.
• A trusted partnership with the CAA’s two recognised trade unions.

Specific Accountabilities

People Strategy

• Partner with the Director of People and Culture and the People and Culture leadership team to ensure delivery of the overall People Strategy, including a regular drumbeat of communications to CAA colleagues.

Reward

• Enhance and improve the CAA’s Reward Model to attract and retain the wide range of knowledge, skills and experience needed. Emphasis will be on the build and delivery of Phase 2 of the CAA’s Reward Model. The CAA’s pay bill is approximately 75% of its revenue.
• Work with Finance and the CAA’s pension advisers and trustees for both the defined contribution and defined benefits schemes to ensure compliance with scheme rules, understanding options to reduce liability of the defined benefit scheme and ensuring employees are aware of the defined contribution scheme.
• Leadership of the CAA’s annual pay negotiations with the recognised trade unions.
• Accountable for improving pay governance within the CAA, ensuring equity and transparency of the Reward Model.
• Accountable for the effective operation and governance of all financial allowances in the CAA.
• Partner with other People and Culture colleagues and internal stakeholders to build job families / CAA professions to enable a more effective reward model and career pathways for colleagues.
• Accountable for the provision of the full suite of financial benefits, including the development and maintenance of the CAA’s benefit portal.
• Accountable for the effective operation and governance of the CAA’s job evaluation framework.
• Partner with Finance to build, develop and implement a medium-term financial plan for the CAA, including multi-year pay deal arrangements.
• Establish and embed a clear, transparent, regular pay benchmarking approach, connecting its operation to the pay negotiation cycle and our job evaluation approach.
• Deliver an annual gender and ethnicity report, with clear actions to close gaps; consider other pay gap reporting as appropriate.
• Develop and build a reward dashboard to illustrate pay data for executive decision-making and ongoing improvements in recruitment and retention.
• Lead a team of four reward professionals, progressing a range of pay and benefits projects.
• Improve knowledge among senior leaders, managers and colleagues about the Reward Model and its governance to ensure equity and consistency.

Employee Relations

• Build, improve and maintain a trusted partnership with the CAA’s two recognised trade unions, PCS and Prospect.
• Act as the management’s key representative at the CAA’s Joint Negotiation and Consultation Committee (JNCC); lead organizational-level negotiations, consultations and information exchanges with a forward calendar (12–18 months).
• Maximise the potential of the Employee Forum, building the capability of employee representatives and ensuring actions are delivered by stakeholders.

Employment Law and Policy

• Horizon scan employment law risks and issues, including legislative changes and trends that should become people policy and practice.
• Ensure people policies are fit for the future, reflect the organisation’s values and support a diverse range of knowledge and experience.
• Adopt a rolling review framework for people policies, ensuring compliance with changes in employment law.
• If legally qualified, provide robust employment law advice to the People and Culture function and leaders when managing employee relations cases.

People and Culture Communications

• Lead internal communications for People and Culture; partner with Internal Communications to reach all audiences and build team capability to include communications in all delivery.

Leadership

• Collaborate with Board, Executive Committee and Skyline Board to improve the reward model and employee relations climate; provide data-driven updates.
• As a member of the People and Culture Leadership Team, support governance, risk management and budget accountability for the department.
• Lead and develop a reward team and employee relations manager, with development and succession plans.

About You

To be considered for the role you will need to be an experienced Head of Reward with significant experience developing, implementing and refining organisational reward strategy, and demonstrated ability in:

• Leading trade union negotiation, consultation and information exchange, and managing industrial disputes to rebuild trust.
• Building an organisation’s people policy capability to foresee, draft and amend policies.
• Managing a wide range of stakeholders and communicating reward strategy and governance clearly across the organisation.
• Creating data dashboards, generating insights and enabling leaders to act on data.
• Leading and developing high-performing reward and employee relations teams.

Desirable

• Qualified and practising employment law solicitor.
• Defined benefit and defined contribution pension scheme knowledge and experience.

Additional Information

For many appointments, these roles require access to sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. Post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate clearance. You must have the right to work in the UK. If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.

BPSS clearance information: For more details, please visit BPSS clearance. The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

Relocation & Property

The CAA will relocate from Aviation House to new premises in a few years. We will move to a nearby local home (up to a 15-mile radius) to minimise disruption. The move is planned for 2028 or later; details are being explored with colleagues.

Inclusive Recruitment

We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. As a Disability Confident employer, applicants who meet the minimum criteria will be guaranteed an interview. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.

Working With Us

We favour hybrid working with flexible patterns and open conversation about what works for you. We offer benefits including flexible working arrangements, on-site gym at Gatwick, discounted London gym, 28 days annual leave (+5 days optional), a generous pension scheme and more.

Our Values

Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone – for more information please click here.

Closing Dates

Closing Date: Thursday 9th October 2025
CV Sifting: Friday 17th October 2025
Interview Date: Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th October 2025

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications. Please submit your application early.