Reward Manager
Nando’sNando’s is on a journey to Create Lasting Happiness, making a difference to the lives of our people, our customers, and the communities we work in. Originally started in Johannesburg, South Africa, we pride ourselves on creating memorable experiences for everyone involved in Nando’s: from our employees, communities, founders, and suppliers, but most importantly, our customers.
Purpose
To provide senior leadership, expertise and orchestration across Reward strategy development and delivery, major change programmes and core Reward processes.
The role acts as the primary driver of Reward execution and a key contributor to Reward strategy, shaping thinking through insight, analysis and expert input. It ensures Reward initiatives are well-designed, evidence-based and pragmatically delivered, supporting decision-making through high-quality analysis, options and recommendations. The role balances strategic contribution, technical depth and delivery leadership, without holding ultimate accountability for Reward strategy direction
Key Accountabilities
Strategic Contribution & Advisory
Contribute directly to the development of Reward strategy, providing expert input, insight, analysis and options to inform strategic choices, trade-offs and priorities, while owning the translation of strategy into executable plans and outcomes.
Act as a senior Reward advisor to LT and senior stakeholders, owning Reward working groups and representing Reward in Steering forums
Translate Reward strategy into clear, sequenced delivery plans, identifying trade-offs, risks and dependencies
Partner with the Head of People & Reward to shape Reward direction through insight, modelling, and external perspective
Lead engagement with external advisors and suppliers (e.g. benchmarking, incentive design, pensions, benefits), ensuring outputs are high quality and aligned to strategic intent
Provide senior advice on complex Reward matters, including pay positioning, incentives, benefits and internal equity
Delivery of Reward Strategy & Change
Own the end-to-end delivery of the Reward roadmap, ensuring initiatives are scoped, prioritised, resourced and delivered to time and quality
Lead the implementation of Reward change programmes (e.g. STIP/LTIP evolution, pay frameworks, benefits change), coordinating internal teams and third parties
Ensure Reward solutions are practical, future-proofed and land well operationally
Act as escalation point for complex delivery challenges across Reward
Insight, Analysis & Governance
Set the standard for Reward insight, modelling and management information
Oversee all internal and external Reward data inputs, ensuring robustness, relevance and clear narrative
Regularly assess internal equity, external competitiveness, and regulatory compliance (including equal pay and gender pay reporting)
Provide scenario modelling and options analysis to inform senior decision-making
Champion governance, consistency and discipline across Reward processes
Core Reward Processes
Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of:
Pay review and bonus processes
Partnership / LTIP governance and delivery
Annual pay modelling across hourly, Ops, CS and ROI populations
Benefits governance, supplier management and cost control
Ensure Reward processes are well planned, clearly communicated and effectively supported across the business
Planning, Communication & Stakeholder Management
Own the Reward flight plan, aligning milestones with Finance, People Partners, Payroll, Systems and Internal Comms
Partner closely with Internal Comms to shape Reward narratives and messaging that are clear, credible and on-brand
Present confidently to senior audiences
Build strong, trusted relationships across People, Finance, Ops and Tech teams
Act as a calm, credible presence in sensitive or time-critical situations
Leadership & Team Development
Provide clear leadership to the Reward team, building capability, confidence and progression
Enable the Reward Partner to operate effectively with senior stakeholders
Foster a culture of curiosity, rigour and continuous improvement within Reward
Share Reward knowledge across the People team, raising organisational understanding and capability
Knowingly taking care of our culture
· Consistently live and demonstrate our values and attitudes, and encourage behaviours that foster the Nando’s values of Pride, Passion, Courage, Integrity & Family.
· Develop the capability and confidence of the Reward team, while proactively sharing Reward insight with stakeholders in a way that supports effective decision-making
· Develop and maintain a network of relationships within the Operations team to continually sense-check the effectiveness of Reward processes and systems solutions and viability of any future changes or introductions
Key Stakeholders
· Head of People (CS) & Organisational Effectiveness, People Director, Restaurants
· Peer group in the People team; CS People Partner; CS L&D Manager; CS Talent Acquisition Manager
· Regional People Partners
· Internal Communications Team
· Finance team, especially the Head of Business Analysis, Payroll Manager, Financial Accountant for reporting
· Senior Ops Leadership Team: RD; MDs
· IT team, especially Business Systems Analysts for relevant work streams
· Reward Steering Group, including CEO, CFO, CPO, COO
Skills & Experience Required
8-10 years practical expertise across Reward principles, processes and governance
5 years people management experience
Proven experience delivering complex Reward change in partnership with Finance and senior leaders
Strong analytical capability; confident in modelling, interpreting and explaining data
Experience working with external advisors and suppliers
Credible communicator, able to influence without authority
Highly organised, able to manage multiple workstreams over extended time horizons
Discreet, thoughtful and trusted with sensitive information
Comfortable operating in ambiguity and change
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