Compensation Specialist

Northern Ireland Water Limited; Belfast; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - GBP 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global, people-focused organisation is searching for a Compensation Specialist to join their experienced Belfast team. The ideal candidate will lead the management of compensation programs, ensuring alignment with business objectives and competitive positioning. Essential qualifications include significant experience in a senior compensation role and advanced Excel skills. This role offers a competitive base salary and a comprehensive benefits package in a hybrid work environment.

Benefits

Competitive base salary

Enhanced wider benefits package

Hybrid working

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a senior compensation or reward role.
• Exposure to global compensation frameworks or multi-country environments.
• Experience in auditing and analyzing large data sets.

Responsibilities

• Lead and administer the annual compensation planning process.
• Conduct salary reviews and market analysis.
• Recommend solutions related to salary structures and organisational design.

Skills

Advanced Excel skills

Critical thinking

Quantitative ability

Collaboration across regions

Education

Degree qualified

Tools

HRIS platforms (e.g. Workday)

Job description

Compensation Specialist - Belfast - Permanent

MCS Group is delighted to exclusively partner with an global, people-focused organisation who are seeking a Compensation Specialist to join a highly experienced and collaborative team.

This position is ideal for a compensation professional who thrives on data, enjoys digging into complex analyses, and wants to play a central role in shaping how people are rewarded across an international business.

The role

You will play a pivotal role within a global team, taking ownership of the design, delivery, and ongoing management of compensation programs across the organisation. This role is central to ensuring compensation practices are competitive, equitable, and aligned with business objectives.

The main responsibilities

• Lead and administer the annual compensation planning process.
• Conduct salary reviews, market analysis, and compensation surveys to ensure competitive positioning.
• Audit, analyse, and validate large data sets to identify trends, risks, and discrepancies.
• Recommend solutions related to salary structures, job levelling, role changes, and organisational design.
• Support and lead projects across global incentives, bonus plans, and equity programs.
• Act as a trusted advisor to HR partners and business leaders.
• Collaborate across regions and time zones in a highly communicative, team-oriented environment.

The successful candidate

• Significant experience in a senior compensation or reward role.
• Exposure to global compensation frameworks or multi-country environments.
• Advanced Excel skills are essential (formulas, pivot tables, lookups, filtering, data modelling).
• Excellent critical thinking and quantitative ability, with strong attention to detail.
• Experience with HRIS platforms (e.g. Workday) is beneficial but not essential.
• Degree qualified.

What's on offer

• Competitive base salary (dependent on experience).
• Hybrid working.
• Enhanced wider benefits package.

To speak in absolute confidence about this opportunity please send an up-to-date CV via the link provided or contact Rebekah Mulligan, Senior HR Recruitment Consultant at MCS Group on 02896 205148.

Even if this position is not right for you, we may have others that are. Please visit MCS Group to view a wide selection of our current jobs www.mcsgroup.jobs

MCS Group - Proud CIPD NI HR Awards Headline Sponsor 2026

MCS Group is committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion for all, being the first recruitment agency in NI to achieve Bronze Diversity Mark accreditation, if you have a disability which means you require a reasonable adjustment to be considered at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us and we will endeavour to facilitate the request.