Specialist: Rewards & Benefits (1-year Contract)

Post Number 6091 Faculty/Department University of the Western Cape -> Human Resources Type of Position Fixed Term Contract Length of Contract Period 12 months Location Main Campus - Bellville, WC ZA (Primary)

Closing Date 31/8/2026

Role Clarification & Key Performance Areas

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is a vibrant, diverse and dynamic institution committed to excellence in teaching, learning, research and innovation. Through its People Strategy, the University seeks to attract, develop, reward, and retain talented employees who contribute to achieving its strategic objectives and institutional vision.

The Human Resources Department invites applications from suitably qualified and experienced individuals for the position of Specialist: Rewards and Benefits.

The successful incumbent will report to the Director: Rewards, Benefits and Payroll and will play a key role in supporting the design, implementation, administration and continuous improvement of the University's reward, remuneration and employee benefits frameworks.

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

Rewards and Remuneration Management:

• Supporting the development, implementation and review of remuneration, reward and benefits strategies, policies and frameworks.
• Conducting remuneration benchmarking, market analyses and salary surveys to ensure external competitiveness and internal equity.
• Supporting annual remuneration reviews, salary adjustments, once-off payments and related reward initiatives.
• Conducting remuneration costing, modelling and impact assessments to support institutional decision-making.
• Providing specialist remuneration advice and recommendations to management, HR stakeholders and governance structures.
• Monitoring remuneration trends, legislative developments and best practices.

Benefits Management:

• Managing and administering employee benefit programmes, including retirement funds, medical aid, risk benefits and other employee benefit offerings.
• Liaising with benefit providers, brokers, consultants and administrators to ensure effective service delivery and compliance.
• Supporting employee communication, education and awareness initiatives relating to employee benefits.
• Investigating and resolving complex benefits-related enquiries and matters.

Policy, Governance and Compliance:

• Drafting, reviewing and maintaining remuneration and benefits policies, procedures, guidelines and standard operating procedures.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, governance requirements, collective agreements and institutional policies.
• Supporting audit processes and implementing corrective actions where required.
• Identifying remuneration and benefits risks and recommending mitigation measures.

Analytics, Reporting and Research:

• Developing and maintaining remuneration and benefits dashboards, reports and workforce analytics.
• Conducting research and preparing reports, submissions and recommendations for management and governance committees.
• Analysing workforce, remuneration and benefits data to support strategic decision-making.
• Participating in institutional and sector benchmarking initiatives and surveys.

Projects and Continuous Improvement:

• Participating in HR transformation, digitisation and systems enhancement projects.
• Supporting the implementation and optimisation of HR, payroll and benefits systems.
• Identifying opportunities for process improvement and service excellence within the Rewards and Benefits function.

Key Competencies:

• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Strong financial and numerical acumen;
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills;
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills;
• Sound project management and organisational skills;
• High levels of integrity, professionalism and confidentiality;
• Ability to interpret legislation, policies and complex remuneration information;
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality;
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment. Minimum Requirements

We invite suitably qualified candidates who meet the below criteria:

• A relevant Bachelor's Degree/Advanced Diploma in Human Resources Management, Industrial Psychology, Commerce, Finance, Accounting, Business Management or a related field;
• A minimum of five (5) years' relevant experience in remuneration, rewards, benefits, compensation management or a related specialist HR environment;
• Demonstrated experience in remuneration benchmarking, salary surveys, benefits administration and remuneration analysis;
• Sound knowledge of South African labour legislation, tax legislation, employee benefits, retirement fund governance and remuneration practices; and
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and HR information systems.

Added Advantage:

• A Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field.
• Experience within the Higher Education sector. In your application, you are encouraged to highlight your strengths and include anything else you deem exceptional and outstanding to be considered by the selection panel. In addition, please attach a cover letter motivating your suitability, a detailed curriculum vitae including contact details of three referees, and your highest qualification to your online profile. To be considered for this vacancy, you must click on the Apply for this Job or apply directly via UWC Careers at https://uwc.hua.hrsmart.com/hr/ats/JobSearch/viewAll. For any queries, please contact the Human Resources Department at +27 21 959 4063/3642/9362/9708/3160/3756 or email: e-recruitment@uwc.ac.za. DISCLAIMER: By applying for the position, you consent to the University sharing your application, including curriculum vitae, with University stakeholders to process the application. In line with the University’s commitment to diversifying its workforce, preference will be given to suitably qualified applicants in line with our Employment Equity Targets. The official retirement age at UWC is 65 years. The University reserves the right to not make an appointment, make an appointment at a different level, seek additional candidates and may conduct competency assessments.