CV Profile: Andrew Clark January 2012
Posted date: 21 December 2011
How did you begin your benefits career?
I first joined the company 21 years ago as part of the graduate scheme. In 1995 I began working in training and personnel positions and used that as a springboard to specialise in reward and benefits.
Why did you opt for a career in reward and benefits?
As head of personnel operations for the John Lewis division I managed a project to introduce a pay banding structure and found the process very interesting and enjoyable. A short while later, a role in reward came up and the rest, as they say, is history.
How big is your team and who do you report to?
There are 300 people in my team across a range of disciplines and sites. I report to the Group Director of Personnel.
What are your current responsibilities?
My overall responsibility is to maintain the total reward package. This covers everything from reviewing the pay and benefits policies, pay benchmarking, job evaluation, and performance management to managing our hotel and leisure offering. At the moment I am also building a new centralised reward team.
What do you enjoy the most?
One of the best things about my job is the fact it is so varied. Working for a co-owned business with such a strong commitment to its benefits package is also hugely fulfilling.
If you could change one aspect of your role, what would it be and why?
Reward can be quite process driven. We are therefore looking to streamline and automate a range of processes freeing us up to focus on developing the things that matter, and become real experts in our fields.
What has been your biggest challenge?
A key challenge for me was introducing pay banding into the John Lewis division, managing and developing the new approach and processes which affected around 25,000 partners.
What has been most rewarding?
Working on the pay policy review I spent a number of hours talking to different members of the John Lewis Partnership Council. It was really rewarding to see how genuinely engaged councillors are in reward, with many of them putting forward their own suggestions and views with conviction.
What are the future challenges for reward and benefits?
With the economic climate ever changing a key challenge will be ensuring reward delivers real value by being increasingly creative in finding more cost-effective benefits solutions.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in reward and benefits?
You will need good communication skills, to show creativity and have a proactive “can do” attitude. If you think you have those assets I would say go for it – it is a really fascinating area to work in.
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- January 2012
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