Senior leadership pay guidance

This guidance applies to:

  • all senior leadership roles evaluated under the Korn Ferry and Hay (KFH) scheme
  • or matched to any existing job descriptions previously evaluated under KFH

Separate arrangements apply for the chief executive and executive directors. 

The corporate leadership team oversees the operation of this guidance. 

Background information 

In line with our pay policy, the main principles for this guidance are: 

  • to be fair, reasonable, and transparent 
  • to reward employees for their contribution to our achievements 
  • to maintain rates of pay which are both competitive and reflect the need to retain valuable skills 
  • to be affordable 

Our pay policy contains details of both national and local conditions of service. It includes policies relating to senior leadership roles. 

Performance is assessed annually, in line with the performance and development appraisal policy.  Increments are paid every two years on 1 April.

Any inflationary pay award will mirror the agreed national pay negotiations for chief officers.

Pay grades

The senior leader pay grades will apply to the following posts:

Senior leader pay – A (SLA)

  • Assistant director strategic finance
  • Assistant director children's (lead early help)
  • Assistant director children's (safeguarding)
  • Assistant director - joint commissioning and specialist services (adults)
  • Assistant director - adult frailty and long-term conditions
  • Assistant director IMT
  • Assistant director commercial
  • Assistant director education
  • Assistant director highways
  • Assistant director growth
  • Assistant director corporate services
  • Assistant director corporate transformation, programmes, and performance
  • Chief legal officer
  • Assistant director human resources and organisational support
  • Assistant director communities
  • Assistant director corporate property

Senior leader pay – B (SLB)

  • Assistant director – corporate support
  • Consultant in public health
  • Head of prevention and early intervention
  • Head of business intelligence and performance

Senior leader pay – C (SLC)

  • Head of SEND
  • Head of locality
  • Head of regulated services (fostering)
  • Head of regulated services (adoption)
  • Head of safer communities
  • Head of human resources
  • Head of ICT
  • Lead nurse in children's health
  • Head of service - children's commissioning
  • Head of digital and cyber security
  • Head of adult frailty and long-term conditions
  • Head of learning disability
  • Head of special projects and hospital services
  • Head of adult safeguarding
  • Head of mental health services
  • Head of integration and transformation
  • Head of business support
  • Head of transport services
  • Head of highways infrastructure
  • Head of highways asset management
  • Head of commercial services, procurement, and contract management
  • Head of improvement and principal social worker

New appointments

Assistant directors and executive directors (or equivalent) may appoint within the pay range for the grade.  When appointing above the bottom grade, they should first seek advice from the assistant director HR and Organisational Support.  The grade should be based on the following principles:

  • applicant’s knowledge, competence, skills, experience 
  • applicant’s current salary
  • pay of existing employees within the service area

We regard any new appointments between 1 April and 30 September as in year one of their incremental credit. Anyone appointed between 1 October and 31 March will not start to accrue their first year of incremental credit until the following 1 April.

All senior leaders 

Pay transition arrangements are in place from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026.  These arrangements will take precedence during this period for existing employees.

Pay increments will be awarded every two years on 1 April.  Increments are subject to satisfactory performance in accordance with our performance and development appraisal policy.

Pay increments in each grade (except for the bottom point) are non-consolidated.   If performance is unsatisfactory, assistant directors and executive directors can impose these measures:

Issue

Measure

Failure to meet six months’ probationary period but extended up to twelve months

Anyone on point 2 or above - move to the bottom pay point for the grade.

Failure to meet most objectives agreed upon at appraisal

Repeat an incremental year (therefore 3 years to reach next level).  If the employee is at the top of the scale -a move down one pay point is permissable

Informal action – such as a reprimand

Move down one pay point.

Formal action (lowest level)

Move down up to two pay points.

Formal action (highest level short of dismissal)

Move down up to three pay points or to bottom pay point.

Senior leaders can appeal decisions by referring to:

  • executive director (head of service) or
  • chief executive (assistant director or equivalent)

All pay increments are subject to normal pension deductions. The local government pension scheme website has information on:

All other terms and conditions are detailed in our local scheme of conditions of service.

Pay arrangements

Employees will have their first year of incremental credit in 2024/25 if they:

  • transition to the bottom point on 1 April 2023, or
  • are appointed to the bottom point during 2023/24

Therefore, assuming satisfactory performance, their next increment will be 1 April 2026.

For employees who are not on a transition point, including new appointees, their first year of incremental credit will be 2023/24.  Their next increment will be 1 April 2025, assuming their performance is satisfactory.

From 1 April 2023 the pay grades are:

Grade

2023/24

SLC1

£78,660

SLC2

£79,695**

SLC3

£82,283**

SLC4

£85,388**

SLC5

£87,458**

SLB1

£90,045

SLB2

£93,150**

SLB3

£96,255**

SLB4

£99,360**

SLA1

£99,878

SLA2

£102,983**

SLA3

£105,570**

SLA4

£108,675**

SLA5

£111,780**

SLA6

£114,885**

Key

** Non-consolidated pay subject to satisfactory performance with incremental progression every two years

The bottom pay point on SLC will always be higher than the top pay point of G16.

Attraction and retention supplements or payments 

Market supplements may be available in line with our attraction and retention policy.

Director of public health

The director of public health does not have an executive director portfolio.  This role is paid as a single spine point at £133,798 per annum and does not come under the SLA to SLC pay grades. Inflationary pay is awarded in accordance with the national agreement for chief officers.