Salary Review Procedure

Grade M Senior Professional Services Staff Salary Review Procedure

Introduction

We review Grade M staff salaries for Senior Professional services staff every year.

Individuals don't automatically progress through the grade. But we do award any agreed cost of living pay awards apply to Grade M Senior Professional Services Ranges, 1, 2 and 3.

Incremental movement is based on exceptional performance. This relates to clear growth in the role or particularly challenging objectives. Salary Reviews are cost constrained and submissions are assessed on merit. This means that some might not be successful.

Managers of these Grade M staff must review their staff each year for:

Managers and individuals should have regular discussions as part of the Development Process. This will help the manager decide what recommendations are suitable each year. The manager may also wish to review market comparisons, where applicable.

Criteria

Managers may recommend an increment(s) where there is compelling and sustained evidence of:

Sometimes individuals deliver a one-off activity or significant project. In this case it might be more appropriate to reward them with a one-off payment. This may be more suitable if they have gone beyond normal requirements of their role. And if this is not going to continue. For the 2026 salary review process, the procedure for M1-3 staff will exclude one-off payments.

If a role has changed substantially, it may be re-evaluated.

Procedure

Cases for Senior Professional Services Staff on Ranges 1, 2 and 3

  1. In March, Heads of HR Business Partnering invite recommendations from relevant individuals including:
  1. Potential cases should be discussed with the Head of HR Business Partnering, before submission. They should consider performance expectations in the current role and of the relevant range. 

Managers need to confirm that their case recommendations are affordable and within budget. They should check what is affordable with the Divisional Head/Dean. They also need to assess any discrimination or pay equality. Managers should use the Grade M Senior Professional Services Case Form (Office document, 61kB) to confirm outcomes.

  1. Potential cases should be submitted to the HR Manager, Reward and Benefits. They should also copy in the relevant Head of HR Business Partnering, using the case form. HR Managers will check the paperwork is correct. They will then submit this to the Senior Professional Services Salary Committee. 
  2. In May, the Senior Professional Services Salary Committee (SPSSC)[1] considers cases submitted. They assess the University's financial constraints. They also review cases from an equality and diversity perspective, before agreeing outcomes.
  3. HR implements the decisions of the Senior Professional Services Salary Committee. This takes effect from 1st August of that year.

Cases for Senior Professional Services Staff on Range 4

  1. In March, the Heads of HR Business Partnering invite recommendations from relevant managers.
  2. The Head of HR Business Partnering should be involved in discussions about the case before submission. These should include performance expectations of the current role and range.  
  3. Cases should be submitted to the HR Manager, Reward and Benefits. They should also copy in the relevant Head of HR Business Partnering and use the case form. HR Managers will make sure the paperwork is correct.
  4. Cases from members of the University Executive Board (UEB) will be considered by the Remuneration Committee. Grade M staff outside this remit group will be considered by the Senior Salary Committee.
  5. In September, the Senior Salary Committee meet to consider cases submitted.
  6. In October, the Remuneration Committee considers cases submitted and monitors the outcomes of the Senior Salary Committee and the Senior Professional Services Salary Committee.
  7. Each committee assesses the university’s financial constraints as well as equality and diversity perspective before agreeing outcomes.
  1. HR will implement decisions from 1st August.

[1] The Senior Professional Services Salary Committee (SPSSC) includes the Chief Operating Officer and Registrar, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Chief People Officer.  

If you have a query, please email us at reward-team@bristol.ac.uk