Pay, Pensions and Total Reward Approach for Academic Colleagues

At Northumbria, we are committed to offering a fair, transparent and competitive reward package for our colleagues.

Our Total Reward Approach (TRA)

For academic colleagues, we use a Total Reward Approach for pay and pensions.

This approach recognises the overall value of your reward package, including both salary and the university's contribution towards your pension.

As an academic colleague you may join:

• Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) - the contractual pension scheme for academic colleagues
• Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) - the primary pension scheme for the UK higher education sector

Each academic grade point has a Total Reward Envelope (TRE), which is made up of the base salary and cost of the USS pension scheme.

The value of the Total Reward Envelope remains the same regardless of which pension scheme you choose. However, the salary you receive will differ based on the employer pension contributions of the pension scheme you choose.  The salary scales are as follows:

Why Do We Use a Total Reward Approach?

Our Total Reward Approach gives academic colleagues flexibility and choice of a reward package which includes access to two excellent pension schemes, while ensuring that the University's overall investment in reward remains consistent and equitable.

This means colleagues can select the pension arrangement that best aligns with their personal circumstances and retirement planning objectives.

Which Pension Scheme Is Right for Me?

Both TPS and USS are high quality pension schemes, but they are designed differently and may suit different individuals.

The most appropriate choice will depend on factors such as:

• Your career stage
• Your retirement goals
• Your personal financial circumstances
• Previous pension membership
• The value you place on pension benefits compared with take-home pay

The right choice is the one that best meets your individual needs and priorities.

The summary of scheme differences document highlights the different elements of each scheme.

Pay Progression and Career Development

Alongside the Total Reward Approach, colleagues also have access to:

• Progress through incremental spine points, where applicable
• An annual academic development review process where colleagues can be considered for progression to the next academic profile and grade

Further Information

For candidates offered an academic role at Northumbria, we will share with you full details of the pay and pension arrangements applicable to your role and support you in making an informed choice about the option that best suits your circumstances.

If you have any questions about any of the information shared, please contact us.