Terms of reference
To maintain, for the approval of Council, a formal and transparent Framework for the Remuneration of Designated Senior Staff including, but not limited to, contracts of employment, severance arrangements and pension rights in the context of the remuneration of all the University’s employees.*
To determine the remuneration packages of the Designated Senior Staff.
To approve the annual performance objectives of the Vice-Chancellor (thereafter to be shared with the Council) and to ensure that the appropriate procedures are in place for the assessment of the performance of Designated Senior Staff.
To review and recommend to the Council any severance arrangements for staff earning £100,000 FTE or more per annum; and to approve the severance** arrangements for any other staff where the financial cost is greater than £95,000. In exercising this responsibility, the Committee shall ensure that any terms are fair to the University and to the individual, that failure is not rewarded and that the duty to mitigate loss is appropriately recognised.
To propose appropriate disclosure of Designated Senior Staff remuneration, for example in the annual Financial Statements, and the preparation and publishing of a readily-accessible annual statement on the work of the committee.
To receive from the Director of Human Resources an annual review of professorial and senior management pay; all University-wide policies relating to employee remuneration; and external benchmarking.
On request, to give guidance to the Vice-Chancellor and other senior staff in setting levels of remuneration for the University.
To undertake any further tasks as delegated to the Committee.
* The Committee will operate, wherever possible, within the bounds of the Framework. However, it is recognised that the Framework cannot predict all situations. If it is necessary to operate outside the Framework, it will be undertaken on a ‘comply or explain’ basis to the appropriate Authority.
** Severance is defined as an agreement between the individual and the University to end their employment by mutual consent. It does not include include exit by means of resignation, redundancy or any other standard statutory means.
Membership
| Total membership | six, of whom one (Chair of Council) is non-voting |
| Period of membership | A member may serve for not more than a total of nine (9) years save in exceptional cases |
| Chair | a lay member, appointed by Council on the recommendation of the Nominations Committee |
| Ex-officio members | Chair of Council (non-voting) |
| Other members | Two lay members, appointed by Council on the recommendation of the Nominations Committee |
| One student governor, appointed by Council on the recommendation of the Nominations Committee | |
| One staff member of Council appointed by Council on the recommendation of the Nominations Committee | |
| Attendance | The Director of Human Resources |
| The Chair of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) may attend to observe | |
| Other individuals, by invitation only (no individual shall attend any part of a meeting where their own remuneration arrangements are being discussed or determined) | |
| Secretary | Head of Strategic Governance |
Procedural Rules
| Procedure | In the absence of any specific rules, the procedure is as set out in the Standing Orders of Council |
| Quorum | Three voting members, of whom at least two must be lay members |
| Frequency of meetings | Typically four meetings per year |
| Minutes | Submitted to Council |
Version information
Owner: Remuneration Committee
Version number:
Approval Date: 7 July 1995, revised by 5 July 1996 and 22 October 2009, updated on 30 November 2017, revised 18 July 2019, revised 26 November 2020 and 22 July 2021 and 14 October 2021
Approved By: Council
Date of last review: 14 October 2021