Sharon Cairns
About Sharon Cairns
Sharon Cairns is the Global Reward Manager at Arup, with extensive experience in remuneration and rewards management, having previously worked at Rio Tinto and Sainsburys in various roles.
Current Title and Role
Sharon Cairns currently holds the position of Global Reward Manager at Arup. She has been with the company since 2019. In this role, she leverages her extensive experience in compensation and benefits to manage and develop global reward strategies. Her responsibilities include overseeing compensation packages, incentives, and benefits structures to ensure they align with the company's goals and market standards.
Previous Roles at Rio Tinto
Before joining Arup, Sharon Cairns worked at Rio Tinto in various capacities. From 2015 to 2018, she was the Senior Advisor Remuneration Projects, where she managed remuneration projects. Prior to that, she held the role of Senior Advisor - Total Rewards from 2011 to 2015, focusing on comprehensive reward systems. Her tenure at Rio Tinto began in 2007 as a Remuneration Analyst, a position she held until 2011. All her roles at Rio Tinto were based in London, United Kingdom.
Early Career at Sainsburys
Sharon's career began at Sainsburys where she filled multiple roles over several years. She started as an Assistant Personnel Manager from 2000 to 2004 in South London. She then served as a Programme Office Assistant for five months in 2004 during a secondment. Following this, she was a Graduate Recruitment Co-Ordinator for two years until 2006 and later became a Reward Analyst from 2006 to 2007. These roles provided her with a solid foundation in HR and reward management.
Educational Background and Expertise
Sharon Cairns studied at The University of Glasgow, earning a BSc Honours in Geology & Applied Geology from 1994 to 1998. This academic background laid the groundwork for her analytical and problem-solving skills, useful in her later career in HR and rewards management. Her education, combined with over 10 years of experience in complex, global environments, has equipped her with the ability to navigate ambiguity and drive change effectively.