Offer pay for US novice (10)
I believe the answer is:
tenderfoot
'us novice' is the definition.
(I know this)
'offer pay' is the wordplay.
'offer' becomes 'tender' (tender can mean to offer something).
'pay' becomes 'foot' (as in footing the bill).
'tender'+'foot'='TENDERFOOT'
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for tenderfoot that I've seen before include "Raw recruit" , "one still finding her bearings" , "Newcomer, novice" , "Rookie" , "Greenhorn" .)