Job Description

Details

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Reference number

420710

Salary

51,854 - 63,279
External applicants will start on the pay band minimum for the role appointed to, unless they can prove they have exceptional skills in line with the requirements of the role. Internal applicants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 5% of existing salary. Standard pay rules apply for existing civil servants.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP

Job grade

Senior Executive Officer

Contract type

Fixed term

Length of employment

18 months

Business area

Pensions and Provisioning

Type of role

Administration / Corporate Support

Analytical

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time

Number of jobs available

2

Contents

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Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information

Location

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10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU / Edinburgh Government Hub Queen Elizabeth House, Edinburgh EH8 8FT

About the job

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Job summary

The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) is a non-ministerial department. Our mission is to improve the stewardship of public sector finances by supporting effective decision-making and robust financial reporting through analysis, modelling and advice.


One of the teams within GAD is the Pensions Administration Consulting team. We work with a wide range of public service clients and provide high quality consultancy services that serve some of the largest pension schemes in the country.

Please note, this is a rolling campaign and sifting will take place monthly. For further details, see dates below.

Job description

We are looking to recruit a Pensions Consultant to help our clients navigate a range of challenges including:

How to ensure that benefits payable to members are accurate. How to implement and communicate revised benefits for scheme members resulting from legal judgements. How to improve the quality and completeness of membership data. How to prepare for the launch of pensions dashboards, a significant step change in the way pension scheme members and administrators interact with each other. How to improve scheme governance How to ensure that pension scheme change exercises such as provider or system transition and transformation projects are being delivered effectively and in line with expectations

As a Pensions Consultant you will be responsible for providing high quality advice to Government Departments, or other GAD clients, relating to the administration of member benefits. You will be a key member of our consulting team, working to support a wide range of Government policies.


This role will involve significant levels of interaction with pension scheme administrators, sponsoring departments and other stakeholders. As such, strong communication and collaboration skills are required.


You will also use your detailed knowledge of pensions administration to support actuarial colleagues, operating as a subject matter expert on pensions administration issues as well as identifying opportunities to add value and support our clients.

Person specification

1. To provide high quality pensions advice to the sponsor and administrators of public service pension schemes.


2. To work with colleagues across GAD teams to ensure work is appropriately scoped and delivered in an efficient and timely manner, with a focus on providing value for money for our clients.


3. To maintain and build upon existing client relationships.


4. To assist in developing technical client content relating to pensions administration and scheme governance.


5. To provide a consistently high level of service with all work to be undertaken in accordance with GAD standards and professional requirements. This includes:

providing/supporting appropriate quality advice (oral or written) to agreed timescales and within budget; complying with peer review procedures; adapting to changing client needs and balancing conflicting priorities; complying with all relevant guidance.

6. To check and review the work of junior colleagues where appropriate in line with our internal check and peer review processes.


7. To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of pensions, particularly public service pensions, and distill this information for clients and colleagues.


8. To support and develop junior staff.


We are looking for pensions professionals who will be able to hit the ground running, providing assistance to our pensions administration consulting colleagues and wider department on a range of ongoing projects including quality assurance, scheme transition and data quality projects.


You will be expected to partner with clients and colleagues to scope and deliver project outputs, pensions calculations, technical notes and client advice etc that solve complex technical pension-related problems.


You will be expected to interact with scheme administrators in developing processes and materials as to support the delivery of services to members, as well as the delivery of GAD's work to its clients.


You will also be expected to support GAD's efforts to develop client engagement and its partnering approach to project delivery. This will require a strong collaborative skill set and the ability to take ownership of project workstreams.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:


Delivering at Pace Seeing the Big Picture Communicating and Influencing Changing and Improving

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:


Proven knowledge of defined benefit occupational pension schemes, including administrative functions and scheme governance. (Essential) Experience of working in pensions administration or a wider function of the occupational pensions industry. (Essential) Knowledge of public service pension schemes and their benefit provision. (Desirable) Pensions qualification (PMI or similar) (Desirable)

Benefits

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Alongside your salary of 51,854, Government Actuary's Department contributes 15,022 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
As well as competitive salaries, we offer a substantial package of benefits:



Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day-to-day work. 25 days annual leave per year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service. In addition, we offer 9 days public and privilege days leave per year (pro rata for part time staff) A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% 5 days of paid volunteering leave Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year. Occupational sick pay Family-friendly policies such as help with caring responsibilities, special leave, generous paid maternity, paternity, and adoption leave. Access to employee assistance programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice. The opportunity to join a trade union. A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity. Salary advances for travel costs, including annual season tickets and cycle-to-work schemes. Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice. Complimentary BUPA health check for permanent staff.

Things you need to know

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Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours and Technical skills.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

A

CV

setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. A

Personal statement

of up to 500-words explaining how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

During the interview you will be assessed on the behaviours listed in the Person Specification and detailed in this advert. The interview will include a presentation, details of which will be sent to those invited to interview.


This recruitment will run as a rolling campaign. Please find the dates below.

First sift

Application deadline: 1200 hrs on 1 September 2025

Shortlisting: w/c 1 September 2025

Interviews: w/c 15 September 2025

Second sift

Application deadline: 1200 hrs on 29 September 2025

Shortlisting: w/c 29 September 2025

Interviews: w/c 13 October 2025

Third sift

Application deadline: 1200 hrs on 27 October 2025

Shortlisting: w/c 27 October 2025

Interviews: w/c 10 November 2025


All interviews will take place in person at either our London office (E14 4PU) or Edinburgh office (EH8 8FT).


Please note the following points for this rolling campaign:

The closing date for this campaign may be extended if the campaign is not successful in filling the required positions. Applicants who are unsuccessful will not be eligible to reapply for the same role within a six-month period.

Please apply via our recruitment portal below.



As part of the application form process, please submit your CV and supporting statement. Please

do not email

your CV outside of this process as it will not be accepted.


Shortlisting criteria is based on the Person Specification as set out in the Assessment Criteria section of the . Please ensure you provide examples of how you meet the Assessment Criteria; a strong application will also demonstrate that you meet the required criteria that are identified as key for this role. Applications will be shortlisted in line with the essential criteria for the role. Behaviours will be assessed at interview stage. Candidates who are successful at shortlist will be contacted as soon as possible and advised of the interview process and assessment (exact times and dates will also be confirmed).



A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.



Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:


UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.



We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

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Job contact :

Name : Recruitment Team Email : recruitment@gad.gov.uk
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Recruitment team

Email : recruitment@gad.gov.uk

Further information

The Government Actuary's Department's recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/ If you feel at any time your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting recruitment@gad.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioners.


https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-actuarys-department