Job Title: BPA Senior Implementation Manager
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Alderley Edge
Working style: Hybrid 50% home/office based
Closing date: 15th December 2024
We are currently looking for a BPA Senior Implementation Manager to join our new and growing Royal London Bulk Annuities team.
In this role you will oversee, and deliver activities associated with the implementation and ongoing administration of Bulk Purchase Annuity (BPA) business. You will cover a range of one-off and ongoing management activities from implementation through buy-in and transition to buy-out. This will include the larger and more complex transactions dealt with by the team.
This is an exciting time to join Royal London. Bulk annuities are a key area of growth, and you will have the opportunity to be instrumental in shaping the team early on whilst working with a range of talented colleagues. We believe that we are ideally placed to be a partner of choice for trustees of defined benefit schemes, helping to build financial resilience.
About the role
The role holder will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the following activities:
* Own the preparation and maintenance of key Implementation team processes and supporting material, as required by the Implementation lead, to ensure efficient and safe delivery of team activities within risk appetite.
* Manage a small team to effectively complete the key deliverables for transactions assigned to you.
* Operations readiness sign-off, as part of governance, prior to transaction execution.
* Pre-execution data and operational complexity due diligence.
* Scheme onboarding.
* Scheme trustee and administrator management.
* Shadow administration (including buy-in payroll, member option validation and movement processing).
* Transition to buy-out (including policyholder communication and admin and payroll transition).
* Ongoing reporting (including production and review of management information and valuation extracts).
About you
* Experience in BPAs preferable, with an understanding of defined benefit pensions administration.
* Understanding and hands-on experience of defined benefit pensions administration or implementation activity across a range of schemes is essential.
* Proven experience in managing client-facing DB pensions projects, consistently delivering complex changes to an exceptional standard.
* The ability to effectively manage client relationships, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and engagement.
* Proven track record in understanding client needs, providing tailored solutions, and maintaining open lines of communication.
* Ability to handle client queries and issues promptly and professionally, fostering long-term partnerships and trust.
* Experience with reviewing contracts, with the ability to extract relevant information to plan for key milestones.
* Working with actuarial teams in relation to specifying member option factors and non-standard benefit calculations or structures.
* Appreciation of operational challenges that can arise from data migration and ongoing management.
* Understanding of the defined benefit pension market, if not direct work experience.
* Comfortable checking calculation proforma inputs and sense checking outputs.
* Relevant qualifications desirable (e.g. APMI). We will support the undertaking of professional training where appropriate.
* Credible individual, with a financial background
* Experience with managing senior stakeholders.
About Royal London
We’re the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company, offering protection, long-term savings and asset management products and services.
Our People Promise to our colleagues is that we will all work somewhere inclusive, responsible, enjoyable and fulfilling. This is underpinned by our Spirit of Royal London values; Empowered, Trustworthy, Collaborate, Achieve.
We've always been proud to reward employees by offering great workplace benefits such as 28 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays, an up to 14% employer matching pension scheme and private medical insurance. You can see all our benefits here - Our Benefits
Inclusion, diversity and belonging
We’re an Inclusive employer. We celebrate and value different backgrounds and cultures across Royal London. Our diverse people and perspectives give us a range of skills which are recognised and respected – whatever their background.