Actuarial Manager (DC Pensions)

Summary of Role Purpose

KPMG's Pensions is an exciting initiative to re-establish the pensions team, and specifically to focus on DC corporate advisory and grow revenue at pace. We are looking for a talented and experienced Manager to join our team. You will be responsible for working closely with the team in this service line, which will involve providing:

• Advice relating to DC scheme strategy and structure, across DC trust based occupational pension schemes, including the National Employment Savings Trust, and Workplace Personal Pension schemes, which could be Group Personal Pension (GPP), a Stakeholder Pension (SHP), or a Group Self-Invested Personal Pension (Group SIPP)
• DC member engagement and education
• DC investment
• DC governance, including setting up DC governance committees
• Wider benefit and reward strategy
• Financial coaching and well being
• Statutory auto-enrolment compliance and implementation
• Advice on good governance and compliance
• Thought leadership on future of DC structures and links to wider reward

You will be a lead contact with client teams, with responsibility for managing the day-to-day relationships. You will also work closely with our tax and legal specialists across all of KPMG's UK offices to consider areas of adjacencies and growth. As a Manager, you will be responsible for supervising the work of junior staff, providing coaching and development to assist them in the effective delivery of engagements. You will also have performance management responsibilities for a small number of employees.

Description of the Role

• Supporting the team in achieving revenue growth targets
• Helping to develop the junior actuarial/DC colleagues, including delivering technical training, improving technical knowledge, and developing consulting skills.
• Lead contact with clients on key pensions engagements, with overall responsibility for stakeholder relationships.
• Contributing to developing streamlined and efficient procedures, whilst maintaining an absolute focus on quality.
• Strong financial management, setting and agreeing budgets for work delivering to budgets and timely billing and debt collection
• Ability to identify out of scope work and bill, accordingly
• Signing off technical DC work in line with the actuarial standards (where applicable) and, in line with KPMG quality procedures.
• Directing and overseeing the work of engagement teams and team members, including reviewing their DC technical work (e.g., checking calculations and reviewing conclusions), and providing coaching and mentoring support.
• Performance managing team members, ensuring that you are having rich development conversations that supports their growth and career progression.

Role Dimensions

Technical core competencies required for the role

• Technical knowledge: Understands relevant technical DC concepts, accounting and financial reporting standards, pension regulations and literature. Exhibits and stays current on appropriate industry and specialised knowledge, and leverages KPMG methodologies.
• Technology skills: Uses firm-approved tools and innovative technology solutions to increase quality, productivity and data insights.
• Professional scepticism: Applies professional scepticism, objectivity and independence to pensions advisory and accounting work
• Documentation: Completes documentation and audit trails demonstrating an unwavering focus on quality and in line with the actuarial standards (where applicable)

People & Culture

• Embrace and embed our culture ambition of high challenge, high support which is grounded in Our Values.
• Operate with a curious and sceptical mindset ensuring that this is embedded in your everyday work.
• Actively lead and embed a coaching culture to get the best out of others in an environment where everyone in the team feels empowered to speak up or challenge where appropriate.
• Be accountable, professional and act in the public interest, working for the benefit of shareholders of audited entities and wider society.
• Be inclusive and embrace the opportunity to work with other teams across the firm in an integrated way. Have a sense of community, purpose and fun.

The Person

Experience and Knowledge Requirements

• Relevant experience working in pensions advisory at Manager level, at either an employee benefit consultancy or other Big 4 firm. (E)
• Technical knowledge of defined contribution schemes, auto-enrolment legislation and compliance, DC provider landscape, and understanding of the wider UK pensions landscape, and the issues facing our stakeholders. (E)
• Knowledge of DC pros and cons of differing structures e.g. GPP, SHP, Group SIPPs. (E)
• Experience of leading and performance managing teams, coaching and mentoring junior staff. (E)
• Track record of managing and delivering high quality, complex projects, including team oversight and stakeholder management. (E)
• Proven track record of managing and delivering provider selection and provider transition. (E)
• Proven track record of advising Trustees/corporates on DC scheme design, investment fund ranges, suitable default funds, charging structures (E)
• Prove track record of developing and delivering DC member communications (E)

IT literate with sound knowledge and experience of MS Office tools (Excel, PowerPoint and Word). (E)

Behavioural Attributes and Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to communicate complex matters in a clear and compelling manner.
• Highly effective stakeholder management and relationship building skills; credible and confident with stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong organisational and time management skills; able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with conflicting priorities and deadlines.
• Self-driven and resilient; able to thrive in a high-pressure environment.
• Effective problem solver; makes pragmatic and logical decisions, drawing on own and others' technical expertise to provide high quality solutions.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills; able to analyse and interpret complex technical statistical information, with a focus on quality, attention to details and accuracy in calculations.
• Effective team working skills; works collaboratively with others towards shared goals.

Qualifications

• A qualified actuary, AIA, FIA or equivalent. (E)

E - Essential, D - Desirable