At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage the Accenture Retirement Savings Plan and ensure compliance with pension regulations.
- Company: Join Accenture, a global leader in professional services and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 30 days of vacation, private medical insurance, and extra leave for charity work.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on pension management for over 34,000 members.
- Qualifications: Experience in UK pensions management and strong communication skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for professional development and strategic project involvement.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 84000 ÂŁ per year.
Location: United Kingdom
Position: Total Rewards Manager
Career Level: Manager
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. With our thought leadership and culture of innovation, we apply industry expertise, diverse skills and nextâgeneration technology to each business challenge.
Job Summary
The UK Pensions Manager manages the Accenture Retirement Savings Plan (ARSP), which is one of the UK's largest defined contribution trustâbased schemes, serving over 34,000 members. The board comprises 10 trustee directors, supported by four subâcommittees focused on administration, investment, governance and communications. The Pensions Manager works closely with colleagues managing the UK DB scheme and Ireland pension schemes. This role requires deep UK pension expertise, trustee experience and pension payroll knowledge to ensure the organisation maintains the correct expertise and can effectively manage pension processes, including V&A harmonisations. The Total Rewards Manager will oversee pension strategy, compliance, governance and operational excellence, ensuring alignment with the company's total rewards philosophy.
Key Responsibilities
- Board & Committee Support
- Collaborate with the Chair and Scheme Secretary to draft meeting agendas, prepare board and subâcommittee papers, review meeting minutes and follow up on actions arising.
- Assist subâcommittees in reviewing and commenting on their annual business plan objectives, preparing summary reports for the board.
- Support the trustee board in monitoring investments and making decisions on investment strategy in conjunction with consultants.
- Governance & Compliance
- Oversee the governance, administration and compliance of the Accenture Retirement Savings Plan (ARSP), ensuring exceptional service for members and robust support for the ARSP board of trustees and the company.
- Maintain strict adherence to legislative frameworks, regularly reviewing processes and validating regulatory requirements.
- Liaise with governance consultants to ensure the trustee board operates within best practice frameworks (ESOG compliance).
- Review and update the trust deed and rules to reflect legislative changes or amendments agreed by the trustee or the company.
- Ensure compliance with data protection laws, including timely reporting and followâup of any data breaches.
- Financial Management
- Collaborate with advisors to agree annual budget spend, securing company approval before raising purchase orders.
- Control the invoicing process with suppliers, approve purchase orders and invoices, and monitor scheme costs on behalf of the company.
- Complete the annual confirmation statement for the trustee company entity to Companies House, ensuring timely submission of the trustee company's report and accounts.
- Operational Oversight
- Coordinate with outsourced administration, investment consulting and legal advisers, monitoring their performance against service level agreements and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
- Manage relationships with external advisers, evaluate their performance and drive key businessâasâusual activities such as benefit statements, statutory returns and cyclical projects.
- Lead multiple projects alongside routine activities, prioritising tasks to deliver results efficiently.
- Ensure legislative deadlines are met for pension scheme returns to HMRC and the Pension Regulator as well as the publication of statutory documents (annual chair statement, SIP etc) on a publicly available website.
- Monitor monthly contribution files to ensure contribution rates are aligned with member categories and terms and conditions.
- Services & Communications
- Maintain upâtoâdate member communications, ensuring relevance, compliance and clarity.
- Respond to complex member queries and manage the pension mailbox, ensuring timely and accurate resolution.
- Facilitate the memberânominated trustee appointment process, including communications and interview selection.
- Oversee the UK bereavement benefits tool (BBS), ensuring all discretionary death benefit claims are handled sensitively and appropriately, and relevant supporting information is obtained for trustee decisions.
- Provide letters to support member transfers in respect of enhanced due diligence requirements.
- Ensure full compliance with autoâenrolment legislation, including member enrolment notifications, optâout procedures and submission of redeclaration of compliance returns.
- Audit & Risk Management
- Liaise with external audit teams and administrators regarding the annual report and accounts for the plan.
- Provide necessary information to internal audit teams and address compliance requests related to internal controls.
- Ensure business continuity and risk management across all pension activities.
- Strategic Projects & Change Management
- Collaborate with ventures and acquisitions (V&A) teams to onboard employees joining Accenture under TUPE into the pension plan, analysing previous pension arrangements and contribution structures, recommending integration solutions and liaising with the global pensions COE for necessary approvals under policy 1376.
- Support companyâled pension initiatives, such as salary sacrifice implementation and benefit harmonisation projects.
- Analyse member data to identify trends and recommend actionable proposals to the trustee, ensuring appropriate measures are taken.
- Work to continuously improve member data through enhanced member and mortality tracing in preparation for dashboards.
- Assist with the development and implementation of communication strategies to promote pension benefits and drive member engagement.
- Continuous Improvement & Professional Development
- Stay abreast of legislative changes impacting pensions and market developments, adapting practices as needed.
- Identify opportunities for process improvement and efficiency gains across pension administration and governance.
Key Relationships
- Reporting to the UKI Rewards, Performance and Careers Lead
- ARSP trustee board
- Pension managers supporting other UK and Ireland schemes, and pension and benefits colleagues in EMEA and COE
- UK HR managers
- V&A deal teams
- Procurement
- Country controllership & finance
- Employees
- Shared services centre
- External pension advisers and suppliers
Qualifications, Experience & Skills
- Significant experience in UK defined contribution pensions management
- Recognised pensions industry qualification (preferred)
- Payroll knowledge (preferred but not essential)
- High level of organisation, attention to detail and ability to manage multiple workstreams
- Strong understanding of pensions administration, governance and legislative frameworks
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Proven ability to resolve complex problems and deliver commercially viable solutions
- Project management experience, including delivery of strategic change initiatives
- Experience in managing thirdâparty advisers and suppliers
- Commitment to continuous professional development
What's In It For You
At Accenture, in addition to a competitive basic salary, you will have an extensive benefits package which includes 30 days' vacation per year, private medical insurance and 3 extra days leave per year for charitable work of your choice!
Application Deadline: 15th Dec, 2025
Accenture reserves the right to close the role, if a suitable candidate is found.
Pensions Manager in London employer: Accenture UK & Ireland
Contact Detail:
Accenture UK & Ireland Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice đ¤Ť
We think this is how you could land Pensions Manager in London
â¨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the pensions industry and let them know you're on the lookout for opportunities. You never know who might have the inside scoop on a role thatâs perfect for you.
â¨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Accenture's values and recent projects. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their goals, especially in managing pension schemes and compliance.
â¨Tip Number 3
Donât just apply; engage! If you see a role on our website, follow up with a message expressing your enthusiasm. It shows initiative and can help you stand out from the crowd.
â¨Tip Number 4
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors to refine your responses. Focus on articulating your experience in governance and compliance clearly and confidently.
We think you need these skills to ace Pensions Manager in London
Some tips for your application đŤĄ
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Pensions Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in UK defined contribution pensions management and any qualifications you have. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about pensions and how your background makes you a great fit for the role. Keep it engaging and personal â we love a bit of personality!
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your experience, focus on your achievements rather than just responsibilities. Use numbers and examples to demonstrate how you've made an impact in previous roles. We appreciate results-driven candidates!
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! Itâs the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team at Accenture. We can't wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Accenture UK & Ireland
â¨Know Your Pensions Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of UK defined contribution pensions. Understand the key responsibilities of a Pensions Manager, especially around governance, compliance, and financial management. Being able to discuss specific examples from your experience will show that you're not just familiar with the theory but can apply it in practice.
â¨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would handle specific situations, like managing complex member queries or overseeing compliance with data protection laws. Think of real-life scenarios where you've successfully navigated similar challenges and be ready to share those stories.
â¨Showcase Your Stakeholder Management Skills
This role involves collaborating with various stakeholders, so be prepared to discuss how you've effectively managed relationships in the past. Highlight your communication skills and give examples of how you've resolved conflicts or facilitated discussions among different parties.
â¨Demonstrate Continuous Improvement Mindset
Accenture values innovation and efficiency, so come armed with ideas on how you could improve pension processes or member engagement. Discuss any previous initiatives you've led that resulted in positive changes, and show that you're proactive about staying updated on industry trends.