Pension Systems Development Manager in Cardiff

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £80,000 - £95,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights. We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage. This role is currently advertised as internal only. Freelancers are eligible to apply if they have been on a Worker Contract continuously for 6 months. If less than 6 months (or they have had a break of 3 weeks or more between engagements), they must seek Divisional HR approval to apply.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

An exciting opportunity for a data and technology professional to join the BBC Pensions and Benefits Centre in Cardiff as Lead Data Engineer. You will lead a team of six, providing coaching, performance management and wellbeing support while fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture. The role oversees pension systems supporting scheme administration, including benefit calculations, data quality, workflows, member communications and annual processing activities. You will also lead technology projects and manage relationships with internal teams and external providers. We are looking for someone with strong knowledge of data management, relational databases, software development and user experience, alongside a passion for people leadership. Hands-on SQL and PL/SQL expertise is essential, with working knowledge of web technologies, automation, APIs, GitHub and Jira to support and develop the team effectively.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

Join the Pension & Benefits Centre (P&BC), providing in-house administration services to the BBC Pension Scheme, one of the UK's largest occupational pension schemes with around 50,000 members and £13bn in assets. Based in Cardiff, you'll work within a close-knit pensions operations team of around 30 people, supporting the Trustee and Executive of a functionally independent scheme. The role also involves supporting the BBC's wider pension arrangements, including LifePlan and NEST. This is a varied and rewarding opportunity offering significant autonomy, visibility, and the chance to influence pension policy and make a real impact.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Lead, coach and develop a team of six, driving performance, wellbeing, accountability and knowledge sharing.
• Own and enhance the pension benefit calculation suite, including Oracle PL/SQL development, testing and actuarial change management.
• Manage administration system data, ensuring high data quality through measurement, reporting and remediation.
• Oversee and improve manual and automated workflows to optimise pension administration processes.
• Own member-facing technology and communications, including the self-service portal, statements, quotations and letters.
• Deliver pension technology projects, support annual bulk exercises, and ensure reliable business-critical system performance.
• Lead data protection, cyber security and business continuity activities while driving innovation to improve member experience, reduce risk and increase efficiency.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Proven leader of technical teams, with strong coaching, mentoring, and people management experience.
• Excellent communicator, able to engage effectively with both technical specialists and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong expertise in SQL, relational databases (ideally Oracle), data analysis, reporting, and data quality management.
• Experienced in software development, translating complex specifications into tested, secure, and scalable solutions using robust change control practices (e.g., Jira, GitHub).
• Successful delivery of multiple technology projects, balancing competing priorities while ensuring reliability, security, and regulatory compliance.

If you can bring some of these skills and experiences, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Contracts of Employment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Recruitment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

Redeployment

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.

Information at a Glance

This is your BBC At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the world’s best loved content, and the BBC’s mission to inform, educate and entertain. Find out more about the BBC Life at BBC Here you will benefit from:

• Fair pay and flexible benefits including a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care and gym.
• Excellent career and professional development.
• Support in your working life, including flexible working which you can discuss with us at any point during the application, selection or offer.
• A values-based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.

Benefits may vary if you are joining on an FTC basis or on an orchestra conditions contract. Learn more about life at the BBC and our values in our candidate pack.

You belong

We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential. We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity. We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.

Disability confident

We are a disability confident employer. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via email and we’d be happy to discuss: reasonable.adjustments@bbc.co.uk