Pensions Administrator - Education, schools, MAT\'s

As a Payroll & Pensions Administrator, you will play a key leadership role in supporting schools and academies through the delivery of expert payroll and pension administration services. You will be the escalation point for complex pension queries, providing guidance, oversight, and mentorship to the wider team. Your advanced understanding of both the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) will ensure that all processes are managed with precision, compliance, and professionalism. Working closely with internal teams and external stakeholders, you will uphold EPM's commitment to clarity, consistency, and working smarter, not harder — driving service excellence and continual improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the technical expert and referral point for the Payroll and Pensions team, providing authoritative guidance on complex or escalated pension matters.
• Lead on the accurate and timely provision of data to schools' pension funds, ensuring full compliance with scheme regulations and data governance standards.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with local authorities, pension administrators, and school business leaders to deliver a seamless customer experience.
• Manage escalated issues and discrepancies, performing detailed analysis to identify root causes and implementing corrective action where required.
• Oversee the end-to-end process for monthly and annual LGPS and TPS reporting, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to statutory deadlines.
• Support audits and compliance reviews by providing expert insight and detailed documentation on pension processes and reporting.
• Drive process improvement initiatives, leveraging your technical expertise to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and data integrity across systems.
• Mentor and coach junior administrators, fostering knowledge development, confidence, and accountability within the team.
• Collaborate with internal departments to align pension processes with payroll operations and client service objectives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Extensive experience in pensions administration, with specialist knowledge of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS).
• Proven experience in a senior, technical, or escalation role, ideally supporting multiple schools, academies, or public sector organisations.
• Deep understanding of pension legislation, regulatory compliance, and data reporting requirements.
• Strong analytical and investigative skills, capable of resolving complex data or contribution discrepancies efficiently.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to convey technical information clearly and diplomatically.
• Highly organised, with proven ability to manage competing priorities and deliver under pressure.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and payroll/pension management systems.
• A proactive and collaborative mindset, committed to continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.

What We Offer

• 26 days of annual leave which increases with service to 33 days, plus 8 public holidays.
• A generous pension scheme.
• BUPA Cash Payment Plan.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Cycle to Work, electric car and tech scheme.
• Regular company events.
• Continuous professional development opportunities.
• A collaborative, inclusive, and progressive workplace culture.

At EPM, we are committed to nurturing our people and promoting from within. This senior role provides an opportunity to use your technical pension expertise to make a meaningful impact across our schools' network, while supporting the next generation of administrators through mentorship and leadership.