At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic actuarial team, shaping public service pensions strategy and delivering impactful advice.
- Company: Join the Government Actuary's Department, a key player in public service pensions.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, generous leave, and exceptional learning opportunities.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with strong career growth and support for professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in public policy while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries with substantial pensions experience.
The predicted salary is between 141109 - 141109 £ per year.
Job summary
You will lead GAD’s public service pensions actuarial team, setting the strategic direction for one of the department’s most significant areas of client work, with a team of around 40 staff.
You will ensure the team plays a central role in supporting government clients on complex pension policy, risk, financing and delivery issues across the UK public service pensions landscape.
As Head of Public Service Pensions, you will be accountable for ensuring GAD provides clear, robust and practical actuarial advice that commands confidence with senior clients and supports effective public policy outcomes.
You will bring professional judgement, strategic insight and operational leadership to help shape the future of GAD’s pensions offer.
You will act as the senior ambassador and public face of GAD’s public service pensions work, representing the department with clients, stakeholders and the wider pensions community.
Leading through senior actuaries who manage client portfolios, you will build a collaborative, inclusive and professionally excellent team that works across GAD to deliver high-quality outcomes for clients.
Job description
You will provide strategic, operational and professional leadership for the actuarial team, setting priorities and ensuring that advice is technically sound, clearly communicated and relevant to the needs of government clients.
Particular responsibilities include
- Strategy and Planning
- Developing the business plan and strategic goals for the team, aligned to the departmental strategy, and ensure these are delivered.
- Ownership of the team’s strategic investment priorities.
- Effective foresight of potential client activity for your team, including the business pipeline.
- Aligning actuarial work plans with clients’ policy, financial and operational priorities.
- Transformation and Operational Effectiveness
- Sponsorship of transformation programmes for major team projects.
- Taking action to ensure efficient delivery and productivity improvements.
- Supporting the development of new actuarial advice on public service pensions, reflecting UK government policy aims, financial pressures and wider developments in the pensions landscape.
- People and Professional Leadership
- Providing oversight, coach and support senior team members who manage the client portfolios. Support career development across the team, inspiring staff to reach their potential.
- Creating and sustaining an inclusive, supportive and high-performing culture across the team, ensuring effective leadership, talent management, workforce planning and colleague engagement.
- Contributing to the professional leadership of the department by advising, mentoring and constructively challenging colleagues and their work.
- Client and Stakeholder Collaboration
- Commercial leadership, with oversight of new business pipelines, development activities and client relationship management across the team.
- Building and maintaining strong and influential relationships with senior stakeholders in client departments.
- Ensuring advice is tailored to client needs and that intelligence about client priorities and risks is shared to support wider engagement.
Ensuring the team works collegiately and collaboratively with other business units, drawing on wider actuarial and analytical expertise where this improves client outcomes.
Person specification
Key external stakeholders include: HM Treasury, UK government departments, devolved administrations, public service pension scheme stakeholders and other public sector clients.
Key internal stakeholders include: the Government Actuary, Executive Committee, Non-Executive Directors, Actuarial Directors, business unit leadership teams, corporate functions and staff.
- The role holder will have responsibility for the fee income and delegated expenditure of the team, operational processes and controls
- The role holder will be expected to role model GAD’s professional standards, values and behaviours, and to represent the department with senior clients and stakeholders.
They will also contribute to the collective leadership and management of the wider unit.
The role holder will be expected to connect with other actuarial and multidisciplinary teams to share experience, develop consistent approaches where appropriate, and support the professional development of colleagues through line management, coaching and mentoring.
- Behaviours
- We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Technical skills
- We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (or international equivalent) (Essential)
- Substantial experience of providing actuarial advice on pensions, including the ability to explain complex technical issues clearly to senior non-specialist audiences (Essential)
- Developed insight into the UK pensions landscape, including public service pension schemes, funding, benefit design, governance, risk and stakeholder considerations (Essential)
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £141,109, Government Actuary's Department contributes £40,879 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- As well as competitive salaries, we offer a substantial package of benefits:
- Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day-to-day work.
- 25 days annual leave per year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service. In addition, we offer 9 days public and privilege days leave per year (pro rata for part time staff)
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
- 5 days of paid volunteering leave
- Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
- Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year.
- Occupation…
- Family-friendly policies such as help with caring responsibilities, special leave, generous paid maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
- Access to employee assistance programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice.
- The opportunity to join a trade union.
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
- Salary advances for travel costs, including annual season tickets and cycle-to-work schemes.
- Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice.
- Complimentary BUPA health check.
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Head of Public Service Pensions employer: Government Actuary Department
The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment where you can lead a talented team in shaping public service pensions across the UK. With a strong commitment to professional development, inclusive culture, and generous benefits including a Civil Service pension scheme and extensive leave options, GAD empowers its employees to thrive while making a meaningful impact on public policy. Join us to be part of a collaborative team that values your expertise and fosters growth in a supportive atmosphere.
Contact Details:
Government Actuary Department Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
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Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Relevant Experience:In the public sector, having experience in community engagement, policy analysis, or project management stands out. Make sure to showcase any previous roles or volunteer work that reflects your understanding of public service values and how they've shaped your career path.
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How to prepare for a job interview at Government Actuary Department
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Brush up on the regulations, laws, and compliance standards relevant to the role you’re applying for. Since this is the government and public sector, they might throw technical questions related to policy frameworks or project management best practices that you'll need to navigate day-to-day.
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