Pensions Assistant x3 in Caernarfon

Gwynedd Council offers an attractive employment package. Gwynedd Council operates internally through the medium of Welsh and offers all its services bilingually. The applicant will be required to reach the linguistic level noted as one of the essential skills in the Person Specification. We encourage everyone who applies for a job with Gwynedd Council to submit job applications in Welsh or bilingually.

For further information about this post please contact Meirion Jones on 01286 679643 or via email; meirionjones2@gwynedd.llyw.cymru. Interview date to be confirmed. Application forms are available from Support Service, Gwynedd Council, Council Offices, Caernarfon, LL55 1SH. Tel: 01286 679076. E-Mail: Swyddi@gwynedd.llyw.cymru. CLOSING DATE: 10:00 AM, 03/04/2026.

If you are successful to be shortlisted for an interview you will be contacted by E-MAIL using the address provided on your application form. You need to ensure that you check your email regularly.

Person Specification

• Personal attributes: Ability to work together in a team, as well as on own initiative. Ability to handle confidential inquiries sensitively and accurately. Ability to work unsupervised and complete work on time within tight targets and solve problems when encountered. Good interpersonal skills.
• Desirable: Be a confident person with the ability to contribute ideas when developing new procedures when needed, i.e. as regulations and legislation change.
• Qualifications and relevant training: Education up to GCSE level with 'C' or higher in Welsh, English and Mathematics. Desirable: 'A' level in mathematics, English and Welsh or a degree in a similar field to mathematics.
• Relevant experience: Dealing with people and responding to personal queries. Desirable: Working knowledge of local government pensions administration as well as experience of administering through the 'Altair' computer system.
• Skills and specialist knowledge: IT skills – specifically Microsoft packages such as 'Outlook', 'Word' and 'Excel' and preferably the Council's Altair system. Desirable: Familiar with Local Government Pension Scheme regulations and administration as well as operating and calculating equations and fractions.
• Language requirements: Listening and Speaking – Intermediate: Able to maintain a fluent conversation on a number of various everyday subjects, and discuss cases involving the field of work. Able to follow a discussion in Welsh, in Clear Welsh, on familiar matters relating to the post. Able to contribute to the conversation and answer questions. Reading and Understanding – Intermediate: Understand everyday correspondence on familiar issues at work. Understand longer reports in Clear Welsh and be able to pick up the main points. (help may be required with the vocabulary). Writing – Foundation: Able to complete simple forms and compose a letter or short e-mail through the medium of Welsh and English by using a number of familiar phrases in order to convey a simple message.

Job Description

Purpose of the Post: Ensure that the people of Gwynedd are at the centre of everything we do. The aim of the post is to assist in providing an effective and efficient pension administration service for the Local Government Pensions Plan.

Responsibility of Resources: None.

Main Duties:

• Assist in ensuring that all the work is carried out in accordance with the Council's requirements as an administration authority, the Regulatory requirements of the plan, the standards set by the Pensions Manager and the general needs of the plan's members.
• Set up and maintain full and accurate records, in accordance with the standards set and the available information, and to ensure full use of the record to administrate the plan, provide payments for the plan's pensioners and those with the right to authorised compensation payments as well as completing required reports and results according to the needs of the unit.
• Receive, and as far as possible, verify and import relevant and authorised information received from the Fund's employers.
• Complete the pensions payroll and activities following the running of the payroll in accordance with the methods set and any 'ad hoc' tasks set from time to time.
• Essential: to possess the ability to check payments made through tax accounting by hand, verify the deductions made, and complete all the reports and tasks having run the payroll.
• Ensure any amendment to previous payrolls are dealt with correctly, that deposits and repayments clear within the agreed timescale as a target and that regulatory documents are completed correctly.
• Carry out club and non-club transfers and inter-fund adjustments, in and out, in accordance with the Plan's Regulations and the unit's arrangements.
• The ability to check transfer accounts and determine the relevant salary to be used in each case.
• Make repayment estimates and true payments in accordance with the Plan's Regulations and the unit's arrangements.
• Possess the skills to calculate repayments by hand.
• Make benefits' calculations in relation to deaths of existing members, pensioners and postponed in accordance with the Plan's Regulations and the unit's arrangements.
• Train other staff members in their designated field of work at the behest of the Pensions and Salaries Manager.
• Arrange and distribute the post and set up the relevant tasks deriving from the correspondence.
• Review and maintain the office filing systems including arranging and retaining microfilms.
• Be responsible for self-development and within two years reach a skill level relevant to the local government pensions plan in general and possess a basic understanding of other relevant legislation.
• Possess and maintain basic information and understanding of the use and operations of the pensions and salary systems and ensure that this use complies with the Council's requirements, the provisions of the Plan's Regulations, and the standards set by the Pensions and Salaries Manager and the rights of the plan's members.
• Responsibility for self-development.
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety regulations in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
• Operate within the Council’s equal opportunities and equality policies.
• Responsible for managing information in accordance with the Council’s information management standards and guidelines.
• Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
• Commitment to reducing the Council’s carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council’s Carbon Footprint.
• Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary and responsibility level of the job.
• Responsible for reporting any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.

Special Circumstances: ---