Head of Product Technical Services in Hitchin

About the Role

We have a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic and strategic individual to join us as our Head of Product Technical Services in the LV= Wealth and Equity Release team. The role will be based out of either Bournemouth/Hitchin office or flexible/hybrid working pattern. Lead our Technical Team, setting technical standards and providing expert guidance across the business. You will provide expert technical support for advisers. Working closely with Distribution to deliver expert technical guidance to financial advisers with high quality technical training, consultations, and content for Wealth and Equity Release propositions. You’ll produce clear, engaging materials including thought leadership, webinars, and client facing resources. You’ll act as the technical authority, ensuring full compliance with regulatory and industry requirements. You’ll interpret emerging regulation, tax policy and wider industry developments. Collaborating internally to support proposition and change initiatives that add real value for advisers and customers and align with the LV= business plan.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and deliver the provision of an efficient technical advice and guidance service to support Distribution, Propositions Team and wider business, including analysis of change, inputs to consultation responses and technical approvals.
• Ensure appropriate standards are maintained and developed in response to regulatory change, service improvement, proposition development, and other initiatives as required.
• Develop and deliver expert technical support to financial advisers that effectively communicate complex financial content. Ensure information is tailored to diverse audiences, balancing technical accuracy with accessibility through impactful delivery.
• Support Marketing with the provision of technically accurate product content to support the product range.
• Deliver and maintain regulatory standards through managing and coordinating the relationship (including, where required, the timely and accurate provision of information and data) to HMRC and other regulatory authorities.
• Ensure effective working relationships between the Propositions, Distribution, Marketing teams, Customer Experience teams, intermediaries, outsource providers, Risk and Governance, and other regulatory authorities, through providing technical advice, guidance and referring matters of significance for their attention.
• Responsible for the recording and identification of systemic causes of technical queries and to recommend and implement changes to processes and systems to prevent recurrence, through reference to the policies set by the product areas.
• Assist Propositions Heads in ensuring a strong risk culture and control framework is established and evidenced through required regular proposition reviews and good governance of proposition development and decisions to the defined standards.
• Manage, motivate, coach and develop team members utilising the LV= performance management systems to ensure that Personal Development objectives are met and the team feel highly valued.

Please note that as this role is Certified, you will be added to the SMCR register if successful.

About You

• Technically qualified - ACII/FCII and/or Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning or equivalent (e.g. APMI/FPMI)
• Substantial understanding of the technical, regulatory and risk framework and procedures and industry experience – including of Pensions, ISAs, Equity Release or Life products at a supervisory level
• Customer focus – Proven presentation skills with the ability to deliver complex financial content in a clear, engaging, and persuasive manner to financial advisers
• Detail focus - Strong attention to detail is essential
• Strategic leadership – demonstrable experience of ability to interpret industry and consumer trends and identify how to contribute to relevant strategies that deliver good proposition outcomes for advisers, customers and the commercial performance of the business
• Sophisticated communicator and influencer – confident communicator and adept at stakeholder management and relationship building demonstrating an effective ability to work collaboratively across the internal and external organisation(s) and hold others to account.