Head of IFA Partnerships

Hi, we’re Penfold. We’re on a mission to help everyone save enough to be comfortable in later life by making pensions accessible and engaging. There’s over a trillion pounds in UK pensions, but the industry is still dominated by traditional providers with outdated products and poor customer service. Penfold is dragging the pension industry out of the dark ages with a platform built on modern technology. We’re demystifying pensions to make pension saving easy to understand, simple to manage, and genuinely valuable for savers and the businesses and advisers who support them.

Partnerships are a huge part of how we grow, and as we continue to invest in this area, we’re looking for a Head of IFA Partnerships to lead and scale our Independent Financial Adviser channel.

The role

As Head of IFA Partnerships, you’ll own Penfold’s strategy, growth, and commercial performance across the IFA channel. This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who understands how advisers think, how they assess pension providers, and what it takes to build trust in a regulated environment. You’ll be responsible for converting IFAs into active Penfold advocates — helping them understand how and why Penfold is the right solution for their clients — while also leading the team that supports this channel, including SDRs and Account Managers.

What you’ll do

• Own and grow the IFA channel
• Take ownership of Penfold’s IFA partnership strategy and revenue performance
• Build trusted relationships with Independent Financial Advisers
• Convert IFAs into active Penfold advocates and referral partners
• Run high‑impact commercial conversations focused on discovery, education, and influence
• Clearly articulate why Penfold is the right pension solution for advisers to recommend to clients
• Drive revenue through IFA‑led placements, referrals, and partner activity

Manage and develop the team

• Lead the team supporting the IFA channel, including: SDRs responsible for outreach and meeting generation, Account Managers responsible for activation, engagement, and growth
• Create strong alignment between pipeline generation, conversion, and partner success
• Coach the team on messaging
• Build a high‑performance, accountable team culture
• Refine the IFA go‑to‑market strategy, qualification criteria, and sales process
• Improve conversion from first meeting → active adviser → ongoing partner
• Maintain strong CRM hygiene, forecasting, and pipeline management
• Share insight from adviser conversations to help improve how we sell and support the channel

Work cross‑functionally

• Collaborate with Partnerships, Marketing, Product, and Leadership
• Feed back adviser needs, objections, and market insight to the wider business
• Help shape enablement materials, sales collateral, and adviser‑facing messaging as the channel grows

Who this role is right for

This role is ideal for a commercially driven, consultative leader who enjoys building trust, influencing outcomes, and leading teams. You’ll thrive here if you like:

• Complex, trust‑based conversations
• Selling a regulated product where credibility really matters
• Helping advisers feel confident recommending a solution to their clients
• Building and scaling a channel
• Coaching and developing people
• Owning both team and commercial outcomes

Must‑haves

• Proven experience in a commercial / closing role such as Partnerships, Sales, Business Development, or Account Executive
• Strong experience working with or selling to IFAs / financial advisers
• Experience managing or mentoring commercial teams, ideally across SDRs and/or Account Managers
• A track record of hitting or exceeding targets in a consultative sales environment
• Strong discovery, objection‑handling, and relationship‑building skills
• Confidence selling regulated, trust‑based, or mission‑critical financial products
• Ability to combine hands‑on execution with leadership and channel strategy

Nice‑to‑haves

• Knowledge of UK pensions, auto‑enrolment, retirement planning, or workplace benefits
• Experience in FinTech, financial services, benefits, or SaaS
• Experience building or scaling an intermediary / adviser channel
• Familiarity with compliance‑led buying processes
• Experience in a high‑growth or scale‑up environment

What success looks like

• Penfold builds a high‑performing, scalable IFA channel
• IFAs clearly understand and confidently recommend Penfold
• SDR‑generated adviser meetings convert into active partnerships
• Account Managers successfully activate and grow adviser relationships
• The team consistently delivers against channel revenue and activation targets
• Penfold continues to grow as a trusted pension partner within the adviser ecosystem

We’re working hard to create a workplace where people feel empowered to do their very best work, make a big impact, and enjoy what they do. Here’s what we offer:

• Competitive salary – we proactively review salaries to ensure fairness and progression
• Meaningful share options – you’ll own a part of Penfold and share in our success
• 10% pension contribution each month that you don’t need to match (on top of your salary)
• Medical insurance – through Vitality, including private GPs, physio, counselling, and great discounts
• Unlimited holidays – we trust you to get the work done and take breaks when needed
• Great office space – our private office is run by Ministry of Sound
• Free company lunch every week
• Top‑tier MacBook and WFH equipment to set you up for success
• Cycle to work scheme
• Quarterly company socials – plus plenty of regular team meetups