Chief Operating Officer

The purpose of the PPF is to protect people’s futures, providing security in retirement for members and millions of people throughout the UK who belong to defined benefit (DB) pension schemes. Through the PPF and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS), they compensate members for their pensions after the employer funding their pension becomes insolvent. They are also responsible for the Fraud Compensation Fund (FCF), which compensates members of pension schemes where the employer is insolvent, and the scheme has lost funds due to dishonesty. For 20 years they have successfully protected millions of people’s hard-earned pensions, providing peace of mind and financial stability for their members.

Since they began their journey in 2005, they have safely navigated through economic downturns and a global pandemic and transferred over 2,000 pension schemes to the PPF and FAS. Today the PPF stands alongside some of the largest pension funds in the UK, with £32bn assets under management and over 400,000 members.

About the role:

• Reporting to: Michelle Ostermann, CEO
• Team: 5 – 7 direct reports, total team size 100+
• Location: Croydon

Responsible for leading and driving transformation across PPF’s newly established Directorate, overseeing critical corporate functions including Finance, Commercial Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Facilities Management. With pensions now central to the Government’s economic growth agenda, the PPF is playing a key role in shaping and delivering real change in partnership with Government. The COO will be instrumental in ensuring they seize this moment, leveraging increased attention and investment to build a stronger, more responsive organisation.

Main Responsibilities:

• Corporate Shared Services Leadership: Establish and maintain a unified Corporate Shared Services Directorate, combining essential functions that support the seamless operation of the pension plan.
• Operational Strategy & Alignment: Develop and implement strategies for Technology & Data, Finance, HR, Procurement, and Facilities Management, ensuring efficient and effective support across the organisation.
• Team Development & Culture: Lead and inspire a team of approximately 100 staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. Drive professional development, succession planning, and team engagement aligned with our ICARE Values.
• Centralised Operations Management: Oversee the integration and performance of centralised operations, ensuring consistent and aligned support to all teams. Optimise processes and promote cross-functional collaboration.
• Goal Setting & Performance Excellence: Set ambitious, measurable goals and execute business plans that position our operations as globally best-in-class. Monitor performance metrics and drive accountability across functions.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with the Board, regulatory bodies, government agencies, and global pension industry peers to advance strategic initiatives and uphold the organisation’s reputation.

Person Specification:

Qualifications or equivalent experience

• Essential: Extensive senior leadership experience in corporate services, with a proven track record of leading large-scale transformation. This role goes beyond functional oversight—it requires a leader who can drive the transition to a high-performing, future-focused Directorate, bringing stability, alignment, and strategic direction to teams at different levels of maturity and capability. This person will have responsibility for the following functions: Finance, Human Resources (HR), Information Technology (IT), Facilities Management, Commercial / Procurement Services.
• Demonstrable senior leadership experience, ideally within the pensions, financial services, or investment sectors.
• Demonstrated success in leading operational functions.
• Experience managing senior leaders and complex, multi-functional teams.
• Managing COO P&L and holding COO function to account for progress of business plans.
• Proven success in shaping culture.

Desirable:

• An MBA or equivalent advanced degree.
• Professional qualification/ certification such as CFA, CPA, CIPD, or PMP.
• Experience of working within the pensions or financial services industry.
• Experience with Public entities.

Interested candidates should submit their CV via the link provided on the job advert. After submitting your application, the team at Norman Broadbent will review your CV, and if your experience and qualifications match our needs, we will contact you to schedule an introductory call. At that point we will be able to provide a more detailed job description.