Pension Admin Manager (DC)

DC Pension Administration Stabilisation Lead (Fixed Term Contract) Darlington (hybrid working) 2 days per week in the Darlington office, with flexibility depending on business needs and stakeholder engagement.

About the role

At Railpen, we take a long‑term view, protecting the future of the railways' pension schemes through thoughtful decisions made today. As our Defined Contribution (DC) pension administration service continues to evolve, we're looking for an experienced pensions professional to join us on an eighteen‑month fixed‑term contract to support the mobilisation, stabilisation and successful embedding of a newly established DC administration team. Reporting to the Head of DC Pension Administration, you'll play a pivotal role in maintaining service performance, embedding sustainable ways of working and supporting the transition of day‑to‑day leadership responsibilities to an existing team manager. This is a hands‑on assignment where you'll combine operational expertise, leadership support and continuous improvement to ensure a high‑quality service for members and employers.

What you'll be doing

• Supporting the mobilisation, implementation and stabilisation of the DC administration team
• Working alongside the Head of DC Pension Administration to prioritise workloads, manage operational issues and embed effective ways of working
• Maintaining and improving service performance, operational controls, accuracy and timeliness across DC administration activities
• Providing practical leadership support, coaching and knowledge transfer to team members and future team leaders
• Monitoring and improving performance against agreed SLAs and KPIs
• Managing operational risks, issues and incidents, ensuring appropriate escalation and resolution
• Identifying and implementing improvements to strengthen quality, efficiency and member outcomes
• Supporting the transition of ongoing leadership responsibilities to an existing team manager
• Building effective relationships with employers, suppliers, investment managers and internal stakeholders
• Representing DC Administration in relevant meetings, forums and working groups

Key operational responsibilities will include:

• Daily cash and unit reconciliations
• Resolution of breaks and exceptions
• Quarterly investment rebalancing
• Investment switches and unit adjustments
• Processing member and employer contributions
• Transfers in and out
• Retirement claims
• Ill‑health claims
• Bereavement cases
• Divorce Pension Sharing Orders
• Complaints and escalations management
• Member, employer and supplier queries

What we're looking for

We're looking for an experienced pensions professional with a strong track record of delivering operational improvements and supporting teams through periods of change, mobilisation or recovery. You'll be comfortable rolling up your sleeves to solve complex challenges while maintaining strong governance and service standards.

Essential

• Strong experience in DC pension administration, ideally within a Master Trust or similarly complex DC environment
• Proven experience supporting mobilisation, service recovery, stabilisation or transition activity within pensions administration or another regulated environment
• Excellent knowledge of DC administration processes, including investments, reconciliations and operational controls
• Experience operating within a highly regulated environment and applying effective risk management practices
• Ability to balance operational oversight with hands‑on delivery and implementation support
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results at pace
• A collaborative approach with a focus on continuous improvement and member outcomes

Desirable

• Experience supporting pensions administration transformation, transition or mobilisation programmes
• Experience leading service recovery or operational stabilisation initiatives
• Knowledge of AAF 01/06, The Pensions Regulator's General Code or similar governance frameworks
• Experience working with multiple employers, suppliers and internal stakeholders in a pension administration environment

Why is this role exciting now?

This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in the establishment and successful embedding of Railpen's DC administration team. You'll have the chance to make an immediate impact by helping shape operational processes, strengthen service delivery and build capability within the team. Your expertise will directly contribute to creating a sustainable and high‑performing administration function that delivers excellent outcomes for pension scheme members. The work you do during this assignment will leave a lasting legacy long after the transition is complete.

At Railpen we know that it’s the talent of our people that makes us good at what we do and enables us to continue to achieve our mission to pay members’ pensions securely, affordably and sustainably. The unique nature of Railpen offers our people a wide variety of interesting opportunities for innovation, thought leadership and personal development. We encourage people to challenge, explore unconventional ideas and give each other the space to learn from our mistakes. We take time to listen to each other’s ideas and understand what we each do, and what we need from each other to help us be at our best.

Railpen is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment, we value diversity and welcome people from all backgrounds and walks of life.