Business Associate Apprenticeship (Hannah Saward)

Securing pensions over the long term can be a challenge for many businesses. Our ambition at Legal & General Retirement Institutional (LGRI) is to help companies and pension scheme trustees honour their defined benefit pension promises to their employees. We’re helping companies settle their pension liabilities so they can focus on growing their businesses, as well as helping to support their members’ financial security in retirement.

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to earn while you learn? The L&G Apprentice programme has been designed to help you reach your potential. You will develop your skill set, gain valuable work experience and complete a fully funded professional qualification, all whilst earning a competitive salary with access to outstanding employee benefits. With support every step of the way and access to core skills training, you will contribute to the success of a team and be supported by a dedicated line manager. As part of a cohort of apprentices, you will also have the opportunity to connect with your peers and colleagues through networking opportunities and social events.

Joining L&G is the beginning to a future that will be anything but familiar. So take a closer look, get involved, be curious and find out how we will enable you to be at your best no matter who you are.

What does the team do? Our award-winning Pensions Risk Transfer (PRT) Client Services team are looking for apprentices to join the division, across a variety of teams. This is an exciting opportunity as whilst studying for a Level 3 Business Associate qualification you will join the team who are the longest standing UK provider of bulk annuities and whichever team you may join, by the end of the apprenticeship you will understand the end-to-end journey of a Defined Benefit Pension Risk scheme.

The teams currently looking for apprentices to join their team in September 2023 are:

• Transitions
• Loading Services
• Customer Services
• Operational Support Team
• Collateral and Reinsurance Services

Qualifications: The person who would most benefit and enjoy this programme is hungry to learn and eager to get started in the world of work. We’re not expecting prior industry experience, but we’ll want to see that you have the aptitude, potential and desire which will ultimately lead to you being successful. We’ll teach you the rest!

To qualify for the programme, you will need:

• GCSE Maths grade C/4 or equivalent
• GCSE English grade C/4 or equivalent
• Minimum 96 UCAS points from your Level 3 Qualifications e.g. A 'levels or equivalent
• To not currently be on a government funded training course, e.g. on apprenticeship
• Or have completed a prior qualification that is at a similar subject/level. E.g. Business Administration degree.
• The right to work in the UK and have lived in the UK or EEA for the past 3 consecutive years.

Bringing out the best in you: We believe that good businesses are built on doing the right thing and strive to do what is best for both our people and our customers. This means enabling you to bring your best self to work by giving you what you need, when you need it. This is why we’ve designed a process that puts you in control, because we recognise that your time is valuable.

At each step, make sure you take time to pause and reflect before progressing to the next, as each subsequent step will ask for a bit more of your time. We want you to feel comfortable that this process is as fair and inclusive as possible, so please let us know if you have an illness or disability that you think may affect your performance during the process, so that reasonable adjustments can be made. At each step we’ll give more information and clear instructions on what actions you need to take and how you can prepare. You’ll be assessed at each of these steps.

In brief, our assessment stages process will include:

• CV Application: This will be reviewed to ensure you meet the basic requirements for the role, we do not require work experience for entry level roles and understand that CVs may not have huge amounts of detail at this stage of your career.
• Video Interview: This will take approximately 20 minutes, we will ask some questions that will help us understand your motivation for L&G and the Apprenticeship we are offering.
• Assessment Centre: Comprised of a competency-based interview, group activity and an individual work based activity.
• Provisional Offer subject to enrolment: If you are successful in the assessment centre, you'll receive a provisional job offer, the final step will be for you to enrol on the training course. Once this is complete, we can officially offer you the job!

What you'll be doing: Join us on a 13-month programme which includes sponsorship to study for an industry recognised Level 3 Business Associate qualification, whilst building your business acumen. You will be based in one team for the duration of your apprenticeship, so please read the overview of the teams available and below accountabilities to understand more about which role best aligns with you. On application, you can choose your top 2 preferences that you would like to be considered for.

You’ll receive on-the-job training and coaching from your line manager. Alongside this you’ll complete training workshops and assignments, delivered by a leading apprenticeship training provider. Combined, these will fully equip you to be successful in your role, with the knowledge and skills required to apply to real-world business challenges.

During your apprenticeship you will:

• Have guidance from your team and manager who will support you and teach you the day-to-day role.
• Apply the knowledge and skills that you’ve learnt from your training into the role.
• Be part of a big team and develop your collaboration skills.
• Have the opportunity to meet and network with new colleagues within your team, but also across the wider organisation.

Below are key accountabilities you will learn to undertake, based on the team you would join:

• Transitions: are responsible for overseeing the end-to-end transition of new defined benefit pension schemes from external providers to Legal & General. Support Transition Consultants by attending client and internal calls and drafting minutes. Maintain project plans and action logs to reflect the position of the ongoing transition, to ensure this is delivering within the agreed timescales. Manage the team mailbox which includes investigative work to review current and historic transitions for requested information, fact-finding and referral to Subject Matter Experts as required. Support with daily finance activities by assisting with finance audit related queries, bank account monitoring, updating DMS and reporting regularly to the Finance department.
• Loading Services: are responsible for the loading of deferred member data and scheme benefit data as part of the onboarding process transitioning defined benefit pension schemes. Analyse scheme data, and build calculation models. Load scheme benefits to the administration system and complete test calculations to ensure that customers are accurately quoted and paid in line with the benefit specification and agreed SLAs. Support the production and issue of member correspondence, liaising with external third parties as appropriate within agreed timescales to notify customers of their policy and benefit entitlement.
• Customer Service: are responsible for providing our customers with the support they require by handling all customer claims in an efficient and effective manner. Manage a Buy In to provide efficient claims service to individual schemes in line with the Benefit Specification. Accurately record workflow onto the appropriate systems (EG) as part of the daily post process, maintaining effectiveness, efficiency and perform quality checking according to the prescribed quality assurance framework for the role ensuring accurate management information. Assist with supporting customers both internally and externally to ensure that all enquiries are resolved in accordance with the relevant SLAs.
• Operational Services Team: are responsible for ensuring there is a smooth transition of taking over the processing of manual calculations of buy-in and buy-out schemes. Manage a Buy In to provide efficient claims service to individual schemes in line with the Benefit Specification. Accurately record workflow onto the appropriate systems (EG) as part of the daily post process, maintaining effectiveness, efficiency and perform quality checking according to the prescribed quality assurance framework for the role ensuring accurate management information. Support the team in processing manual calculations of buy-in and buy-out schemes. Assist with supporting customers both internally and externally to ensure that all enquiries are resolved in accordance with the relevant SLAs.
• Collateral and Reinsurance Services: are responsible for the fulfilment of contractual terms in relation to our ceding of PRT business risk to our third-party Reinsurers. Manage a Reinsurance scheme in line with the Benefit Specification, to ensure that we meet our customers’ needs. Support the management of Reinsurance payments, including those loaded to the appropriate internal system and those calculated on spreadsheets, making sure all payments and external reports are completed accurately and within the agreed timescales to ensure that the needs of our Reinsurers are met. Assist with supporting clients both internally and externally to ensure that all enquiries are resolved in accordance with the relevant SLAs.

About L&G (UK): The brand with the brolly is choosing today to change tomorrow. Since 1836, we’ve grown to become one of the world's largest asset managers, homebuilders, pension providers and insurance brands. We’re all here to improve the lives of our customers, build a better society for the long term, and create value for our shareholders - helping to shape a better future for society and the planet. We need people who share our ambitions, agility and entrepreneurial spirit to help us do it. At L&G, you’ll find a balance that helps you be your best. Empowered by hybrid working, we’re supported by technology and workplaces that enable us to work effectively wherever we are. We come together in offices to collaborate and connect, and use time at home for individual, focused activities. And, when we achieve great things, we celebrate our success and reward strong performance. Today, there’s over 10,000 of us, working towards our mission, with plenty of opportunities to grow your career as we grow L&G. Will you join us?

Our commitment to equal opportunities: Great minds don’t have to think alike, so we welcome voices from all backgrounds. Bringing together people with different life experiences helps us build empathy with our customers and drive innovation. We don’t just talk about it, we actively promote diversity and equitable opportunities for all. That means our employment decisions are made without regard to race, colour, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability or protected veteran status. In fact, we embrace every dimension of diversity to reflect the customers and communities we serve. We think it’s important to create an inclusive environment where we can all belong, contribute and drive progress, where you can develop and grow, and be empowered. We want you to use your voice to help us build a better tomorrow. We all work differently, and have different needs, which is why we’re always open to discussing flexible working arrangements. Likewise, we’re committed to finding reasonable accommodations for candidates with specific needs during our recruiting process. So whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever your story, we'd love to hear from you. If you’d like to be considered for this role, please submit your application through our careers website as we’re not accepting email applications.