At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic initiatives and support executive decision-making in a dynamic business environment.
- Company: Join Standard Life, a leader in retirement savings with over 200 years of experience.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous leave, private medical cover, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement with excellent growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on financial futures while developing your career in a supportive culture.
- Qualifications: Experience in finance and strong strategic thinking skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 100000 £ per year.
Job Type: Secondment / Fixed Term Contract (12 months parental cover)
Location: This role will be based in our London office, with some flexibility to work between the office locations and home. We will discuss what is important to you and balancing this with business requirements during the recruitment process.
Salary and Benefits: From £100,000 (pro-rated) subject to experience, plus bonus, private medical cover, 38 days annual leave, excellent pension, 12x salary life assurance, career breaks, income protection, 3x volunteering days and much more.
If you’re a Strategic Business Manager who brings commercial thinking, curiosity and can navigate in a growth environment, then our team, Business Development & Origination (BD&O) would love to meet you.
Who are we? We’re Standard Life, a retirement specialist focused entirely on retirement savings and income. We champion the belief that everyone’s journey to and through retirement can be better, and for more than 200 years, we’ve been helping our customers plan and prepare for their financial futures.
Life today is increasingly complicated, uncertain and unpredictable. People move through different careers, face unexpected moments, and navigate important choices. We offer our colleagues flexibility, trust and benefits that work for whatever life brings. In return we expect curiosity, connection, accountability and high standards. We make room for what matters - so you can bring your best, every day.
Role Overview: This role provides strategic leadership across BD&O, with a particular focus on supporting Pension Risk Transfer (PRT) strategy and executive-level decision making. Acting as a trusted partner to the Director of BD&O, the role combines strategy, business management, and senior stakeholder support. It ensures alignment with corporate objectives through effective governance, financial oversight, and workforce planning. Acting as a central coordination point, it enhances organisational effectiveness and supports sustainable growth across BD&O.
Key Responsibilities:
- Strategy & Communications: Drive overall strategy and key business-focused initiatives for BD&O, working with functional leadership and broader strategy team. Lead functional specific initiatives as required, working with key leaders within the BD&O function. Lead functional specific senior leadership team (SLT) and team meetings ensuring downwards cascade of relevant management information. Support external engagement and comms as required (e.g. PR and Public Affairs, regulatory engagement, investor relations). Own communications on strategy and business topics within their functional areas.
- Financial Performance and Expense Management: Work with Finance to determine and report on KPIs/metrics/objectives/outcomes associated with BD&O. Work with Finance to manage the BAU expense budgets (people and non-people) and relevant allocations. Drive and deliver cost savings/synergies as required. Own the functional cost base, with detailed understanding of cost base drivers to enable efficient scaling and evolution as business strategy changes. Define and collaborate on the functional contribution to AOP.
- HR and People: Working with business leads and HR to coordinate the overall org design and people capability for the function. Support as required for business HR tasks. Drive functional specific people initiatives.
- Governance: Coordinate BD&O engagement into RS&AM wide and Enterprise / Board governance. Oversee enterprise and board paper submissions relevant to the function for quality & accuracy. Support delivery of delegated authority documentation for relevant SMFs. Coordinate and produce functional specific papers into relevant committees (e.g. BIC, Group ExCo). Lead coordination of RSPTC meetings.
- Operating Model: Own roles and responsibilities for BD&O function. Interface into broader RS&AM and Standard Life organisation, with the aim of simplifying and streamlining handoffs - making processes, governance, and broader organisation more efficient and slicker. Lead on operating model development within functional areas, including the overlap with expense base drivers, as the strategy evolves.
- Change and Transformation: Support setting and tracking of transformation priorities - working closely with Heads of Transformation. Oversee overall delivery of functional-specific transformation (on behalf of BD&O as required), check and challenge delivery. Coordinate engagement into the functional area on new initiatives ensuring SME engagement efficient and timely. Challenge new business initiatives to ensure they are aligned with business strategy & sensible from a cost/benefit perspective.
- Risk and Control: Support Line 2 & 3 reviews as required, including coordination and delivery of management responses (incl. overseeing project delivery if required). Lead coordination of risk and governance requirements, including SMF18 responsibilities, BIRT responses, and enterprise-wide surveys (e.g. operational capacity, conflicts of interest), ensuring timely delivery and high-quality outputs.
- PRT (Pension Risk Transfer) & Market Engagement: Support the development and articulation of PRT strategy, including input into Board-level strategy insights. Coordinate development of materials for large scheme opportunities, including senior briefing materials. Work closely with PRT Business Development to support market engagement and thought leadership activity. Support delivery of PRT marketing and events, aligning activity with strategic priorities. Act as a strategic liaison between BD&O executive leadership and business development and origination teams. Lead preparation of high-impact executive materials, including Board papers and CIO/CEO briefings. Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a strategic liaison between BD&O executive leadership and business development and origination teams. Lead preparation of high-impact executive materials, including Board papers and CIO/CEO briefings. Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
What are we looking for?
Experience, Knowledge and Skills:
- Essential: Previous experience working across multiple financial specialisms such as Asset Management, BPA, Investments and Individual Annuities. Skilled in preparing Board-level materials, executive briefings, and strategic insights. Strong understanding of financial products, services, and regulatory frameworks within Asset Management, Pensions, BPA, Annuities & Client Services. Strong grasp of financial drivers, cost-benefit analysis, and value creation. Ability to see the big picture, anticipate market shifts, and align business objectives with long-term goals. Proven ability to operate in a fast-paced, senior stakeholder environment, balancing multiple priorities.
Personal Attributes:
- Engages and influences key stakeholders both externally and across business to ensure the successful delivery of strategic and operational priorities.
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to see the big picture, anticipate market shifts, and align business objectives with long-term goals.
- Commercial Acumen: Strong grasp of financial drivers, cost-benefit analysis, and value creation.
- Analytical Rigor: Skilled in data interpretation, scenario planning, and performance tracking. Influential and persuasive, able to build consensus and drive alignment across stakeholders.
Mandatory Qualifications: Degree in Business/Finance or similar field- or equivalent qualification.
We want to hire the whole version of you. We are committed to ensuring that everyone feels accepted and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If your experience looks different from what we’ve advertised and you believe that you can bring value to the role, we’d love to hear from you. If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, please let us know so we can help you to be at your best.
We’re reviewing applications as they come in and may close this role before the closing date, so apply early to avoid missing out.
Strategic Business Manager (12 months FTC), RS&AM in London employer: Standard Life (previously Phoenix Group)
Standard Life is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work environment where BPA Actuaries can thrive and make a meaningful impact in the life insurance sector. With a strong focus on employee growth, competitive salaries, and an attractive benefits package that includes private medical cover and generous annual leave, employees are supported in achieving a healthy work-life balance. The hybrid working model allows for flexibility, making it an ideal workplace for those seeking both professional development and personal fulfilment.
Contact Details:
Standard Life (previously Phoenix Group) Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Strategic Business Manager (12 months FTC), RS&AM in London
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We think you need these skills to ace Strategic Business Manager (12 months FTC), RS&AM in London
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