Pensions Consultant (Buy-out and Wind-up)

As a Pension Consultant, you will play a leading role in guiding clients through the buy-out and wind-up process, collaborating closely with both Trustee Boards and Sponsoring Employers of UK defined benefit pension schemes. You’ll be an integral part of the Buy-out and Wind-Up Transaction Services team, coordinating with key stakeholders and advisers. Your responsibilities will include delivering expert advice to clients, building strong relationships with decision makers to support project management, and mentoring and developing junior team members.

The ideal candidate will have a background in pension scheme consulting, whether from a Trustee Executive, actuarial, or scheme management perspective, or from working with insurers on buy-out transactions. A strong understanding of pensions management is essential, along with experience in client-facing roles. Exposure to business development and broader pensions consulting would be beneficial. You’ll collaborate with other specialists in the pension wind-up space and have the backing of a wider team to support each scheme.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading multiple buy-out and wind-up projects, acting as the primary point of contact for trustees and working parties, and coordinating with key stakeholders.
• Providing strategic oversight and guidance during the planning and execution phases of scheme wind-up projects.
• Taking the lead (or providing support) on technical and strategic aspects of wind-ups, such as comparing scheme and insurer factors, managing lump sum exercises, contributing to funding reserve calculations, and preparing surplus balance sheets.
• Identifying and engaging potential future wind-up cases, supporting them in preparing for their endgame strategy.
• Contributing to the development of the scheme wind-up proposition, fostering collaboration within the team, and promoting the sharing of ideas and best practices.
• Delivering training sessions tailored to client needs.
• Collaborating with client contacts to agree on project budgets and timelines, ensuring that all necessary service agreements are in place.
• Promoting clear and effective communication across client teams to facilitate smooth project delivery and a solid understanding of client commercial needs.
• Preparing and submitting client invoices in line with internal procedures and deadlines.

Skills and Qualifications Required:

• Qualifications: Ideally, a professional qualification (or part-qualification) in pensions (e.g. APMI, AFPC or IFoA).
• Ideally holds an Honours Degree.
• Educated to at least A’ level/Scottish Higher level or with demonstrable equivalent experience.
• Technical skills: Possess broader experience across areas such as corporate transactions, risk transfer solutions, liability management exercises, pensions implications of sale agreements, and the operational aspects of bulk transfers.
• Understand wider employee benefits issues, enabling you to advise clients strategically and collaborate effectively with other service lines within the Firm.
• Demonstrated success in a consultancy role or equivalent experience advising and leading UK pension schemes in a complex environment—such as a Trustee Executive or Pension Scheme Management position.
• Strong technical knowledge and a sound grasp of the UK pensions legislative landscape, including disclosure obligations and statutory reporting requirements.
• Well-developed organisational and analytical abilities, with the capacity to manage uncertainty and adapt in fast-moving situations.
• Excellent influencing skills, with the ability to engage and work collaboratively with senior stakeholders in a thoughtful and tactful manner.
• Effective written communication skills, capable of producing clear and professional documentation.
• Proven ability to align teams with a shared vision and motivate them to deliver on goals.
• Skilled at managing multiple stakeholders who may have differing priorities and objectives.
• Proactive in identifying, addressing, and resolving potential challenges before they arise.