Policy Theme Lead

About the role

This is an exciting time to join The Pensions Regulator (TPR). Our corporate strategy outlines a bold and challenging vision of how pensions regulation should evolve to keep pace with a change in the scale and nature of the industry. There is a clear three-to-five-year plan to deliver pension reform that recognises savers interests, implements efficient and effective regulation and delivers government intent to introduce a more consolidated and productive private pension landscape through pension legislation, including the current Pension Schemes Bill and government commissions.

Your primary responsibility will be to help support government in the development of legislation which evolves the regulatory framework. That involves a deep understanding of the policy intent, legislative process and the proactive production and analysis of the pros and cons of different policy approaches to inform government's thinking.

As part of this you will lead the development and delivery of agile policy interventions across a broad policy theme - including, but not exclusively, the production of Codes and guidance. You will be required to work across TPR to make sure that interventions are rooted in practicality and sequenced to ensure the regulator and market can capitalise on the opportunities pensions reform offers.

You will lead a small, flexible team of policy professionals encouraging multi-disciplinary problem-solving and collaboration across professional practices and topics to deliver consensus-based policy. Informed by strategic steers, and emerging issues, your area of focus may flex or pivot based on the priorities of the organisation and the risk picture. Within the team you will also be responsible for fostering a culture where, policy leads can work collectively with one another to provide additional capacity - sometimes leading, sometimes supporting - with clear documentation which promotes optionality in any policy response, and clear governance and context to support decision-making to enable colleagues to get to speed with issues from the get-go.

As part of this you will be required to deliver a systematic approach to engagement with key external stakeholders to co-create high-impact policy positions and practical interventions. This means ensuring that their views are considered and assessed as part of effective policy development, requiring you to develop effective relationships internally and externally up to Ministerial or CEO-level.

This role requires a deep understanding of policy and legislative process and the economic and social impacts of pension systems, as well as implementation and regulatory impacts.

The Role Criteria

• In-depth knowledge of the pensions regulatory framework, broader financial services and political landscape, and how to anticipate future developments /trends.
• Significant experience of delivering complex policy change within a government or similar regulatory policy-making environment, including complex delivery.
• Experience of managing and co-ordinating multi-disciplinary teams of experts and industry working groups to test ideas, and ensure that policy positions are consensus-based and rooted in practical implementation
• Demonstrable experience of building strong internal and external relationships and ability to leverage these to deliver policy objectives
• Significant experience in developing approaches and tactical tools to achieve strategic objectives including the development of operational and regulatory strategies.
• Strong leadership skills - to think broadly across a number of policy areas, join the dots and deploy limited resources to deliver impactful policy interventions tasking and directing colleagues effectively
• Excellent ability to partner and influence across the most senior levels within TPR, across government partners and external stakeholders to deliver policy objectives, as well as understand other's views and adapt.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills- written and oral - to a range of internal and external audiences. Comfortable with presenting at major conferences.

The team

The Pension Reform directorate is a new division of TPR is responsible for supporting the development of the regulatory framework in savers' interests and supporting evidence-based policy making which delivers good saver outcomes.

It works within and leading multidisciplinary teams across TPR. The team works closely with the teams in our evidence and risk directorate to ensure our policy are evidence based, with our Digital and innovation teams to support flexibility, innovation and to advance our data strategy for TPR and savers; and with our market oversight and compliance and enforcement directorates to ensure our polices are rooted in practical implementation considerations and deliver impact.

We offer 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, a hybrid working model, 35 hour working week (full-time), flexible working patterns, and flexitime. We also provide competitive parental leave, as well as a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%. Our dedicated benefits portal (Edenred) offers retail, gym, tech and restaurant discounts, and a cycle to work scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Our culture

TPR strives to be a high-performing organisation, and we prioritise our people's growth and well-being. We offer various learning, secondment and development opportunities, support flexible working, and foster a diverse and inclusive environment.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is very important to us and we strive to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed. Our modern Brighton offices are in Telecom House overlooking Preston Park, they are over two floors of a shared building facility and when designed in 2023 we followed the government's workplace design guide to ensure accessibility by design was achieved for our section.

We're proud to have a range of networks and opportunities to bring people together with supportive and safe spaces to connect with one another.

About The Pensions Regulator

With a career at TPR, you'll be joining an organisation with real purpose and who are proud of their diverse range of skills and experience that positively impact on millions of people. Everyone at TPR plays an important role in helping to keep more than £2trn of savings safe.

Our Corporate Strategy outlines a bold and challenging vision of how pensions regulation should continue to evolve to keep pace with a change in the scale and nature of the pensions landscape. We believe diversity and inclusion are vital to good decision-making for positive saver outcomes. We're committed to creating a supportive, inclusive, and dynamic work environment where everyone can thrive; understanding the link between the work we do and its positive impact on society.

Find out more about us.

Applications

To avoid disappointment, we would invite you to submit your application as soon as possible, as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can continue to provide a positive candidate experience, with each application being reviewed and considered. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Current TPR employees who want to apply for this vacancy should first contact their line manager to discuss their application.

We welcome applications on a part time and job share basis.

Selection and interview

If you are shortlisted for interview, we'll be in contact with you shortly after the closing date. We aim to respond to every application however due to the large volume of applications this is not always possible. If you have not heard from us within 21 days of submitting your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

As a Disability Confident employer, we're committed to the recruitment, employment, retention, and development of people with disabilities, and to improving their employment opportunities. Candidates who declare that they have a disability and who meet the criteria outlined in the 'what you will bring' section will be offered an interview.

Diversity and inclusion

TPR is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and equality workplace where everyone is encouraged to be themselves, enabling our people to feel supported and represented in an environment where they can do their best work.

We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and with different identities and experiences to apply for roles with TPR.

Further information

Please visit our website to find out what it is like to work at TPR, our culture, interview process and our commitment to our employees.

If you have any queries about this role, or if you have a disability and wish to request a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please email .

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Management and Other
• Industries
• Pension Funds

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