BPA Transition Manager

Job Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 23rd August 2024

Location and flexible working: London, Edinburgh or Telford. We recognise the benefits of flexible working and will discuss what is important to you and balancing this with business requirements during the recruitment process.

Flexible working: All our roles are open to part-time, job-share and other types of flexibility. We will discuss what is important to you and balancing this with business requirements during the recruitment process. You can read more about Phoenix Flex here

Salary and benefits: £34,000 - £60,000 plus bonus 8% - 16% , private medical cover, 38 days annual leave, excellent pension, 12x salary life assurance, career breaks, income protection, 3x volunteering days and much more!

Who are we?

We want to be the best place that any of our colleagues have ever worked.

We are the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business with c.13 million customers and c.£300 billion of assets under administration. As a market leader and FTSE100 organisation, we understand that our scale and expertise means that we have a key role to play for our customers, colleagues and our communities to help as many people as possible secure a life of possibilities. We are tackling key environmental and social issues such as transitioning our portfolio to net zero by 2050 – but we’re not done yet.

We have an incredible opportunity to join us here at Phoenix Group as a BPA Transition Manager within our Annuity Client Services Team within Retirement Solutions.

 You would be the main point of contact for our BPA Trustee clients and their advisors/administrators. The role will require you to own, drive and support the implementation of a standard, client focussed, transition journey allowing schemes to incept in a controlled and efficient manner. You will also be required to take a hands on approach to managing the implementation journey for a varied portfolio of schemes.

The ideal candidate will also have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage with and influence a variety of stakeholders across the business and externally. The role would fit somebody looking for a challenge and an opportunity to develop a team, themselves and their career, possibly an experienced pensions administrator looking for the next step in career development.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive and manage the implementation of a standard, client focussed, transition journey for a varied portfolio of schemes, supporting Trustees and our outsourced partner through onboarding and onward to buy-out.
• Attendance at meetings with clients to provide an overview of the proposition and services offered by the team.
• Provide ongoing real-time support to Trustees, administrators and other third parties as required.
• Develop a thorough understanding of the benefits and data for each scheme within your portfolio, allowing you to act as the first point of contact for all external communication.
• Develop, own and drive a project plan with each Scheme to proactively manage them through the transition process and onward to buyout.
• Working closely with the Client Services Data team to ensure that all data cleanse activity is completed in line with agreed project plans.
• Proactively identify emerging issues, liaising with external administrators and Phoenix’s outsourced administrator to rectify.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders, Phoenix’s outsourced administrator, scheme administrators and Trustees, providing ongoing support throughout the transition journey.
• Produce detailed and accurate management information to support the effective oversight
• Support the preparation of contractual documents and individual pension policy documents at buy-out.
• Ensure that all contractual obligations are completed on time, and to a high standard before the buy-out occurs.

What are we looking for?

Essential

The ideal candidate will have:

• Excellent knowledge of Bulk Purchase Annuities and Defined Benefit Pensions
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Confident in managing external relationships professionally
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, in particular Excel
• A keen eye for detail
• Prioritisation and organisational skills
• Experience of reviewing and interpreting pension benefit documentation.
• Experience of working in a project or change environment
• Willingness to develop and progress in the role, highlighting and engaging with any training needs as appropriate
• The desire to help develop and improve processes
• Regularly working to defined and tight timescales whilst maintaining professional standards.
• Be pro-active to ensure outcomes are achieved.

Desirable

• Understanding of an outsourced administration model
• Exposure to external clients and stakeholders via meetings and telephone calls
• Project management and/or PMI qualifications are desirable but not essential

What We Offer

Bring your ‘whole self’, skills and dedication to the Phoenix Group and we’ll recognise your effort, support your development and help to drive your ambition. We’ll ensure you’re rewarded for your contribution with a competitive package that includes an attractive pension, annual bonus potential, private medical insurance, generous holiday entitlement, enhanced maternity and adoption leave and a range of other financial services and lifestyle flexible benefits.