Government Actuary's Department
Senior Pensions Consultant
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10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU / Edinburgh Government Hub Queen Elizabeth House, Edinburgh EH8 8FT
Job Summary
The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) is a non-ministerial department. Our mission is to improve the stewardship of public sector finances by supporting effective decision-making and robust financial reporting through analysis, modelling and advice.
Pensions Administration Consulting is a newly established and growing specialist team within GAD. We partner with a diverse range of public service clients, providing expert consultancy on strategic administration projects for some of the UK’s largest pension schemes.
We are seeking a Senior Pensions Consultant with substantial experience in pensions administration. This high-impact role will focus on developing and delivering innovative consulting services, driving business growth, and building strong, enduring relationships with key clients and stakeholders across the sector.
Key Challenges You Will Help Clients Address Include
- Ensuring member benefits are paid correctly, and on time.
- Improving the quality and completeness of scheme data.
- Preparing for the launch of pensions dashboards, transforming member and administrator interactions.
- Enhancing scheme governance and operational effectiveness.
- Supporting members’ understanding of their pensions and enhancing the service they receive.
- Delivering change projects, such as provider transitions or system transformations, efficiently and effectively.
As a Senior Pensions Consultant, You Will
- Provide high-quality advice to government departments and other GAD clients on the administration of member benefits.
- Identify and develop new consulting opportunities, working with colleagues to shape and promote service offerings.
- Lead client engagements, nurturing relationships to understand needs and deliver tailored solutions.
- Act as a subject matter expert, supporting actuarial colleagues on complex administration and governance issues.
- Collaborate with scheme administrators, sponsoring departments, and external stakeholders to achieve optimal member outcomes.
We welcome applicants with a strong track record in pensions administration, strategic consultancy, and business development, who are keen to shape the future of public sector pensions administration.
Further information on GAD and the role is provided in the attached pack.
N.B. GAD may work with recruiters on this campaign provided prior agreement is reached for this specific campaign
Job Description
- To provide high quality pensions advice to the sponsors and administrators of public service pension schemes.
- To lead in the identification and development of new areas of support for our clients.
- To take a lead in the management and delivery of ongoing and new projects.
- To maintain and develop relationships with new, existing or potential clients.
- To develop technical client content relating to pensions administration and scheme governance.
- To develop and utilise public and private sector networks to increase our understanding of issues affecting the pensions industry and use those learnings to help develop solutions for our clients.
- To proactively monitor current issues affecting pensions administration, seeking to identify areas where GAD can provide support with administration challenges.
- To take the lead in working with colleagues across GAD teams to ensure administration consultancy support is appropriately scoped, resourced and delivered in an efficient and timely manner, with a focus on providing added value to our clients and value for money.
- To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of pensions, particularly public service pensions, and distill this information for clients and colleagues.
- To lead in the learning and development of other pensions administration colleagues.
- To regularly update public service pension scheme colleagues, wider teams throughout GAD and senior stakeholders on pensions administration issues and progress.
- To act as a role model in the learning and development of other pensions administration consultancy colleagues through the support and ongoing development of junior staff.
- Agile working within other GAD teams or government departments from time to time during key periods.
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These job descriptions are a broad reflection of the required duties. They are not exhaustive and changes will be made based on GAD’s needs at the discretion of the Head of the Pensions Administration Consulting Team.
Person specification
We are seeking an experienced pensions professional who can make an immediate impact, taking a lead role in partnering with clients and colleagues to scope, design, and deliver project outputs that address complex technical pension challenges.
You will be instrumental in identifying, developing, and championing new consulting offerings, driving business growth and expanding the range of support we provide to clients. This will require a strong collaborative approach, commercial awareness, and the ability to take ownership of project workstreams and client relationships.
You will also contribute to policy development and departmental decision-making, working closely with scheme administrators to design and implement processes and materials that enhance service delivery for members. In addition, you will play a key role in ensuring the successful delivery of GAD’s work to clients, supporting our mission to improve public sector pensions administration.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Changing and Improving
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Proven knowledge of defined benefit occupational pension schemes, including administrative functions and scheme governance. (Essential)
- Experience of working in pensions administration or a wider function of the occupational pensions industry (Essential)
- Knowledge of public service pension provision (Desirable)
- Pensions qualification (PMI or similar) (Desirable)
Alongside your salary of £66,361, Government Actuary's Department contributes £19,224 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides opens in a new window.
As well as competitive salaries, we offer a substantial package of benefits:
- Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day-to-day work.
- 25 days annual leave per year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service. In addition, we offer 9 days public and privilege days leave per year (pro rata for part time staff)
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
- 5 days of paid volunteering leave
- Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
- Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year.
- Occupational sick pay
- Family-friendly policies such as help with caring responsibilities, special leave, generous paid maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
- Access to employee assistance programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice.
- The opportunity to join a trade union.
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
- Salary advances for travel costs, including annual season tickets and cycle-to-work schemes.
- Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice.
- Complimentary BUPA health check.
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Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance opens in a new window for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles opens in a new window, and will assess your Behaviours and Technical skills.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
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A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained.
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A Personal statement of up to 500-words explaining how you meet the essential criteria for the role, with particular reference to the criteria provided in the person specification of the JD.
Your CV and Personal Statement will be used to assess the essential criteria listed in the job description.
During the interview you will be assessed on the experience and behaviours listed in the Person Specification and detailed in this advert. The interview will include a presentation, details of which will be sent to those invited to interview.
Application deadline: 1200 hrs on 07 September 2026
Shortlisting: By w/c 14 September 2026
Interviews: w/c 21 September 2026
Interview location: In office (Either London, E14 4PU or Edinburgh, EH8 8FT)
Please apply via our recruitment portal below.
As part of the application form process, please submit your CV and supporting statement. Please do not email your CV outside of this process as it will not be accepted.
Shortlisting criteria is based on the Person Specification as set out in the Assessment Criteria section of the Job Description. Please ensure you provide examples of how you meet the Assessment Criteria; a strong application will also demonstrate that you meet the required criteria that are identified as key for this role. Applications will be shortlisted in line with the essential criteria for the role. The desirable criteria will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates. Behaviours will be assessed at sift and interview stage. Candidates who are successful at shortlist will be contacted as soon as possible and advised of the interview process and assessment (exact times and dates will also be confirmed).
A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and
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