QUALIFICATIONS

Desirable

• Professional qualifications such as PMI or equivalent experience

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Proven planning and organisational skills with the ability to plan scheme transitions and manage a diverse work load.
• Ability to work on own and to tight deadlines, maintaining exceptional standards of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Good understanding of life and pensions industry essential, in particular Defined Benefit (DB) Pensions and the DB de risking market.
• Good negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to work with both Trustees and Employee Benefit Consultants (EBCs) to drive scheme transactions through to conclusion.
• Excellent verbal, written communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate at all levels and present our capability externally in a clear and concise manner.
• Proven project management and stakeholder management skills would be beneficial.

EXPERIENCE

• Experience of working in relationship role, preferably within a DB Pensions area is desirable.
• Experience working in the Pensions Industry for a similar organisation.
• Previous experience of working for a DB Pensions De Risking company desirable.
• Experience of working with both Trustees and EBCs and evidence of driving scheme transitions through to conclusion desirable.

PURPOSE

This role is responsible for project planning and managing scheme transitions from contract negotiations through to the end of data cleanse, including the collation and validation of accurate data providing the cornerstone of the transaction and implementation of the contact. Agreeing process and timescales with the trustees and internal key stakeholders ensuring client commitments are met and issues are escalated accordingly, with excellent stakeholder management throughout the process.
This role will concentrate on the smaller less complex transactions and provide the individual with the opportunity to begin their Client relationship and transition manager career path. Enabling the individual to deliver strong and consistent stakeholder management, setting clear and agreeable timescales and expectations.
The role will involve working on a number of small scale buy-in transactions at once and will be responsible for ensuring all parties involved in the initial transition activities are aware of their responsibilities. They will also be called upon to support on larger transactions to support their development in role.

IN THIS ROLE YOU WILL:

• Project Manage all assigned transitions from exclusive appointment, or earlier if required, ensuring timely completion of all tasks in line with client and business expectations.
• Complete all regulatory checks and reviews associated with new transactions, recording the activity to ensure robust audit trail.
• Act as lead on data cleanse process for assigned projects agreeing project plans with internal and external stakeholders updating as required if any key deliverables change or are delayed.
• Drive through data cleanse processes to a satisfactory conclusion, ensuring key deliverable are completed in line with agreed timescales and coordinating completion of all activities until handover to Implementation Managers.
• Communicate and agree operational tasks for all schemes in transition such as movement reporting and payroll funding with client, agreeing non-standard processes internally before implementing with clients.
• Ensure effective and complete stakeholder management through the transition process until the final premium is completed, communicated and settled, ensuring Trustees have the best customer experience at all times.
• Ensure understanding of final data and data queries, managing queries between Just and Client until finalised data schedule is agreed to a satisfactory level to be handed over to Implementation Team.
• Own completion and sign off of scheme Statement of Accounts in line with agreed DB Governance matrix, updating finance on new transactions and/or premiums.
• Work with Implementation Managers during Mercer set up keeping clients informed of progress and any delays or issues that affect them.
• Provide regular transition progress updates to Relationship & Transition Senior Manager and Director of Data and Transitions, ensuring delays and issues are flagged in a timely manner.
• Provide required support to and cover for other transition managers on leave, including oversight of other transitions and client activity.