Technical Pensions Lead (Ref: 21650)

Job summary

Job description

Job Title: Technical Pensions Lead

Grade: 7

Business Group: Chief Operating Officer Group

Contract Type: Permanent

Directorate: Financial Management & Control

Team: Judicial Pensions

Location: National

Ministry of Justice an Inclusive Employer

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer of choice and ensuring equity of opportunity for all. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring in terms of their culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Overview

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is one of the largest government departments, employing around 70,000 people and with an annual budget of approximately £9 billion. Each year, millions of people use our services, including at 500 courts and tribunals and 133 prisons in England and Wales. Our principal role is to uphold the rule of law, the cornerstone of the British way of life, and we deliver services which are some of the most fundamental in a democratic society. MoJ supports the Secretary of State for Justice, who is also the Lord Chancellor, and his ministerial team to deliver the Government’s priorities. Our vision is to deliver a world-class justice system that works for everyone in society.

The Pensions Operations Team sits within the Financial Management and Control Directorate of the Ministry of Justice. The Team vision is to deliver a high-quality service to the Judicial Pension Scheme enabled by good quality data, robust contract management of the third-party administrators to deliver value for money. It aims to provide operational delivery of policy and legislative changes to create a sustainable long-term delivery model.

About the Role

Lead for the Technical Team ensuring correspondence is responsible for providing expert advice on Judicial pensions legislation, regulatory compliance, governance arrangements and scheme assurance. The role ensures that the pension scheme operates in accordance with legislative requirements, regulatory expectations and best practice, while supporting effective decision-making by senior leaders, trustees, pension boards and governance committees. The role holder will also handle complex complaints, particularly where complaints involve maladministration, interpretation of scheme rules, service failures, discretionary decisions, regulatory breaches, or potential escalation to the Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) or Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP).

The post holder will lead the preparation and maintenance of governance and assurance documentation, oversee compliance monitoring, manage regulatory change programmes, and provide technical expertise on complex pension matters.

Main Activities / Responsibilities

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

Pensions Regulation and Compliance

• Provide expert advice on pensions legislation, regulations and guidance, ensuring the scheme remains compliant with legal and governance requirements.
• Monitor regulatory developments and assess their impact on pension scheme operations and administration arrangements.
• Develop and maintain policies, procedures and control frameworks to support effective compliance.

Governance and Assurance

• Lead the preparation of annual governance statements, reports and assurance documentation.
• Support governance committees, pension boards and senior leaders with high-quality papers, technical advice and clear decision-making support.
• Maintain governance frameworks, coordinate audits and monitor delivery of recommendations and management actions.

Risk Management

• Identify, assess and monitor pension scheme risks, maintaining governance and compliance risk registers.
• Escalate material risks and issues through appropriate governance channels.
• Develop mitigating actions and monitor progress against agreed plans.

Technical Pensions Expertise

• Provide expert advice on complex pension matters, including benefit structures, legislative changes and regulatory requirements.
• Interpret scheme rules and policy changes, acting as the subject matter expert for pensions governance and compliance.
• Review and challenge advice from third-party advisers and administrators.

Stakeholder Management

• Build effective relationships with trustees, pension boards, senior leaders, advisers, administrators, regulators and assurance providers.
• Present complex technical information clearly and influence decision-making through evidence-based recommendations.
• Leadership of the Technical Team, setting direction, supporting performance and developing capability. The role includes direct line management responsibilities.

Regulatory Change and Continuous Improvement

• Lead impact assessments for new legislation and regulatory developments.
• Manage implementation of regulatory change programmes and related delivery activity.
• Drive continuous improvement by strengthening governance, compliance, controls, reporting and member outcomes.

• Significant experience of pension scheme governance and regulatory compliance.
• Strong understanding of pensions legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Experience of preparing governance statements, annual reports or assurance documentation.
• Experience of managing governance and risk frameworks.
• Experience of advising senior stakeholders on complex technical issues.
• Experience of working with pension administrators, legal advisers, actuaries and auditors.
• Experience of managing complex pension complaints, disputes or appeals.

Skills

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to prepare high-quality reports and board papers.
• Ability to interpret complex legislation and regulatory guidance.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• Excellent organisational and project management capabilities.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience within a public service pension scheme.
• Experience of advisory board, trustee board or committee support.
• Experience of implementing major regulatory change programmes.
• Knowledge of Public Service Pensions Act requirements and governance frameworks.
• If not applicable, delete line below

Please note that whilst we don’t assess or score ‘desirable’ criteria, we may consider evidence provided that demonstrates meeting the desirable elements of the role, only after essential criteria is assessed and where there is a need to differentiate b