Senior Technical Associate

Main purpose of the role

The senior technical associate is required to provide technical pensions guidance, support and expertise to our operational teams and the wider business as required, enabling delivery of a first-class client and member experience.

The senior technical associate is responsible for the comprehensive knowledge capture for new clients through the implementation process and for providing technical input and guidance with client projects and business change projects.

In addition, the senior technical associate will support the technical and communications manager with keeping the business up to date with pensions technical and industry sector developments, working across the business to agree compliant solutions and providing training and guidance as required.

Key responsibilities

• Be the first point of reference for complex technical pensions queries and issues referred by the Service Delivery Team, Client Relationship Managers (CRMs), Client Projects Team and any other area of the business as required
• Escalate queries as appropriate to the Technical and Communications Manager, our external technical support partner (Aries Insight) or recommend referrals to scheme or business advisers as appropriate
• Be responsible for maintaining the technical query log to track themes and precedents; escalate cases internally and externally as appropriate and manage to resolution; ensure that actions and outcomes are appropriately documented, recorded and communicated
• Maximise the implementation period to gather detailed information and capture knowledge on the benefit bases for new schemes
• Prioritise knowledge acquisition based on client requirements and delivery of an efficient and accurate technical solution into the Service Delivery Team
• Engage and consult with the wider business as required to translate scheme knowledge into requirements and solutions
• Keep the standards and procedures for knowledge capture under review and propose changes as required
• Keep up to date with pensions technical and industry sector developments, track changes on the industry horizon and recommend solutions to implement them
• Test, review and sign off delivered solutions to ensure their compliance with general or scheme specific pensions technical requirements
• Work with the Technical and Communications Manager to proactively identify and communicate general pensions technical and industry sector developments to the business through regular updates
• Provide support as required and work closely with the Technical and Communications Manager and Client Team to provide general technical pensions updates to clients
• Support with translating client decisions on legislative change (where elective) into solutions /changes to the ongoing service
• Identify enhancements to processes or staff training needs, and as required support the development of written procedures and pensions technical training
• Specify required changes to communications materials, processes and reporting as a result of legislative or best practise development or scheme changes
• Knowledge of policies and process of ISO 27001 and where they can be accessed and followed
• Ensure that appropriate tools are available to all staff to support them in the provision of the technical aspects of the service (currently Aries is used as a technical library and reference point)

Professional qualities

Essential

• Strong technical Defined Benefit and/or Defined Contribution knowledge
• Strong communication skills – written and verbal
• Ability to understand complex documentation and issues and translate these in an easy-to-understand way
• Minimum 5 years’ relevant experience
• Highly computer literate and experienced in pension administration systems
• Strong MS Office skills, especially Excel and Word
• High level of numeracy
• Ability to review the work of others to ensure accuracy
• Experience of delivering projects to specification, time and budget

Desirable

• PMI Qualified
• Prior experience of communications, consultancy, and project management (scheme projects, technical or business change projects)

Personal qualities

• Excellent communication skills with ability to influence and build relationships with management, staff and clients
• Ability to think analytically and should be a problem solver
• Must have a flexible attitude and be able to comfortably accommodate change
• A commitment to quality and a thorough approach to the work
• Ability to work well within a team
• Pragmatic but with a keen eye for detail
• Desire to stay updated on current and new developments in the industry and pensions legislation
• Ability to multitask with strong time management and organisational skills

Reporting line

Reports to: Technical & Communications Manager