Senior Associate - Governance and Pensions Solutions

Job Description

We have a fantastic opportunity to join our Governance and Pensions Solutions (GPS) team as a Senior Associate. The successful candidate will be working with some of the most prestigious clients in the industry, helping to deliver our exciting growth strategy,within a strong and collaborative team. Ever increasing levels of pensions governance, coupled with employers reducing their in-house pensions resource, mean that high-quality trustee secretariat, governance and pensions outsourcing services are in demand.GPS is one of the UK’s leading providers across these key areas.The successful candidate will deliver an exceptional service to a portfolio of prestigious clients and would therefore suit a pension professional with either a strong consulting or operations / administration background, coupled with excellent communicationand organisational skills – they must also be able to build strong relationships with clients and stakeholders and contribute to the growth of the business.The primary responsibility of this role is to provide support to the Case Management Unit (CMU) – this is a specialist function within the GPS team that provides services in relation to trustee discretionary cases and complaints escalated through the InternalDispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP). Other responsibilities will include trustee secretariat, governance and pensions outsourcing services to a portfolio of clients. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with colleagues across the business, socross-function experience will be required.GPS is a key growth area within our Outsourcing GB function; a global line of business whose revenue is primarily driven by providing outsourced administration services to occupational pension funds working with some of the world’s leading organisations.At WTW, we trust you to know your work and the people, tools and environment you need to be successful. The majority of our colleagues work in a ”hybrid” style, with a mix of remote, in-person and in-office interactions dependent on the needs of the team, roleand clients. Our flexibility is rooted in trust and “hybrid” is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The location for the role is flexible, with travel requirements driven by client and business need.The Role

• You will be responsible for preparing trustee discretionary cases, including; Death discretionary / early ill-health retirement case management; Complaints escalated through the IDRP process; Pensions transfer referrals (in response to Section 125 of thePensions Act, 2021).
• Specifically, you will be responsible for gathering and analysing the required information, preparing a comprehensive case summary with recommendation for the trustees, and day-to-day queries. You will also be responsible for monitoring referrals to theCMU and ensuring that work is delivered to a high standard and within agreed service levels.
• For discretionary case management, the successful candidate may be required to liaise directly with the next-of-kin, potential beneficiaries and other key stakeholders, in a sensitive and professional manner.
• Your role will also require you to address member complaints. This will require liaising with key stakeholders (internal and external) to collate the required information / evidence; and drafting an objective based response that clearly addresses theirconcern(s).
• You will support the GPS team to deliver exceptional trustee secretariat, governance and pensions outsourcing services. In particular, you will have strong minute taking skills and understand what is required when arranging a trustee meeting, includingfollow up actions (e.g. action log / annual planner)
• You will build a network within the wider WTW business, quickly building trusting relationships internally and externally with clients and advisers.
• Managing client commercials to ensure client profitability, by recording time appropriately, ensuring that billing completed on time across your own portfolio of clients, and identifying opportunities for revenue growth.
• You will be a thought leader and share lessons learnt and growth opportunities with your colleagues. Thinking outside the box you will embrace new challenges and opportunities to develop yourself and the role.

The Requirements

• Intermediate level knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook.
• Understands the need for change; is comfortable with ambiguous and uncertain situations; easily adapts to changing circumstances or demands and helps others on the team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate, empathise, and influence with confidence and clarity at all levels.
• Good commercial acumen and awareness.
• A strong drive for excellence and quality execution, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Demonstrable intellectual curiosity, positive attitude, and a willingness to embrace change.
• Exceptional organisational skills and an ability to effectively prioritise work, working to tight deadlines without diluting the quality of work.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to develop internal and external relationships.
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
• In depth knowledge and understanding of regulatory frameworks and statutory requirements for DB and DC pension schemes.

At WTW, we believe difference makes us stronger. We want our workforce to reflect the different and varied markets we operate in and to build a culture of inclusivity that makes colleagues feel welcome, valued and empowered to bring their whole selves to workevery day. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive work environment throughout our organisation. We embrace all types of diversity.Equal Opportunity Employer