Tyne & Wear Pension Fund - Senior Pensions Leadership Opportunities

Job title: Head of Corporate Services
Location: South Shields / Hybrid working (typically 2-3 days office working per week)
Contract: Full-time (37 hours) / Permanent
Salary: £100,416 per annum plus benefits and relocation assistance (where applicable)

The Head of Corporate Services is a pivotal leadership role within Tyne & Wear Pension Fund, providing strategic oversight of governance, compliance, corporate delivery, legal services and systems development. Reporting directly to the Assistant Director (Pension Fund), you will lead the Corporate Services Office and play a key role in ensuring the Fund has the governance arrangements, corporate infrastructure and strategic support required to deliver its ambitious objectives.

As a member of the Pension Fund Leadership Team, you will help shape the Fund's strategic direction while ensuring robust governance, effective risk management and continuous organisational improvement. The role will also act as lead officer to the Local Pension Board, supporting it in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities and helping ensure the Fund remains compliant with evolving legislation, guidance and best practice.

This is a highly influential role at an exciting time for the Fund, as it continues to grow and develop its services against a backdrop of an evolving LGPS landscape. You will work closely with senior colleagues, elected members, strategic partners and external stakeholders, helping to drive innovation and excellence across the organisation.

In brief, you will:

• Lead the Corporate Services Office, overseeing governance, corporate delivery, legal and systems functions.
• Support the Assistant Director (Pension Fund) in developing and implementing the Fund's strategic objectives.
• Ensure robust governance, compliance and risk management arrangements are in place across the Fund.
• Act as lead officer to the Local Pension Board and provide expert support and advice.
• Oversee key policy, strategy and business planning activities.
• Lead on procurement, contractual governance and regulatory compliance matters.
• Support the delivery and development of the Fund's administration systems strategy.
• Represent the Fund with partner organisations, government bodies and sector stakeholders.
• Contribute to organisational performance improvement and service transformation initiatives.
• Deputise for the Assistant Director (Pension Fund) when required.

You will likely hold a recognised professional qualification in at least one of pensions, law, governance, policy, finance or a related discipline, or possess equivalent experience. We are seeking a strategic and collaborative leader with substantial senior-level experience within pensions, local government, regulatory, policy or financial services environments.

Your success in the role will depend upon your ability to provide strategic leadership, build effective relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and confidently operate within a complex governance environment. Experience of governance, compliance, organisational leadership and working with boards, committees or elected members will be particularly valuable.

Job Description [pdf 283kb]

Person Specification [pdf 245kb]

In return, you will be welcomed by a progressive, friendly and talented team. We encourage productive, flexible working and we will provide you with the technology you need to work from our office in South Shields and from home.

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of great benefits to help you financially make life a bit easier. From career average employer contribution pension scheme, a car leasing scheme, cycle schemes, and gym discounts.

Job title: Principal Operations Manager
Location: South Shields / Hybrid working (typically 2-3 days office working per week)
Contract: Full-time (37 hours) / Permanent
Salary: £65,634 per annum plus benefits and relocation assistance (where applicable)

The Principal Operations Manager will provide strategic leadership for the Pension Fund's Operations Teams, overseeing the delivery of high-quality pensions administration services across one of the largest and most ambitious funds in the Local Government Pension Scheme. Reporting to the Head of Pensions Administration, you will be responsible for helping shape operational strategy whilst ensuring service delivery meets legislative requirements, performance targets and stakeholder expectations.

This role combines operational leadership with strategic influence. As part of the senior management team, you will drive continuous improvement, oversee operational performance and help ensure the Fund remains at the forefront of pensions administration best practice. The role is increasingly important as the Fund continues to deliver on behalf of its members and for strategic partners.

You will lead large operational teams, oversee key areas of pensions administration and work closely with colleagues across the wider leadership team to support the delivery of the Fund's corporate objectives.

In brief, you will:

• Lead and oversee the performance of the Pension Operations Teams.
• Develop and implement operational strategies, policies and improvement initiatives.
• Ensure pensions administration services are delivered in line with legislation, guidance and best practice.
• Monitor and drive performance against service standards and key targets.
• Lead, motivate and develop high-performing operational teams.
• Support the development of modern systems, processes and technologies.
• Prepare reports and attend Pension Committee and Local Pension Board meetings.
• Work closely with employers, members and strategic partners to ensure excellent service delivery.
• Support major projects and transformation initiatives across the Fund.
• Deputise for the Head of Pensions Administration when required.

You will bring substantial experience of leading teams within a pensions environment, ideally within the Local Government Pension Scheme. We are seeking a strong operational leader with a track record of managing performance, improving services and delivering results within complex and customer-focused organisations.

Your ability to lead people, manage competing priorities and engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders will be key to your success. A recognised pensions qualification would be advantageous, although equally important is your ability to demonstrate strategic operational leadership within a pensions environment.

Job Description [pdf 280kb]

Person Specification [pdf 269kb]

In return, you will be welcomed by a progressive, friendly and talented team. We encourage productive, flexible working and we will provide you with the technology you need to work from our office in South Shields and from home.

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of great benefits to help you financially make life a bit easier. From career average employer contribution pension scheme, a car leasing scheme, cycle schemes, and gym discounts.

Job title: Principal Stakeholder Engagement Manager
Location: South Shields / Hybrid working (typically 2-3 days office working per week)
Contract: Full-time (37 hours) / Permanent
Salary: £65,634 per annum plus benefits and relocation assistance (where applicable)

The Principal Stakeholder Engagement Manager is a key senior leadership role within Tyne & Wear Pension Fund, responsible for the strategic oversight of employer engagement, member services, funding strategy, data quality and pension payroll functions. Reporting to the Head of Pensions Administration, you will lead the Data Quality and Payroll Team, Employer Liaison Team and Member Services Team, providing strategic leadership across some of the Pension Fund's most visible and stakeholder-facing services and help shape the future direction of one of the UK's largest and most ambitious Local Government Pension Funds.

As a member of the Pension Fund Senior Management Team, you will have responsibility for the Data Quality and Payroll Team, Employer Liaison Team and Member Services Team and their performance. You will play a central role in developing and implementing strategy, driving operational excellence and ensuring employers and members receive a modern, proactive and high-quality service that meets the highest standards of performance, compliance and customer experience.

This is far more than a traditional stakeholder engagement role. You will help shape funding strategy, oversee employer admissions and exits, lead initiatives to improve data quality and support the delivery of critical services to employers, members and pensioners. Working closely with employers, advisers, actuaries and key stakeholders, you will help ensure the long-term sustainability, efficiency and success of the Fund.

In brief, you will:

• Lead and oversee the Data Quality and Payroll Team, Employer Liaison Team and Member Services Team.
• Develop and implement strategies that enhance employer services, member services, data quality and stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure the delivery of a high-performing pension payroll function and outstanding service to employers, members and pensioners.
• Lead on the Fund's communication and engagement strategies, ensuring effective and accessible communication across all stakeholder groups.
• Support the development and implementation of the Fund's funding strategy and oversee employer admissions, exits and employer relationship management.
• Work closely with employers to improve data quality and support compliance with Scheme responsibilities.
• Monitor and drive performance against service standards, legal requirements and operational targets.
• Lead employer and member engagement programmes, communications, events, surveys and service improvement initiatives.
• Prepare reports for, and attend, Pension Committee and Local Pension Board meetings.
• Contribute to major strategic projects and continuous improvement initiatives across the Pension Fund.
• Deputise for the Head of Pensions Administration when required.

You will likely hold a degree or equivalent qualification and possess substantial experience within a pension’s environment, ideally within the Local Government Pension Scheme. A recognised professional pensions qualification would be advantageous but is not essential. We are particularly interested in candidates with experience of employer and / or member relationship management, pensions administration, data quality improvement, payroll delivery or wider operational leadership within a complex pension’s environment.

Your success in this role will depend upon your ability to provide strategic leadership, build trusted relationships with employers and stakeholders, and drive service excellence across multiple functions. We are seeking an individual with a proven track record of leading teams, managing change and delivering high-quality pensions services in a complex and evolving regulatory environment.

Job Description [pdf 292kb]

Person Specification [pdf 292kb]

In return, you will be welcomed by a progressive, friendly and talented team. We encourage productive, flexible working and we will provide you with the technology you need to work from our office in South Shields and from home.

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of great benefits to help you financially make life a bit easier. From career average employer contribution pension scheme, a car leasing scheme, cycle schemes, and gym discounts.