Pension Manager

Description:

McFall Recruitment are looking for an experienced Customer Services - Pensions Manager to lead, shape, and uplift a pensions customer services function undergoing significant change. This is a senior leadership role for someone who combines deep technical pensions expertise with strong people leadership, and who can build sustainable capability while creating a team fit for the future.

You’ll play a critical role in stabilising performance, strengthening controls, and developing a high-performing, customer-centric pensions administration team.

You must hold the following:

• CF1 – UK Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics
• FA2 – Pensions Administration (Life Office Administration)
• FA5 – Certificate in Investment Operations (ISA Administration)

What You’ll Be Doing

• Re-energising and aligning Team Leaders, ensuring clarity of roles, expectations, and delivery standards.
• Designing and building a future-fit pensions administration structure with the right skills, capacity, and succession planning.
• Creating and maintaining a skills and capability matrix, identifying gaps and supporting targeted development.
• Driving uplift in team capability through coaching, development, and performance management.
• Overseeing servicing of the Pensions and Annuities book, ensuring accurate, timely, and customer-focused delivery.
• Providing operational oversight to ensure quality, consistency, and control across all administration activity.
• Working closely with Compliance, Risk, Complaints, QA, HR, and L&D to strengthen governance and continuous improvement.
• Building strong internal and external stakeholder relationships as a credible and trusted leader.
• Leading from the front with a hands-on, accountable, and high-standards approach.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven expertise in pension products and pensions legislation.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements, governance frameworks, and operational risk.
• Confident, credible people leader who can motivate, challenge, and develop management teams.
• Experience in capability assessment, talent mapping, and organisational design.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills at all levels.
• Someone who thrives in change environments, brings structure to complexity, and delivers outcomes.
• A collaborative leader who sets the tone, builds trust, and drives performance.