Head of Funding & Actuarial Risk

Head of Funding & Actuarial Risk

£69,148 - £72,602 (Grade 10)

Full Time (Hybrid)

Are you an experienced actuarial or funding professional looking to lead strategic pension funding within one of the UK's largest Local Government Pension Schemes?

About WMPF

WMPF is one of the UK’s largest pension funds providing local authority pension benefits for employees across the West Midlands. We manage and administer the pension interests of over 330,000 scheme members, 800+ employers and currently have over £22 billion in assets under management.

We are recruiting for a Head of Funding & Actuarial Riskto join our continually growing Funding Management area. Our brand-new offices are based at the i9 building in Wolverhampton and is an excellent location for transport links by car, bus, train and tram.

What the day will look like

As Head of Funding & Actuarial Risk, you'll provide strategic leadership across the Fund's funding and actuarial activities. You will:

• Lead the development and delivery of the Fund's funding strategy and actuarial risk framework.
• Oversee triennial valuations, employer contribution modelling and covenant assessments.
• Manage and develop a high-performing specialist team, driving performance and continuous improvement.
• Provide expert advice and present technical reports to senior leadership, the Pensions Committee and Pension Board.
• Build strong relationships with employers, actuaries, advisers and external stakeholders, ensuring robust governance and regulatory compliance.

About you

We're looking for a confident and collaborative leader with significant experience in pension funding and actuarial risk management. You'll bring:

• A professional actuarial qualification (such as FIA/FFA) and a relevant degree, or substantial equivalent experience.
• Extensive experience leading funding strategies, actuarial analysis and risk management within a complex organisation.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with experience developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical information to a range of audiences.
• A proactive approach to continuous improvement and strategic decision-making.

Why choose the West Midlands Pension Fund?

You will receive a generous holiday entitlement (starting with 26 days a year plus bank holidays). We usually work two days a week in the office and three from home.

We have a modern office environment that offers a relaxed working atmosphere with study and breakout areas, meeting rooms and kitchens with free tea and coffee making facilities. There are also cloakrooms, bike stores, showers and lockers available.

Other benefits whilst working for the fund include the employee awards scheme and on-the-job development where you will be provided with comprehensive study support for professional exams, formal education & structured training and the potential to advance within a growing organisation.

Working at the fund is a great way to start or develop your career and will give you the opportunity to explore, question and collaborate. You will build your skills and knowledge but also a network where everyone is here to help support you learn and develop in a place where you can thrive both professionally and personally making a shared impact.

We are delighted to have been accredited PASA, Investors in People, customer service excellence and we have Bronze Organisational Membership with the British Dyslexia Association and are working towards their Smart Award, which further underlines our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

How we support our colleagues

In addition to our comprehensive benefits package, we encourage a diverse workforce. Plus, our agile, inclusive environment allows you to manage your wellbeing and work/life balance. You also have 24-hour access to an employee assistance programme.

As a new employee of our Funding Management team, you will receive a robust interactive 6-week induction plan providing you the opportunity to engage with key stakeholders across the fund. You will also be enrolled onto a range of professional training courses including an introduction to the LGPS and team building to encourage collaborative working, allowing you to thrive in your new role.

For more information, please email WMPFRecruitment@wmpf.wolverhampton.gov.uk or to apply for this post please visit the following website:-

www.wmjobs.co.uk

For full details of the responsibilities and requirements of this role please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Our working arrangements

All council roles are allocated to either a fixed, field or flexible work style. Some roles are agile which enable and empower employees to maximise their performance and productivity, whilst maintaining a healthy work life balance. Roles with a fixed workstyle work in a fixed permanent council location. Roles with a field workstyle are usually allocated where employees are required to be out working in the community with a minimum requirement for 'touch down' space at any council location. Roles with a flexible workstyle have a flexible base location to meet the needs of the business and employees can work from a mixture of home or any council office, partner/client, or external location, as required to meet service requirements.

Please refer to the Job Description for further information on the workstyle assigned to the role you are applying for.

For more information about working for our organisation including the culture of the Council, the Council plan and vision, staff equality forums, core HR policies, employee benefits and much more please click here.

Diversity

We are committed to building a workforce that is reflective of the diverse community we serve. We want to attract the best applications from people of all backgrounds and underrepresented groups because we strongly believe in adding value through diversity, inclusion, and equality. Our employees enable us to deliver services that are accessible, inclusive, and reflective of Wolverhampton residents.

Our status as a Disability Confident Employer showcases our commitment to people with disabilities or health conditions, advocating for their opportunities and potential.

We've received the Stonewall Gold Award, emphasising our dedication to the LGBT+ community by nurturing an inspiring, inclusive, and equal workplace.

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the essential criteria for the post.

We encourage, inspire and value an inclusive culture here at the council where employees can flourish, thrive and be themselves. We have four staff equality forums for employees to join. These help to ensure our employees have a voice, they feel empowered to speak up and where everyone is treated with respect - Learn more about the staff equality forums here

Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

We are committed to the fair treatment of all our employees, potential employees, or users of our service regardless of offending background. The Council uses the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for any vacancies that require a DBS check to obtain information about applicants to assess their suitability for employment in positions of trust. We do not discriminate unfairly against any individual on the basis of a conviction or any other information revealed as a result of a DBS disclosure - Learn more here

Employment Information & Support

If you are considering applying for an apprenticeship or a role where the salary is (Grade 2-5), and would like to visit us to learn about the application, interview process and what it is like to work for the council, please click on this link to find out more - Learn more here