Pensions Actuary

Job summary

The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) offers actuarial careers that make a difference - we provide actuarial analysis, advice and assurance to government departments and public sector organisations, supporting Government objectives and delivering for citizens. The department’s work covers valuations and policy support in relation to pension schemes, insurance and contingent liabilities, financial risk, and social security. We also provide financial modelling and quality assurance.

In this role, you will work in one of GAD’s established pensions teams. We advise our public sector clients on a range of defined benefit (DB) pension scheme matters. GAD operate in a unique environment with opportunity to provide highly valued support to a diverse range of clients in a public sector context. Core project work will include actuarial valuations, member option factors, accounting disclosures, and pension scheme strategy.

We offer great working benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. Further information on GAD is provided in the attached candidate pack.

N.B. GAD may work with recruiters on this campaign provided prior agreement is reached for this specific campaign

Job description

The role will be based in one of our pensions focused teams, although we would expect you to support other teams and undertake a wider variety of work, as required (see Key responsibilities 5).

A summary below sets out the type of pensions work undertaken in the respective teams. There is scope for actuaries at GAD to specialise in one area, or to work across multiple areas. There is also the potential to move into other areas of GAD advice as your career develops.

Public Service Pensions

Work in the Public Service Pensions team focusses on the principal public service pension schemes in the UK (including pension arrangements for the NHS, Civil Service, Armed Forces, Police, Fire Service, Teachers and Local Government). The team provides advice which is relevant to around 16 million pension scheme members.

In this team, the role is likely to involve allocation to a number of individual clients. The work is varied, interesting, and has purpose, for example working in the best interests of the taxpayer or adapting to new challenges. You will be involved in a number of statutory duties, required in ongoing pension scheme management (periodic actuarial valuations, accounting disclosures and actuarial factors) as well as ad-hoc tasks (such as advice on policy, insights on membership populations and benefit design matters).

Funded Pensions

Work in the Funded Pensions Scheme team focusses on advice to GAD’s funded DB scheme clients. The team provide a full range of Scheme Actuary services, and also provide advice to public sector employers with funded DB schemes. Our clients range in size from the very large (multi billion pound) arrangements to those with a relatively small membership.

Work in this team has similarities to pensions consultancy for DB schemes in the private sector (including actuarial valuations, accounting disclosures, member option terms and strategic advice). However, some of the requirements vary and bespoke strategies will be adopted, reflective of the public sector context and taxpayer interest.

Pensions Policy and Social Security

Work in the Pensions Policy and Social Security team focusses on providing advice to HM Treasury and the Department of Work and Pensions on existing and future public and private pensions policy. The team also provides advice on social security arrangements in the UK and overseas.

In this team, the role will require you to provide advice at pace, drawing on your knowledge of the pensions landscape and working closely with policy officials. Proactive client engagement and considering in advance where actuarial expertise can add value is essential for this role.

Analytical Services Team

AST is our trusted centre of analytical excellence, delivering integrated, innovative, and insightful solutions. Working in this team, your analysis will empower colleagues in the teams above to provide robust, evidence-based advice. We set the benchmark for analytical excellence, supporting confident decisions and lasting value for our clients.

In all teams, you will be expected to build relationships, identify areas where GAD can provide additional support and maximise the value it offers clients.

Person specification

1. Providing high quality actuarial analysis and advice to GAD’s clients, supporting work in other teams, as necessary.
2. Maintaining and building on existing relationships, both internal and external, and developing new relationships.
3. Collaborating with colleagues across all teams to ensure all work is appropriately scoped and delivered in an efficient and timely manner with a focus on providing value for money for our clients. This includes:

• Specifying work, monitoring output and providing feedback
• Responsibility for ensuring work managers are fully informed of all substantive work requests;
• Effective project management;
• Motivating and team building;
• Partnering with colleagues and clients to understand and meet their needs;
• Operational duties – scheduling work, leave management, exercising financial control as required;
• Business development and client engagement activities.

4. Providing a consistently high level of service with work undertaken within professional requirements. This includes:

• Providing/supporting appropriate quality advice (oral and written) to agreed timescales and within budget;
• Complying with peer review procedures;
• Adapting to changing client needs and balancing conflicting priorities;
• Complying with all professional actuarial and GAD standards and guidance.

5. Agile working and effective liaison with other GAD teams, including flexible working across teams as required to meet client demand.

6. Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of role-relevant actuarial and other matters (including meeting all CPD requirements).

This summary is a broad reflection of the current duties. It is not an exhaustive list, and changes may be required, based on GAD’s immediate operational needs which are at the discretion of the relevant Unit Director and in conjunction with the post holder.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, IFoA, or equivalent actuarial professional body (Essential)
• Detailed knowledge of UK actuarial concepts and techniques as applied to UK defined benefit pension schemes (Essential)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £67,259, Government Actuary's Department contributes £19,484 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

As well as competitive salaries, we offer a substantial package of benefits:

• • Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day-to-day work.
  • 25 days annual leave per year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service. In addition, we offer 9 days public and privilege days leave per year (pro rata for part time staff)
  • A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
  • 5 days of paid volunteering leave
  • Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
  • Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year.
  • Occupational sick pay
  • Family-friendly policies such as help with caring responsibilities, special leave, generous paid maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
  • Access to employee assistance programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice.
  • The opportunity to join a trade union.
  • A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
  • Salary advances for travel costs, including annual season tickets and cycle-to-work schemes.
  • Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice.
  • Complimentary BUPA health check.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application sift

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• A CV of up to 2 pages setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained.
• A Personal statement of up to 500-words explaining how you meet the essential criteria for the role, with particular reference to the criteria provided in the person specification of the JD.

The Civil Service application process has a standardised method for assessing candidates, we strongly recommend that you read the descriptions of the civil service behaviours. Strong applications will present these in the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) method.

We will use your CV and Personal Statement to assess the Experience and Technical skills listed in the JD.

Stage 2: Panel interview

During the interview you will be assessed on the experience and behaviours listed in the Person Specification and detailed in this advert. The interview will include a presentation, details of which will be sent to those invited to interview. There are likely to be follow-up questions on the Behaviours below leading on from the presentation to ensure the panel gain a rounded picture.

Timelines

Interim assessment: Applications received by midday on 15 June will be assessed at that point.

First round of interviews: Interviews for early applicants will be held week commencing 22 June.

Role closes: The role will be advertised until midday on 29 June.

Second round of interviews: Interviews for later applicants will be held week commencing 6 July.

Please apply via our recruitment portal below.

As part of the application form process, please submit your CV and supporting statement. Please do not email your CV outside of this process as it will not be accepted.

Shortlisting criteria is based on the Person Specification as set out in the Assessment Criteria section of the Job Description. Please ensure you provide examples of how you meet the Assessment Criteria; a strong application will also demonstrate that you meet the required criteria that are identified as key for this role. Applications will be shortlisted in line with the essential criteria for the role. The desirable criteria will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates. Behaviours will be assessed at sift and interview stage. Candidates who are successful at shortlist will be contacted as soon as possible and advised of the interview process and assessment (exact times and dates will also be confirmed).

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@gad.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@gad.gov.uk

Further information

The Government Actuary’s Department’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm… If you feel at any time your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the recruitment team at recruitment@gad.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioners.

https://gad-gov.pagetiger.com/cxjrkmd/1

Attachments

Pensions Actuary B1-2 Job Description June 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 622kB)