Pensions Team Leader (Interim)

Rate: £600 per day (Inside IR35 - Umbrella)

Contract: Initial 6-month contract
Location: Birmingham Working Pattern: Hybrid
Hays are working in partnership with a local authority to recruit an Interim Pensions Team Leader. This is a senior role within the pensions function and requires a candidate with significant Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) experience. The successful candidate will play a key role in stabilising and improving pensions operations, including leading recovery and compliance activity.
Key Responsibilities
You will take a lead role with responsibility for the following key deliverables:

• Lead and manage Phase 2 of the pension's recovery programme, ensuring outstanding issues are resolved and sustainable business-as-usual (BAU) processes are established.
• Ensure monthly pension submissions (MDC) to the LGPS are maintained, including implementing robust processes for submissions from offboarded schools
• Ensure payments and remittance notices align with pension submissions, including retrospective corrective action for the 2025/26 financial year and establishing a BAU process
• Manage Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) end-of-year audits, including addressing historic years not yet submitted and liaising with procurement to commission external auditors where required
• Ensure full compliance with auto-enrolment legislation
• Lead the pensions input to the Equal Pay Settlement Programme, managing a team of six Equal Pay-funded administration staff
• Review existing BAU processes and lead the development of comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Assess and determine the resourcing required to operate the pensions function effectively in a stable BAU state.

Management Responsibilities

• Day-to-day management of pension transactions across the service
• Direct line management of 2-3 Pensions Advisors
• Provide leadership, oversight, and assurance within a highly regulated pensions environment

Essential Experience

• Extensive experience working within LGPS pensions, ideally within a local authority setting
• Proven experience of leading or managing a pension's recovery programme
• Strong knowledge of pensions governance, compliance, and statutory requirements
• Demonstrated people management experience, including leading and developing teams
• Ability to operate effectively in a complex and pressured environment

This role offers an excellent opportunity for an experienced pension professional to make a tangible impact within a local authority setting. If you're excited by the opportunity to join a dynamic team, please send you an updated CV!

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