Head of System Development | Pension

Legal And General Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services firm in Greater London is seeking a Head of System Development to innovate actuarial tools supporting their pension risk transfer business. The ideal candidate will lead a talented team, define the development strategy, and integrate solutions across functions. Expert knowledge of Defined Benefit pensions and programming experience in C# or Python are essential. This role offers competitive benefits including a generous pension contribution, life assurance, and flexible working options.

Benefits

Performance-related bonus plan

Generous pension contribution

Healthcare plan

25+ holidays

Electric car scheme

Various employee discounts

Qualifications

• Expert knowledge of Defined Benefit pensions.
• Strong programming abilities in C# or Python.
• Understanding of complex IT infrastructure systems.
• Experience in Agile teams and tool usage.

Responsibilities

• Lead actuarial development strategy aligned with business goals.
• Oversee the design and enhancement of actuarial systems.
• Collaborate across teams for integrated actuarial solutions.
• Develop a high-performing actuarial team and culture.

Skills

Defined Benefit pensions

C#

Python

Agile delivery

JIRA

Confluence

Education

Qualified Actuary

Product Owner Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO)

Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)

Job description

Company Description

Legal & General (L&G) is a leading UK financial services group and major global investor.

We’ve been safeguarding people’s financial futures since 1836, and strive to build a better society, while improving the lives of our customers and creating value for shareholders.

We are one of the world’s largest asset managers and provide powerful asset origination capabilities. Together, these underpin our retirement and protection solutions: we are an international player in pension risk transfer, in UK and US life insurance, and in UK workplace pensions and retirement income.

L&G Institutional Retirement looks after around 700,000 institutional customers who have their retirement benefits secured with us. Operating continuously in the UK market from our entrance in 1987, we are the UK’s longest-running insurer.

Our Institutional Retirement division provides pension risk transfer (PRT) solutions for UK and US defined benefit (DB) schemes, and reinsurance solutions from our global hub in Bermuda. We work with companies, DB pension schemes and their advisors to help them secure and protect scheme members’ retirement benefits.

Joining us means you’ll support customers’ financial security in retirement; help companies to settle their pension liabilities and focus on growing their businesses; and enable investment for the long term to back our pension promises.

Job Description

We’re looking for a visionary leader to shape the future of actuarial systems at Legal & General.

As Head of System Development, you’ll be at the forefront of innovation, driving the design and delivery of scalable, compliant, and cutting‑edge actuarial tools that support our pension risk transfer business. This is a unique opportunity to lead a talented team and collaborate across functions to deliver outstanding customer and business outcomes.

What you’ll be doing

• Defining and leading the actuarial development strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and technological advancements
• Overseeing the design, build, and enhancement of actuarial models and systems, ensuring they are fit‑for‑purpose, scalable, and compliant with internal and external standards, including creating and maintaining actuarial development best practices
• Partnering with other members of the product function as well as IT, Client Servicing, Finance and Risk teams to ensure actuarial solutions are integrated effectively across the organisation and support cross‑functional initiatives
• Leading and developing a high‑performing actuarial development team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Establishing and maintaining governance frameworks for actuarial development, including model validation, documentation standards, and peer review processes
• Reviewing the performance of products and the service provided to customers to ensure that expected and acceptable standards are achieved
• Ensuring any system or process changes that impact customer journeys have been reviewed by business stakeholders to determine the impact of the changes on the delivery of customer outcomes (Consumer Duty accountability)
• Taking the lead in all matters with regard to the management of employees, ensuring that management discretion is used in a consistent manner and that the area follows the Group’s policies and procedures including the Partnership Agreement to maximise business performance

Qualifications

• Expert knowledge of Defined Benefit pensions
• Expert knowledge in C#, python or other relevant languages
• Understanding of IT infrastructure systems and services in complex environments
• Experience working in Agile delivery teams and using tools such as JIRA, Confluence, or similar
• It’s essential that you are a Qualified Actuary
• It would also be useful if you had any of the following qualifications; Product Owner Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) or Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or relevant experience or SAFe Product Owner/ Product Manager (POPM)

Benefits

• The opportunity to participate in our annual, performance‑related bonus plan and valuable share schemes
• Generous pension contribution
• Life assurance
• Healthcare Plan (permanent employees only)
• At least 25 days holiday, plus public holidays, 26 days after 2 years’ service. There’s also the option to buy and sell holiday
• Competitive family leave
• Participate in our electric car scheme, which offers employees the option to hire a brand‑new electric car through tax efficient salary sacrifice (permanent employees only)
• There are the many discounts we offer – both for our own products and at a range of high street stores and online
• In 2023, some of our workspaces were redesigned. Our offices are great spaces to connect and collaborate and have your wellbeing at the heart

Additional Information

At L&G, we believe it's possible to generate positive returns today while helping to build a better future for all.

If you join us, you’ll be part of a welcoming, inclusive culture, with opportunities to collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds, views, and experiences. Guided by leaders with integrity who care about your future and wellbeing. Empowered through initiatives which support people to develop their careers and excel.

We care passionately about outcomes rather than attendance and are therefore open to discussing all kinds of flexible working options including part‑time, term‑time and job shares. Although some roles have limited flexibility due to customer demand, we accommodate requests when we can.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t meet every single criterion in this advert. Instead, think about what you excel at and what else you can bring in terms of strengths, potential and connection to our purpose.