Manager, Employer Covenant Advisor

Isio; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Career development opportunities

Inclusive workplace

Job summary

Isio is a fast-growing professional services firm specializing in pensions, employee benefits and wealth advisory. The Covenant Solutions team assesses the financial strength and outlook of sponsors of defined benefit schemes, advising on mitigation strategies during corporate events such as M&A, refinancing or restructuring.

The role focuses on building a portfolio of corporate and trustee advisory clients, performing financial analyses, and advising on the impact of corporate actions on

Qualifications

• Qualified ACA/CA/ACCA accountant with clear evidence of post qualified experience.
• Experience in employer covenant advisory and/or transaction/restructuring advisory.
• Excellent report writing, financial analysis, client and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a portfolio of pension trustee advisory clients; provide advice on employer covenant assessments.
• Perform and review financial and commercial analysis for employer covenant assessments; coach junior team members.
• Assess impact of corporate activities (transaction/restructuring/refinancing) on employer covenant to pension schemes.
• Advise on solutions to mitigate changes in employer covenant security.
• Support business development and marketing initiatives to grow Isio’s covenant advisory business.

Skills

Financial analysis

Client management

Project management

Research and reporting

AI and data analysis tools

Education

ACCA/ACA/CA qualification

Tools

AI and data analysis tools

Job description

Pensions employer covenant advisory is a challenging and fast growing area. Isio’s Covenant Solutions team assess the financial strength and commercial outlook of sponsors of defined benefit pensions schemes, to understand the cash flows and assets available to support funding of pension liabilities. This includes advising on covenant mitigation solutions where there are corporate events such as M&A, refinancing or restructuring.

Isio is looking for a qualified accountant with employer covenant advisory experience and/or a transaction/restructuring advisory background, to join our team in advising clients and supporting our growth plans.

What does the role entail?

This role provides the opportunity to build a portfolio of corporate and trustee advisory clients as well as advise in M&A/transaction, run-on and superfund transaction situations. The role will involve working on some of the most complex transactions and challenging pensions issues businesses and trustees face, and work alongside a range of Isio specialists in actuarial and investment services to provide integrated solutions to support pensions strategy.

The candidate will have employer covenant expertise and/or transactions/restructuring advisory experience. This will include experience of preparing insolvency estimated outcome statements for the purposes of assessing potential returns to creditors/pension schemes.

This is a great opportunity for a high calibre candidate to fast track their career prospects, widen their skillset and be part of Isio’s ambitious growth plans for its pensions and covenant advisory business.

Day To Day Your Role Will Include

• Building and managing a portfolio of pension trustee advisory clients, providing advice on their employer covenant assessments and integrated risk management framework;
• Performing and reviewing financial and commercial analysis for employer covenant assessments. Including coaching and development of junior team members;
• Assessing the impact of a corporate activity such as a transaction, restructuring or refinancing on the employer covenant provided to pension schemes;
• Advising on solutions to mitigate changes in the employer covenant security provided to pension schemes;
• Advising corporate sponsors of pension schemes in negotiations with trustees over employer covenant and mitigation / financial support options;
• Supporting external marketing initiatives to support Isio’s growth ambitions.

What We're Looking For

• Qualified ACA/CA/ACCA accountant with clear evidence of relevant post qualified experience.
• Proven Employer covenant and/or transaction/restructuring advisory experience.
• Commercial awareness and a general interest in how businesses work.
• Experience of insolvency analysis/recoveries e.g. preparing Entity Priority Models and Estimated Outcome Statements in order to advise clients of the implication
• Excellent report writing, financial analysis, client and project management skills.
• Ability to research and report on clients, industries, the wider market/economy and ESG risks; develop marketing collateral and initiatives; and build, manage and leverage client relationships in order to originate work and support sales.
• Experience using AI and data analysis tools to improve efficiency in research and reporting.
• An enthusiasm for and genuine commitment to business development and supporting market initiatives.

Where is the role?

Our ideal applicant would work alongside our existing team in either Manchester, Edinburgh or London. However, we can offer suitable applicants the opportunity to work from our other Isio offices.

We work on a hybrid basis, offering the opportunity for colleagues to split their working time between working in the office and at home.

As a business we are great at building strong communities amongst our employees – both across locations and teams, hosting regular team building, charity, and social events.

Why Join Isio

Isio is a fast-growing professional services business, that offers career development through an evolving client base, diverse and meaningful work, nationwide opportunities, and a culture that rewards high performance and accountability.

We hold ourselves to the highest standards and our values guide how we advise our clients, how we operate as a business and how we work together as a team. We call it the Isio Attitude. We encourage our people to be bold, to communicate with conviction, and to deliver advice that matters.

Here, growth brings opportunity - more responsibility, more clients, and work that stretches and develops you. We invest in training and development so you can expand your skills and explore different career paths across diverse markets to make your mark. Isio is a place to realise your potential and build a career with impact. You can find out more about Isio and the benefits we offer on our career's website Isio - Careers & Benefits.

About Isio

Isio is a progressive advisory firm, partnering with clients of all sizes to deliver expertise in pensions, employee benefits and wealth advisory services.

Working with pension trustees, employers, individuals, families and their offices, we are supported by talented colleagues across 10 UK offices. With a Big 4 heritage we combine a strong focus on quality with a fresh perspective challenging traditional thinking.

Our culture shapes our work; we foster a supportive environment where we develop our people to grow and fulfil their potential. We invest in our services, products and technology, and provide clear, expert solutions for our clients. This brings clarity, confidence, and better outcomes for everyone.

At Isio, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace, in which our colleagues feel they belong, regardless of background or difference. We uphold the values of respect, fairness, and inclusion in our actions and decisions. We believe that by adhering to these principles, we will create a stronger, more innovative, and supportive environment for all, as well as ensuring that the advice and support we provide to our clients is more creative, more insightful and leaves a lasting impact.

We can offer a hybrid, flexible approach to work, supporting a work-life balance that works for you. Isio Group is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

If you think you may require a reasonable adjustment to be made for any reason at any stage of your recruitment process, please ask us [e-mail].