Pension Administrator - Apprentice (Cheltenham)

Barnett Waddingham; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading independent professional services consultancy in Cheltenham is offering a Pension Administration Apprenticeship. This 18-month program starts in September 2026, leading to a permanent role with a competitive apprenticeship salary and annual bonus. Apprentices will communicate with clients and manage payrolls, gain valuable skills, and earn a Workplace Pensions Administrator Level 3 qualification. The firm emphasizes support, inclusivity, and career progression, making it a great start for your career.

Benefits

Private Medical Cover

Pension

Social/sporting groups

Competitive discretionary annual bonus

Qualifications

• Friendly customer-focused approach with good attention to detail.
• Demonstrate a positive attitude and be organized.
• Enjoy working with numbers and developing new skills.

Responsibilities

• Communicate with clients, their members, and advisers via email, letter, and telephone.
• Process client pension payrolls and arrange payments.
• Prepare benefit calculations and related correspondence.
• Attend team meetings to support priorities.

Skills

Customer-focused approach

Attention to detail

Problem-solving skills

Strong communication

Education

A-Level standard or equivalent

5 GCSEs Grade 4 (C) or equivalent including Maths and English

Job description

Be the First to Apply

Job Description

Looking to start your career but do not want to pay university fees?

Considering changing your career pathway and want to gain a professional qualification?

Then look no further as we have the perfect opportunity for you!

• September 2026 start – 18 months programme leading to permanent role
• Friendly supportive inclusive teams to help you succeed
• Above average apprenticeship salary plus competitive discretionary annual bonus and salary review
• Private Medical Cover
• Pension
• Social/sporting groups if you want to take part!

Once you qualify, we offer many progression opportunities with a career to be proud of!

• Pension Administration Apprenticeship
• Apprenticeship Level: Workplace Pensions Administrator Level 3
• Selection Process: CV / Telephone Interview / Assessment Centre

Who are we?

Barnett Waddingham (part of Howden Employee Benefits) is a leading independent UK professional services consultancy advising on risk, pensions, investment and insurance. With over 1700 people across 11 offices, our core purpose is based around empowering people to secure better futures. We are a sustainable and thriving client and people focussed organisation, committed to doing the right thing.

We are dependent on talented and well-trained employees who enjoy working for a leading organisation and we pride ourselves on being a friendly, supportive and inclusive firm and we have a solid structure in place to ensure you have all the training to start your career.

We empower everyone that works for us by educating, inspiring and enabling so that everyone can reach their full potential and grow their career. As a “Best Companies Top 100 Best Large Companies to work for in the UK” and being recognised as one of the “best places to work in the UK” in 2024, people who join us tend to stay, thriving in a professional learning environment and caring, inclusive, friendly culture.

We understand it can be very daunting either starting your first job after school or college or if you are changing careers. We can help you make that transition; our approachable teams will support you as you not only start your career, but also as you continue to progress among the many pathways we can offer.

What will you do as a Pension Administration Apprentice?

Pension administrators look after pension scheme members and make sure they receive the right pension at the right time and advise them of their rights and benefits to make important decisions about their retirement.

Here are just a few of the day-to-day tasks you can be involved in:

• Communicating with clients, their members and advisers via email, letter, and telephone.
• Process client pension payrolls, including calculations of net pay, arranging payments, liaison with tax offices and preparation of year end returns.
• The preparation of computer-generated benefit calculations and related correspondence
• Attending team meetings to understand the priorities and offering support as required.
• Plus, lots more including interesting project work

What qualification will I study for?

Working with our training provider, you will study for the Workplace Pensions Administrator Level 3 qualification. The apprentice programme is well structured with the support of a skills coach, friendly mentors, and line managers to ensure you succeed in your role and study.

We will also teach you how to use our systems and provide all the pensions knowledge and skills you need to be able to communicate information to members and advise clients.

Can I progress beyond the apprenticeship?

There are lots of career opportunities to explore beyond your apprenticeship. You will be encouraged to continue to study and develop your skills if you wish to do so and many of our apprentices have gone on to more senior roles within Barnett Waddingham.

What do we look for?

We are looking for a friendly customer-focused approach with good attention to detail. You will demonstrate a positive attitude, be organised, have good problem-solving skills and enjoy working with numbers. We are looking for strong communicators with the ability to build effective working relationships with external clients as well as your team members and you will be keen to develop new skills.

You could already have some of these skills through any employment (including hospitality/retail work) work experience/volunteering or any hobbies/interests/sports.

Entry requirements

Ideally A-Level standard or equivalent with grade C or higher in 2 or more subjects.

You will need a minimum of 5 GCSE’s Grade 4 (C) or equivalent including Maths and English

Accessibility

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments, please do let us know during the recruitment process and we will do our very best to support you. If you want more information on accessibility, please click here

Recruitment Process

Please apply with your CV. We will then invite you to a short telephone screen with one of our friendly Early Careers team. Successful candidates will be invited to attend an assessment day or interview in our office. If you would like to ask any questions before applying, please contact the Early Careers team on [e-mail] and one of the team will get back to you, as we’re happy to answer any questions you might have!