Pension Officer

Bradford Corporation; Bradford; Hybrid; GBP 27,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

LGPS Pension

Ongoing training and development

Hybrid working after training

Job summary

West Yorkshire Pension Fund in Bradford is seeking two Pension Officers for our Contact Centre. You will be the first point of contact for scheme members and employers, delivering a high quality, efficient customer-focused service via telephone, email, online portals and live chat.

The role requires clear communication, the ability to work under pressure, and a willingness to learn LGPS and FPS legislation.

Qualifications

• 5 GCSE’s Grade C or above including Maths and English.
• Evidence of numeracy and literacy skills and experience dealing with the public, especially over the phone.
• Ability to work under pressure in a busy environment and as part of a team.
• Strong commitment to high standards of customer care with previous customer-facing/contact centre experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication, ability to explain complex information clearly.
• Competence in standard office IT applications and willingness to learn in-house systems.

Responsibilities

• Respond to pension queries via telephone, email, online portals and live chat.
• Perform data processing and update member records on in-house systems.
• Investigate and resolve issues or refer complex cases to senior colleagues.
• Ensure interactions and administration comply with LGPS and FPS legislation and regulations.

Skills

Excellent communication

Customer service

Written communication

Telephone handling

Education

GCSEs including Maths & English

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Department of Chief ExecutiveWest Yorkshire Pension FundPensions Officer x 2 - Contact Centre

Band 5/8: £26,847 - £34,811 pa (Pro rata for Part Time Posts)37 hours per week (part time hours considered)EstablishedHybrid working based in Bradford

The Code of Practice on the English language requirement for public sector workers, Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, requires that Councils ensure that all candidates applying for customer facing posts must be assessed in order to establish their fluency in English.

The criteria under special knowledge and experience on the job profile, which is shown in this advert, outlines what level of fluency you will be expected to demonstrate. Therefore, it is essential that you provide examples in your application.

West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF) administers the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) for over 850 employers based throughout the UK and is valued at over £19bn. We also have a shared service partnership with Lincolnshire Pension Fund, the London Boroughs of Hounslow and Barnet and a number of Fire Authorities for the administration of the Firefighters Pension Schemes (FPS). The Funds have a combined membership totalling 500,000. More information on this can be found on our website at www.wypf.org.uk.

We have two Pension Officer vacancies in our Bradford Office. As a Pension Officer working in our Contact Centre, you will be the first point of contact for our scheme members and employers. You will deliver a high quality, efficient and effective customer focused service, assisting our members primarily via telephone, email, online portals and live chat whilst promoting a digital approach. This is a busy and vibrant department and requires the need to be able to work in a fast paced and high pressured environment. You should possess effective communication skills both verbally and in writing and adopt a positive but sympathetic customer care approach to your work. You will be supported by your colleagues with ongoing training and coaching and learn about the different aspects of various pension schemes and the legislation which governs them.

Core Responsibilities

• Respond to a wide range of pension queries, providing guidance and information with clarity, empathy, and professionalism.
• Perform data processing and administrative tasks, including updating member records on in-house systems.
• Use analytical skills to investigate and resolve issues or refer complex cases to senior colleagues.
• Ensure all interactions and administration tasks comply with the relevant LGPS and FPS legislation and regulations.

As a minimum you will have:

• 5 GCSE’s Grade C or above including Maths and English - or equivalent qualifications
• Evidence of your numeracy and literacy skills and recent experience of dealing with the public- especially over the telephone
• Be able to work under pressure in a busy environment and as part of a team.
• Strong commitment to providing high standards of customer care, with previous experience in a customer-facing or contact centre environment desired.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex information clearly and concisely.
• Competence in using standard office IT applications (e.g., MS Office) and a willingness to learn and navigate specific in-house ICT systems.
• While full training is provided, previous experience in LGPS/FPS or a related field is an advantage. The post is a career grade consisting with progression bars between them.

In return we can offer:

• Flexible working
• LGPS Pension
• Ongoing training and development
• Hybrid working after a period of initial training

An enhanced disclosure check with the Disclosure and Barring Service will be undertaken for this post.

Equal Opportunities We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to thrive. If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process to support your application, please let us know, and we will work with you to meet your needs.

The RESPECT Allyship Programme is available to all staff, which offers the opportunity to learn more about the diverse communities & groups and provides added benefits and resources to its members.