Principal Pensions Administrator

3173; Manchester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Job summary

Spence in Manchester is seeking a Principal Pensions Administrator to lead Defined Benefit pension schemes, acting as the key contact for trustees and advisers. You will oversee and authorise complex cases, attend trustee meetings, and drive major exercises such as GMP equalisation, buy-ins and buyouts.

You will mentor colleagues, support business development, and contribute to shaping best practices across pensions administration in a collaborative team environment.

Qualifications

• At least 8 years in DB pension administration with complex cases.
• Deep knowledge of UK pensions legislation, regulation and codes of practice.
• Experience acting as lead contact for trustees and advisers.
• Strong client relationship skills and participation in trustee meetings.
• Experience leading scheme-wide projects (e.g. GMP equalisation, buy-ins/buyouts).
• Ability to mentor and support colleagues across levels.

Responsibilities

• Attend trustee meetings and present reports to stakeholders.
• Lead on complex DB pension schemes from end‑to‑end delivery to risk management.
• Oversee major exercises such as GMP equalisation, buy-ins and buyouts.
• Support business development by building trusted client relationships.
• Provide guidance to junior and senior colleagues and shape team practices.

Skills

DB pension administration

UK pensions legislation

lead contact for trustees

client relationship skills

project leadership

mentoring

Education

PMI qualification

Job description

Principal Pensions Administrator

Department: Pensions Delivery - Ongoing Administration

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Manchester

Reporting To: Kevin Potter

Description

About You

Are you ready to take the lead on some of the most complex and rewarding challenges in pensions administration? As a Principal Pensions Administrator, you’ll act as the key point of contact for trustees and advisers, ensuring that Defined Benefit (DB) schemes are managed with precision, compliance, and outstanding client service.

This is a role where your technical expertise, leadership skills, and commercial awareness come together. You’ll take ownership of entire schemes, oversee and authorise the most complex cases, and provide guidance to colleagues at every level. From attending trustee meetings and presenting reports to leading major exercises such as buy-ins, buyouts, and GMP equalisation, you’ll also support Spence’s business development by building trusted client relationships and contributing to new opportunities.

At Spence, we’re continuing to grow, and you’ll play an important part in that journey. You’ll be joining a collaborative and supportive team where your knowledge is valued, your impact is recognised, and your contribution helps shape the future of our pensions services.

Responsibilities & Criteria

Key Criteria (Essential)

• At least 8 years’ experience in DB pension administration Extensive experience in Defined Benefit (DB) pensions administration, with proven expertise in complex and technical cases.
• In-depth knowledge of UK pensions legislation, regulation, and codes of practice.
• Demonstrated experience acting as lead contact for trustees and advisers.
• Strong client relationship skills, including attending and contributing to trustee meetings.
• Experience leading on scheme-wide projects (e.g. GMP equalisation, buy-ins, buyouts, scheme wind-ups).
• Ability to mentor, guide, and support both junior and senior colleagues.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple schemes.
• Commercial awareness and the confidence to support business development activity.

Desirable Criteria

• PMI qualification (or working towards).
• Experience preparing trustee reports and presenting technical advice at trustee meetings.
• Track record of delivering large-scale or complex pension projects successfully.
• Evidence of contributing to process improvements or shaping team practices.
• Experience representing the business at pitches or new client opportunities.

Circumstances

Working hours: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week with additional hours as and when required.

The role holder may be at times required to travel to other UK locations.

All roles are subject to a six-month probationary period and all prospective employees are required to complete background screening to cover all locations.

As part of the pre-hire process the successful candidate will be subject to reference checking and background security vetting.

Applying with a disability or long-term health condition?

As part of our belief that we benefit from the differences among us we are committed to increasing the representation of disabled colleagues and want to remove any barriers or challenges that get in the way of candidates with a disability or long-term health condition from applying to work with us. As part of this commitment, we guarantee to automatically interview anyone with a disability who meets the minimum criteria.

If there is support or an adjustment that we can provide to enable you to be at your best during the recruitment and selection process, we encourage you to advise us in good time so that we may make suitable arrangements. We understand that being open with us may feel uncomfortable so please only share with us the information that you are comfortable to share, and rest assured that we will use this only to provide you with the right support. Any information you give us will be treated completely confidentially. To discuss this further please call 028 9041 2000 and ask to speak to a member of the People & Culture team.