Pensions Project Consultant

XPS Group; United States; Remote; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual discretionary bonus

25 days holiday with buy/sell flexibility

Pension matching

Healthcare plans

Digital GP service

Job summary

XPS Group is seeking a Project Consultant to join their Admin Project Team in the United Kingdom. This role offers remote working options with occasional office visits. You will be responsible for managing diverse pension-related projects, ensuring client satisfaction, and supporting less experienced team members. Strong background in pensions administration and project management is essential. The position includes competitive salary, annual bonus, and various employee benefits including pension matching and healthcare plans.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in pensions projects or administration roles.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to communicate complex issues clearly.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage end-to-end project delivery.
• Coordinate support for less experienced staff.
• Act as primary contact for clients, presenting project updates.

Skills

Project management

Client communication

Problem-solving

Data manipulation (Excel)

Team leadership

Organizational skills

Education

Previous experience in pensions projects or administration

Defined Benefit scheme experience

Tools

Excel

Job description

Project Consultant

Grade: Consultant

Employment Type: Permanent, Full Time

Remote work enabled

Job ID: REQ003608

About The Role

Remote working opportunities with occasional office visits to an XPS office for team building - location and frequency to be discussed at interview.

We are currently seeking a Project Consultant to join our Admin Project Team. The XPS Admin Project Team (APT) is a separate, highly experienced, and specialised project resource comprised of circa 85 staff. APT has vast experience of working on numerous projects from data cleansing and benefit rectification to buy outs and wind ups. The team undertakes project work from across XPS ensuring that day‑to‑day Administration work and resources are unaffected.

Our APT team undertakes projects such as: GMP rectification/equalisation, buy‑in/buy‑out, data cleansing, ad hoc projects for example scheme closures, benefit rectifications, liability reduction exercises, McCloud and pension dashboards.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading and managing project end to end, in line with budgets, deadlines and objectives.
• Coordinate and support less experienced staff.
• This role is client facing therefore you will be expected to:
  • Act as a point of contact generally and to explain complex issues.
  • Attend client and trustee meetings to present project update.
• Set and achieve project delivery deadlines within scope and budget. Ensure client sign off on fees and scope has been secured as the work.
• Delivery of projects within agreed budgets, identification of out of scope work and proactive management and discussion with the clients to ensure that all work is billed in a timely manner.
• Involvement in process improvement initiatives.
• Completion and review of calculations for pensions benefit data both manually and spreadsheet based.
• Partner with Client and Administration Managers within the business on project delivery requirements and stakeholder management.
• Dealing confidently with HMRC, Client, Scheme, Actuaries, Scheme Administrators, Consultants, Pension Accounts/Payroll, Members and third parties by phone, email and letter.
• Checking and authorising other team members’ work.
• Understanding and application of benefit structure, Trust Deed & Rules, Inland Revenue of guidance notes, PSO, Disclosure requirements.
• Provision of technical information both verbally and in writing.
• Compliance with ISO and AAF accreditations.
• Checking and authorising project work.
• Providing general support to the team manager.
• Support the delivery of a continuous improvement programme championing operational excellence while identifying areas where the project delivery service to clients could be improved and/or expanded.

Essential

• Demonstrable previous experience in a similar pensions’ projects role, or BAU pensions administration roles.
• Previous Defined Benefit (DB) pensions scheme experience.
• Commercial Acumen in order to plan, manage, track and deliver project revenue, client and business requirements within budget.
• Strong organisational skills with proven ability to manage resources and operational delivery of a team to ensure revenue targets met and work delivered to plan.
• Technical pensions and data projects knowledge to be able to explain complex issues to key stakeholders internally and externally.
• The ability to manipulate spreadsheet data using formulas, such as Index, V-look up, Pivot Table is essential.
• Abke to efficiently resolve issues by identifying solutions to enable projects to be effectively delivered in accordance with client requirements.
• Proven ability to lead a project providing strategic direction and guidance while managing, coaching and mentoring individual team members.
• Concise and confident communicator of complex project issues - covering both verbal and written skills.
• Ability to wok within a team towards targets.
• Be proactive, having drive and commitment.
• Ability to foster an inclusive working environment and champion diversity within the team.

Desirable

• May have achieved some exam success in professional qualifications such as PMI/QRA/RPC/DPC/DPA and actively working towards full qualification.

What We Offer

Enjoy a competitive salary, annual discretionary bonus, and 25 days’ holiday with buy/sell flexibility. Benefits include pension matching, healthcare plans, life assurance, and retailer discounts. We support our team with a flexible benefits scheme, employee assistance, and digital GP service. Participating in volunteering events is encouraged with paid volunteer days available. Referral bonuses are offered for introducing suitable candidates to XPS.

Equal Opportunity Statement

XPS Group is committed to diversity and equal opportunities. We welcome applications from all candidates, irrespective of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or belief. As a Disability Confident employer, we ensure accessible and supportive work settings for all employees.