Pensions Manager

With approximately 57,000 members and assets totalling c£10 billion across three major Defined Benefit funds, our Defined Contribution Master Trust, and legacy schemes, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape strategy and deliver results on a large scale. You will be the Ford UK pensions lead working with the Trustee Boards and our professional advisors. You will hold a high-visibility position, serving as the Secretary for the Trustee Boards and associated investment companies. You will lead the relationship with our outsourced administration partner (Aptia) and DC provider (Legal & General), ensuring robust governance and compliance in an evolving regulatory environment. Beyond core governance, you will be a key player in our continued de-risking journey building on the success of previous buy ins.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as Company Secretary to three Trustee Boards; managing agendas, minutes, and filings for those Boards. Ensure compliance with applicable legislation, regulation and Regulator guidance including delivery and coordination of Trustee Risk Register, Effective System of Governance and ORA requirements.Ensure delivery and coordination of all necessary training for the Trustee Board.
• Oversee, and work in regular collaboration with, Aptia to ensure contractual compliance, high member satisfaction and to drive forward enhanced member connection to the administrator.
• Manage high-level relationships with a suite of other professional advisors, including Scheme Actuary, Legal Counsel, Auditors, Independent Trustees and Covenant.
• Work with the US Corporate & Investment teams, Trustee Boards and external advisors to develop and execute future de-risking activities.
• Manage the relationship with the Legal & General Master Trust, ensuring effective auto-enrolment/re-enrolment processes and high-quality member service and communications. Support Ford Executives with guidance on retirement options and pension implications.
• Act as the subject matter expert within Ford, and be able to advise on and resolve complex cases and complaints. Manage the IDRP process, investigating formal complaints and coordinating responses to the Pensions Ombudsman.
• Oversee DC Plan and legacy DB schemes and act as a Trustee/Manager for the Management Healthcare Trust.
• Based in Dunton (Essex) with some travel to meetings in London and surrounding area required.

Experience & Qualifications:

• APMI/FPMI qualified (or equivalent) with active membership of the PMI
• Proven track record in managing large-scale DB schemes, ideally within a major UK corporate, third-party administrator or consultancy. 
• Significant experience of supplier relationship management within a pension administration environment in order to manage and negotiate those contracts.
• Experience of acting as a Trustee Secretary .
• Direct experience of working closely with Union partners.
• Strong understanding of UK pensions legislation, tax regulations and auto-enrolment compliance. Strong pensions governance knowledge, including risk management.
• Clear communicator, both verbally and in writing with the ability to explain and simplify complex matters for Trustee Directors, Management and Members.
• Prior experience in significant projects (buy-ins/buy-outs) and liability management. 
• Good negotiating and influencing skills.

The Company is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity for all and is opposed to any form of less favorable treatment or harassment on the grounds of race, religion or belief, sex, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.

As part of our pre-employment checks process, successful candidates will be required to undergo a criminal record check. This will be conducted in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and applied only to unspent convictions.

This position is based in Basildon, Essex and it is expected the successful candidate will be able to attend the Dunton Campus for typically 4 days a week and remain flexible on the days they are required to attend the office according to business requirements.

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