Strategy and Governance Lead

Are you an expert project manager, policy or strategy official who is capable of comprehending complex, interconnected issues and collaborating with partners to devise a strategic plan of action? If so, we’d love to hear from you !

About the Team

The Pensions Investment team is a new team brought together to make sure that the £2 trillion+ of assets held in private pensions are invested in ways which benefit both savers and the UK economy. The work is varied, interesting and high up the political priority list- attracting significant interest from Ministers and enjoying strong support across political parties as a key means of delivering growth.

We are responsible within HMT for driving consolidation in the defined contribution pensions market to improve returns for savers; and for shaping the narrative and formulating policy proposals on pension funds’ UK investments with their consequent impacts on business investment, UK capital markets and growth.

Projects so far have included guiding HMG’s involvement in an industry-led commitment to invest 5% of assets in defined contribution (DC) pensions in unlisted companies; and proposing new rules requiring DC schemes to disclose their UK investment levels. We work in partnership across government with the Department for Work and Pensions, as well as the Financial Conduct Authority, the Pensions Regulator and senior industry partners.

About the Job

In this role, you will:

·      Work with Ministers, policy experts and senior officials and to formulate a long term a longer-term work programme and strategy for pensions investment including legislative, engagement and advocacy strands.

·      Drive and coordinate delivery of pensions investment work including putting in place a supporting governance framework with regular senior level forums and engagement with industry.

·      Actively build knowledge and a broad understanding of the pensions investment landscape area, that supports effective coordination and leadership. Supervising pensions work across government and ensuring that policy work is linked in and coheres with DWP and regulators work on issues related to pensions adequacy and the structure of the pensions system.

·      Commissioning and cohering inputs to crosscutting advice, briefings and speech writing -bringing together a consolidated HMT package across measures and pensions workstreams for significant announcements including Mansion House and/or budgets/autumn statements.

For a full list of key responsibilities please refer to the job advert on Civil Service Jobs.

About You

You will be a role model, supportive, inclusive, and effective management skills as part of matrix and traditional line management structures, including line management.

You will work independently at pace on a number of complex issues, prioritising effectively, demonstrating excellent resilience and intellectual curiosity to respond to shifting requirements. Collaborate as part of a team in a changing environment, taking responsibility for delivering timely and quality results. You will be a confident, persuasive communicator with the ability to set out complex ideas with clarity, and be able to convey these to a variety of partners including seniors through excellent written and verbal communication skills and be able to build strong relationships of trust with an array of stakeholders both internally and externally.

Some of the Benefits our people love!

·      25 days annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King’s birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant). Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees to take up to an additional 2 days off each month

·      Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)

·      Generous parental and adoption leave packages

·      Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions of 27%

·      Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme and season ticket advances

·      A range of active staff networks, based around interests (e.g. analysts, music society, sports and social club) and diversity

For more information about the role and how to apply, please follow the apply link.

If you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process, please tell us about this in your online application form