Pensions Manager (defined contribution)

The UK Pensions Manager manages the Accenture Retirement Savings Plan (ARSP), which is one of the UK’s largest Defined Contribution Trust-based schemes, serving over 34,000 members. The Board comprises 10 Trustee Directors, supported by four sub-committees focused on administration, investment, governance, and communications.

Also works closely with colleagues managing the UK DB scheme and Ireland pension schemes. This role requires deep UK pension expertise, trustee experience, and pension payroll knowledge to ensure the organization maintains the correct expertise and can effectively manage pension processes, including V&A harmonizations. The Pensions Manager will oversee the pension strategy, compliance, governance, and operational excellence, ensuring alignment with the company’s total rewards philosophy.

Key responsibilities:

Board & Committee Support

• Collaborate with the Chair and Scheme Secretary to draft meeting agendas, prepare Board and sub-committee papers, review meeting minutes, and follow up on actions arising.
• Assist sub-committees in reviewing and commenting on their annual Business Plan objectives, preparing summary reports for the Board.

Governance & Compliance

• Oversee the governance, administration, and compliance of the Accenture Retirement Savings Plan (ARSP), ensuring exceptional service for members and robust support for the ARSP Board of Trustees and the Company.
• Maintain strict adherence to legislative frameworks, regularly reviewing processes and validating regulatory requirements.
• Liaise with governance consultants to ensure the Trustee Board operates within best practice frameworks (ESOG compliance).
• Review and update the Trust Deed and Rules to reflect legislative changes or amendments agreed by the Trustee or the Company.
• Ensure compliance with data protection laws, including timely reporting and follow-up of any data breaches.

Financial Management

• Collaborate with advisors to agree annual budget spend, securing company approval prior to raising purchase orders.
• Control the invoicing process with suppliers, approve purchase orders and invoices, and monitor scheme costs on behalf of the Company.

Operational Oversight

• Coordinate with outsourced administration, investment consulting, and legal advisers, monitoring their performance against service level agreements and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Manage relationships with external advisers, evaluate their performance, and drive key business-as-usual activities such as benefit statements, statutory returns, and cyclical projects.
• Lead multiple projects alongside routine activities, prioritizing tasks to deliver results efficiently.
• Ensure legislative deadlines are met for pension scheme returns to HMRC and the Pension Regulator as well as the publication of statutory documents (Annual Chair Statement, SIP etc.) on a publicly available website.
• Monitor monthly contribution files to ensure contribution rates are aligned with member categories and terms and conditions.

Services & Communications

• Maintain up-to-date member communications, ensuring relevance, compliance, and clarity.

Audit & Risk Management

• Liaise with external audit teams and administrators regarding the Annual Report and Accounts for the Plan.
• Provide necessary information to internal audit teams and address compliance requests related to internal controls.
• Ensure business continuity and risk management across all pension activities.

Strategic Projects & Change Management

• Collaborate with Ventures and Acquisitions (V&A) teams to onboard employees joining Accenture under TUPE into the pension plan, analyzing previous pension arrangements and contribution structures, recommending integration solutions, and liaising with the Global Pensions COE for necessary approvals under Policy 1376.
• Support company-led pension initiatives, such as salary sacrifice implementation and benefit harmonization projects.
• Analyze member data to identify trends and recommend actionable proposals to the Trustee, ensuring appropriate measures are taken.
• Work to continuously improve member data through enhanced member and mortality tracing in preparation for Dashboards.
• Assist with the development and implementation of communication strategies to promote pension benefits and drive member engagement.

Continuous Improvement & Professional Development

• Stay abreast of legislative changes impacting pensions and market developments, adapting practices as needed.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and efficiency gains across pension administration and governance.

Key relationships:

• Reporting to the UKI Rewards, Performance and Careers Lead.
• ARSP Trustee Board.
• Pension Managers supporting other UK and Ireland schemes, and Pension and Benefits

Colleagues in EMEA and CoE:

• UK HR Managers
• V&A Deal teams
• Procurement
• Country Controllership & Finance
• Employees
• Shared Services Centre
• External Pension Advisers and Suppliers

Qualifications, experience & skills:

• Strong experience in UK Defined Contribution pensions management.
• Recognized pensions industry qualification (preferred).
• Strong understanding of pensions administration, governance, and legislative frameworks.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• High level of organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple workstreams.

What’s in it for you:

At Accenture in addition to a competitive basic salary, you will also have an extensive benefits package which includes 30 days’ vacation per year, private medical insurance and 3 extra days leave per year for charitable work of your choice!