UK & Ireland Senior Pensions Consultant

Job description

Job Description: Job Title: UK & Ireland Senior Pensions Consultant Corporate Title: Vice President Location: London Company Overview: At Bank of America, we are guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better through the power of every connection. We do this by driving Responsible Growth and delivering for our clients, teammates, communities and shareholders every day. Being a Great Place to Work is core to how we drive Responsible Growth. This includes our commitment to being a diverse and inclusive workplace, attracting and developing exceptional talent, supporting our teammates’ physical, emotional, and financial wellness, recognizing and rewarding performance, and how we make an impact in the communities we serve. At Bank of America, you can build a successful career with opportunities to learn, grow, and make an impact. Join us! Location Overview: Our London office is based just a stone’s throw from the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral on bustling King Edward Street. Here you’ll find modern workspaces and a state-of-the-art auditorium space. In addition, we’re proud to host an onsite restaurant that shares our commitment to sustainability by providing delicious seasonal menus which have been created with the planet in mind. Make sure to take time for yourself and head up to our rooftop terrace and take in the spectacular views across London. Finally, your physical wellness is well-catered for with our onsite gym facilities and medical centre. The Team: The UK & Ireland Senior Pensions Consultant reports to the EMEA Head of Benefits. The role sits within the EMEA Compensation & Benefits function, specifically within the Benefits Design team responsible for pensions strategy, design and governance for the UK and Ireland. The role represents the Bank as employer sponsor and is responsible for ensuring the Bank maintains effective oversight of its pension plans, sponsor obligations and associated governance and operational risks. The scope of the role includes: Oversight of the UK and Ireland pensions design and employer sponsor governance frameworks Management and governance of trust-based DB and DC pension plans, including the Bank’s trust-based pension arrangements in Ireland Alignment to broader EMEA benefits strategy, the Bank’s risk framework and global standards Partnership with Trustees, global and regional benefits teams, Finance, Legal, Co-secretariat, advisers and service delivery teams The team operates in a highly collaborative, matrixed environment requiring strong accountability, independent judgement and stakeholder influence at senior levels. This role works in close partnership with the UK Pensions Trustee Lead and has direct exposure to senior HR and functional leadership and plays a key role in shaping pensions strategy, sponsor governance standards, operational oversight and member outcomes. Responsibilities: Drive and deliver the design and employer sponsor governance of UK and Ireland pension plans, ensuring alignment with the Bank’s strategic objectives, risk framework and regulatory obligations. Define and maintain sponsor governance frameworks and policies, including accountabilities and strong control across all pension plans. Partner with the Trustee lead to oversee the design of the Bank’s UK trust-based DB and DC pension plans, independently developing solutions that balance member value, cost efficiency, regulatory compliance and Bank risk. Lead the employer sponsor governance and oversight of the Bank’s trust-based pension arrangements in Ireland, ensuring the Bank’s responsibilities are effectively discharged and that governance arrangements reflect Irish pensions legislation, Pension Authority expectations and applicable IORP II requirements. Establish and maintain robust sponsor oversight of the respective responsibilities of the Bank and the Trustee Boards, ensuring appropriate governance. Work with the Trustee lead to interpret legislative and regulatory developments impacting UK and Ireland pensions and take accountability for translating these into sponsor actions, design changes, governance updates and implementation plans. Partner with Finance on actuarial valuations, pension funding, assumptions, financial reporting and disclosures, including IAS 19 and US GAAP requirements, providing effective sponsor governance and challenge of actuarial advice and outputs. Partner with Legal and Co-secretariat on scheme rules, trustee and sponsor powers, governance documentation, committee and Board matters and regulatory requirements, ensuring advice is translated into clear and practical sponsor actions. Develop and own reporting and insights for UK and Ireland pensions, using data to assess governance effectiveness, operational performance, funding and accounting risks, member outcomes and opportunities for improvement. Act as a subject matter expert to senior stakeholders across HR, Finance, Legal and business leadership. Drive continuous improvement across pensions design, sponsor governance and operations, identifying opportunities to strengthen controls, simplify processes, improve third-party delivery and enhance alignment with regulatory expectations, market practice and internal standards. Skills Demonstrated experience in pensions within a complex, matrixed organisation, with clear accountability for employer sponsor governance. Significant in-house pensions experience, or consulting experience that includes a substantial secondment to a sponsoring employer and direct responsibility for employer-side pension governance and decision-making. Demonstrable experience managing and governing trust-based pension plans in Ireland, including working with Irish Trustee Boards, third-party administrators, advisers and regulatory requirements. Deep understanding of UK and Ireland pensions frameworks, including current legislative and regulatory requirements, trust-based governance, sponsor and trustee responsibilities and the ability to apply this knowledge to real-world design, operational and governance decisions. Robust technical knowledge and practical experience across both DB and DC pension schemes, including scheme design, governance, actuarial valuations, funding, risk management, de-risking and member outcomes. Proven experience overseeing pensions operations delivered through third-party administrators, including controls, service performance, data quality, issue management, remediation and the governance of escalated member matters. Thorough understanding of pension finance and actuarial matters, including actuarial assumptions, valuation processes, employer funding, IAS 19 and US GAAP accounting and disclosures. Proven ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy within structured governance frameworks, exercising sound judgement to balance sponsor risk, cost, regulatory obligations, member outcomes and reputational considerations. Significant experience working with Trustees, external vendors and professional advisers, including the ability to challenge, influence and hold providers accountable for performance, service quality, controls and value delivery. Proven stakeholder management and influencing capability, with experience engaging senior stakeholders and driving alignment across HR, Finance, Legal, Co-secretariat, Trustee Boards and advisers within a complex organisational environment. Established leadership and management capability, with the confidence to set direction, lead complex activity across multiple parties, manage competing priorities and ensure delivery without relying on direct authority. Highly developed analytical capability, with the ability to interpret complex actuarial, financial, regulatory and operational information and translate this into clear, strategic recommendations. Well developed execution skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, deliver to a high standard and maintain attention to detail within a fast-paced and highly regulated environment. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex pensions concepts, influence decision-making and produce high-quality written materials such as policies, governance papers, trustee and sponsor materials, regulatory responses and employee communications. Demonstrated ownership and accountability, with a proactive approach and the confidence to lead initiatives and make decisions within defined authority. A relevant professional qualification, such as APMI, FPMI, FIA or equivalent, with evidence of ongoing professional development and current pensions knowledge. Advanced PowerPoint and Excel skills, with the ability to develop structured, insightful materials for senior stakeholder engagement and governance forums. Benefits of working at Bank of America: UK Private healthcare for you and your family plus an annual health screen to help you manage your physical wellness with the option to purchase a screen for your partner Competitive pension plan, life assurance and group income protection cover if you become unable to work as a result of a disability or health reasons 20 days of back-up childcare including access to school holiday clubs and 20 days of back-up adult care per annum The ability to change your core benefits as well as the option of selecting a variety of flexible benefits to suit your personal circumstances including access to a wellbeing account, travel insurance, critical illness etc. Access to an emotional wellbeing helpline, mental health first aiders and virtual GP services. Access to an Employee Assistance Program for confidential support and help for everyday matters Ability to donate to charities of your choice directly through payroll and the bank will match your contribution Opportunity to access our Arts & Culture corporate membership program and receive discounted entry to some of the UK’s most iconic cultural institutions and exhibitions. Opportunity to give back to your community, develop new skills and work with new groups of people by volunteering in your local community. Bank of America: Good conduct and sound judgment is crucial to our long term success. It’s important that all employees in the organisation understand the expected standards of conduct and how we manage conduct risk. Individual accountability and an ownership mind-set are the cornerstones of our Code of Conduct and are at the heart of managing risk well. We are an equal opportunities employer and ensure that no applicant is subject to less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, gender identity or gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, race, religious or similar philosophical belief, political opinion, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, socio-economic background, responsibility for dependants or physical or mental disability. The Bank selects candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience We strive to ensure that our recruitment processes are accessible for all candidates and encourage any candidates to tell us about any adjustment requirements.