About First Actuarial

First Actuarial has been around since 2004, when a small group of like-minded actuaries came together to bring fresh thinking to pensions consultancy. Two decades later, we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary with events at all our six offices. It’s a great time to be part of First Actuarial. Following last year’s 20% revenue increase, our strong growth path has continued into this year, and we now employ around 450 people in the UK.

We’re still an independent business with no chargeable hours targets, giving our people the time to deliver their best work and excel. We shape our high-quality services by listening closely to our clients’ needs. And we price those services fairly.

As we develop our business, prospects for our people grow. Our Basingstoke, Leeds, Manchester, Peterborough, London and Tonbridge offices provide supportive work environments where everyone can make a difference. We enjoy work and celebrate our successes. And we provide support and helpful feedback so we all learn and improve.

We love numbers, but we love people more. Staff wellbeing and work-life balance have always been core values. Beyond the firm, we’re known for our integrity. We’re happy to challenge conventional thinking and speak up. Our pioneering work is set to transform the lives of millions of younger people with a new type of pension.

Role and responsibilities

This role will be based in either our Leeds, Basingstoke, or Tonbridge office.

• Provide support to colleagues on a portfolio of projects.
• Prepare first drafts of advice for senior colleagues to review.
• Establish effective working relationships with colleagues internally.
• Prepare and maintain project plans and budgets and deliver projects within agreed timescales and budgets.
• Co-ordinate work required with client teams and external parties (actuaries, lawyers, administrators, trustees, sponsors, insurers).
• Act as a main point of contact for colleagues, clients and third parties in relation to the project.
• Contribute to the development of the team, including coaching junior colleagues and maintaining updating materials used by the team.
• Assist client teams with all aspects of Risk Transfer projects as necessary (eg help prepare benefit specifications, undertake benefit audit work, GMP equalisation work, data verification work, member communications etc)
• Attend and actively contribute to and lead internal project meetings.
• Take responsibility for delivering on time for specific tasks allocated to you.
• Develop knowledge and keep abreast of changes in regulations, topical issues in the industry and the Firm's products and services.

Essential skills and experience:

• Relevant UK pensions experience, gained in an actuarial advisory team.
• Good communication, organisational and team working skills.
• The ability to manage your own workloads and junior colleagues working to tight deadlines.
• Enjoy working in a client facing role and be comfortable delivering training / presentations and talking to clients and colleagues about complex matters.
• Sufficient technical pensions experience to be able to review a benefit specification and ensure that membership data is consistent with the specification.
• The ability to work on different aspects of multiple projects at the same time.
• Knowledge / experience of bulk annuity transactions and insurance market and the related preparation work required including benefit audits / GMP projects and member communications.
• Understanding of bulk annuities from a contractual and delivery perspective
• Understanding of the tender, quotation, and inception processes for bulk annuity transactions
• Understanding of post buy-in experience and move to buyout and impact on client team.

What we offer you

We’ll actively support you as you build your career – and reward you for doing so. At every level of seniority, we offer:

• A competitive remuneration package, including bonus and profit-sharing payments
• Private health insurance, life insurance and income protection insurance
• 25 days annual leave as standard, increasing with length of service, an extra day at Christmas, plus bank holidays and the option to purchase additional holidays
• A non-contributory pension
• Full training and study support.

We have hybrid working in place for colleagues who prefer home-working for part of the week. We’re also flexible on working day arrangements and will happily accommodate a range of personal commitments from day one.

Our straightforward, interview-based approach to recruitment ensures equal opportunities for all applicants.

Please note that we can only accept candidates who have a right to work in the UK.