Pensions Lead

As the Pensions Lead, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the John Lewis Partnership’s pension proposition, ensuring it remains a cornerstone of our unique employee-owned model. Reporting to the Chief People Experience & Reward Officer, you will use your deep expertise to lead the strategic direction of our pension offerings, aligning them with our broader business objectives and People Strategy. You won’t just be managing a scheme; you will be a visionary architect, contributing to the creation of an integrated total Reward Strategy that ensures our Partners continue to thrive.

You will act as the Partnership’s subject matter expert, providing critical thought-leadership and advising senior stakeholders to ensure logical, evidence-based decisions are reached on complex pension matters. By building productive relationships with the UK Pension Scheme Trustee and the Channel Islands Trustee/Administrator and external advisers, you will ensure our proposition not only meets high industry standards and regulatory requirements but also delivers an exceptional, simplified experience for our Partners

Contract type - Permanent 

Working hours - Part time, job share. 21 hours per week. You will be required to work on Monday & Tuesdays with flexibility on the third day. 

Working pattern/flexible working  -The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. You will be required to be in the office up to  days a week to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings. 

Key responsibilities

• Establish team tone, context, and outcomes with a focus on the customer’s voice.

• Actively investigate external and internal trends, best practice, risks and opportunities for the proposition, gathering and analysing feedback. Complete gap analysis for current and future propositions, define change demand.

• Keep abreast of all relevant legal and regulatory changes and respond accordingly, working closely with the Employment Law team.

• Identify the impacts of the Partnership plan and People plan on the pension proposition, and prioritise areas of development.

• Act as the subject matter expert on pensions, synthesising insight to inform senior level discussions. Contribute to the creation of an integrated Partner strategy, drawing on your understanding of the organisation.

• Actively seek opportunities to develop, innovate and improve the proposition.

• Develop, own and periodically review the standards, operating procedures, business rules, system requirements and procedural guidance to support the proposition.

• Engage stakeholders effectively, within and beyond function, to foster a culture of cross-functional, pan-Partnership collaboration. Champion the proposition with senior teams and seek their advocacy for change.

• Simplify propositions and processes, removing legacy arrangements that no longer meet business objectives.

• Manage the risks and issues, and any resolution processes that arise. 

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Professional pension qualification such e.g. actuarial or PMI would be useful, or relevant experience in a senior Pensions role

• Thorough understanding of the operation of pension schemes

• Takes a first principles approach to problem-solving

• Experience in dealing with Executive and/or Trustee boards

• Leading and completing delivery of complex multi-part, multi-stakeholder projects

• Deep understanding of Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution pension schemes, including experience of developing and assuring of pension propositions

• Working knowledge of the HR lifecycle

• Experience in managing senior stakeholder relationships, both internally and externally.

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.  

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.   

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.  

Important points to note:  

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.  

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.