Location
Sutton, London Borough of Sutton

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£67,575 per annum

About the Role
The shared pensions administration service delivers the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) for both the Sutton and Kingston Pension Funds, supporting circa 30,000 members and over 100 scheme employers. As Pensions Manager (Benefits Processing), you will lead the team responsible for calculating and paying members’ benefits including retirements, transfers, death grants, refunds, and the monthly pensioner payroll for the Sutton and Kingston Shared Pensions Administration Service. Your main focus will be to ensure a great customer experience by managing day-to-day service delivery, ensuring accuracy in pension processing, meeting statutory deadlines, and providing the team with the support needed to deliver a reliable service.

About the Borough
Joining us means working for two high performing London Boroughs, Sutton and Kingston, with shared services that offer multiple opportunities to learn from a wider pool of activities and two different political bodies. We support flexible working patterns including home working and provide the necessary equipment to enable this. Sutton is known for excellent schools, green spaces, and a thriving heritage and culture, governed by a Liberal Democrat Administration with high ambitions outlined in the corporate plan “Ambitious for Sutton.” Kingston is a Royal borough with historic charm, excellent schools, and extensive green spaces, governed by a Liberal Democrat Administration with a vision set out in the council plan “Greener, Fairer, Safer, Together.” Both boroughs are committed to tackling the climate emergency and investing in innovative projects such as the London Cancer Hub and major housing regeneration.

Our Offer to You
We are committed to nurturing talent and providing a supportive, friendly, and collaborative environment for career growth and skills development. We encourage innovation and welcome your ideas to improve our services. Benefits include a generous annual leave entitlement of 26-32 days plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time), enhanced family leave, two volunteering days per year, flexible working schemes, learning and development opportunities, discounts at local shops and leisure centres, interest-free season ticket loans, Local Government Pension Scheme membership, bicycle loan and cycle to work schemes, electric vehicle leasing, and confidential health and wellbeing support.

Experience
- Expert understanding of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and relevant pensions legislation.
- Proven leadership experience managing, coaching, and developing team leaders to foster a collaborative, high-performance culture.
- Experience managing high-volume workflows, resource planning to prevent backlogs, and overseeing high-value payroll processes or financial controls.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex pensions information into clear updates for all stakeholders.
- Ability to act as a technical escalation point, resolving complex cases and IDRP complaints fairly and objectively.

About You
You are a motivated and experienced pensions professional with strong leadership skills and a commitment to delivering excellent customer service. You thrive in a dynamic environment, are able to manage competing priorities effectively, and have a collaborative approach to team management. You value transparency, authenticity, and are aligned with the Council’s PRIDE values.

Qualifications
Relevant qualifications or demonstrable experience in pensions administration and management are expected. A thorough knowledge of LGPS regulations and pension legislation is essential.