Defined Benefit Actuarial Student - Assistant Manager

Defined Benefit Actuarial Student - Assistant Manager

KPMG’s Pensions Advisory business continues to build out its new pensions team, and requires individuals that can bring different skill sets to the team.

We are now looking for talented and experienced Assistant Manager to join our pensions actuarial team. You will be responsible for delivering high quality actuarial pensions advice in relation to defined benefit pension schemes with a focus on the public sector but also schemes in the private sector.

What will you be doing?

• Strategic journey planning, risk management aiming for self-sufficiency or buy out and endgame options including use of surplus
• Strategic funding advice to sponsors and advice on compliance with DB funding code
• Pension due diligence on mergers and acquisitions
• Provision of member education and communication
• Advice on benefit change, benefit design and implementation
• Advice on good governance and compliance
• Pensions accounting advice
• Acting as key contact with clients and delivering engagements within agreed timelines
• Collating relevant pensions data and information from clients and raising queries and reviewing responses.
• Running checks to assess reasonableness of actuarial assumptions and accounting results, using KPMG developed tools.
• Drafting and initial reviewing of reporting, with sign-off at senior level.
• Maintaining regular, open and honest communication whilst working in the team
• Directing and overseeing the work of junior team members, including reviewing their work, and providing coaching and mentoring support.
• Helping to develop the junior actuarial colleagues, including delivering technical training, improving technical knowledge, and developing consulting skills.
• Strong financial management, timely billing and debt collection
• Ability to identify out of scope work and bill, accordingly
• Checking technical actuarial work in line with the actuarial standards and, in line with KPMG quality procedures.

What will you need?

• Understands relevant technical actuarial, accounting and financial reporting standards, pension regulations, and literature. Exhibits and stays current on appropriate industry and specialised knowledge, and leverages KPMG methodologies.
• Uses firm-approved tools and innovative technology solutions to increase quality, productivity and data insights.
• Applies professional scepticism, objectivity and independence to pensions actuarial and accounting work
• Completes documentation and audit trails demonstrating an unwavering focus on quality and in line with the actuarial standards.
• Embrace and embed our culture ambition of high challenge, high support which is grounded in Our Values.
• Operate with a curious and sceptical mindset ensuring that this is embedded in your everyday work.
• Actively lead and embed a coaching culture to get the best out of others in an environment where everyone in the team feels empowered to speak up or challenge where appropriate.
• Actively lead and embed a coaching culture to get the best out of others in an environment where everyone in the team feels empowered to speak up or challenge where appropriate.
• Be accountable, professional and act in the public interest, working for the benefit of shareholders of audited entities and wider society.
• Be inclusive and embrace the opportunity to work with other teams within Audit and across the firm in an integrated way. Have a sense of community, purpose and fun.

Skills –

• Experience of working in pensions actuarial at either an employee benefit consultancy or other Big 4 firm. (E)
• Basic knowledge of defined benefit pension scheme valuations, roll forward methodologies and actuarial techniques. (E)
• Good technical understanding of pensions liability calculations. (E)
• Understanding of the wider UK pensions landscape (E)
• Knowledge of pensions funding and accounting regime (E)
• Experience of leading and performance managing teams, coaching and mentoring junior staff. (E)
• Experience of working on high quality, complex projects, including team oversight and stakeholder management. (E)
• Experience of delivering benefit change, member options and end game journey planning. (E)
• Experience of advising Trustees/corporates on scheme…