Interim Pension Scheme Accounts Manager

Role Overview

Our client has a fantastic opportunity to join their Finance team as an Interim Pension Scheme Accounts Manager. So if you are a strong advocate of finance and financial controls and able to demonstrate accuracy and diligence with the ability to be autonomous
- this position might be for you
In this role you will assist the Head of Pension Scheme Accounting with the production of the monthly management accounts, and the production and audit of the Scheme annual report and accounts. You will also be responsible for ensuring all financial data flowingfrom the Scheme Administrator (currently TCS (Tata Consultancy Services)) and the Fund Administrator (currently State Street) to the scheme general ledger is fully understood, accurate, timely and compliant with best practice.
To be successful in this position, you will have the following skills and experience:

- Post qualification financial accounting experience with ability to demonstrate the production of accounts for pension Schemes.
- Previous experience of working for a pension Scheme or third-party administrator would be helpful to support the interactions between the administrator and them.
- Strong accounting skills with the ability to look at issues from first principles to help the design and implementation of the administration system in place and being developed.
- A sound understanding of pension Scheme controls and processes would be beneficial.
Experience of designing and implementing financial processes and controls would be beneficial.
- A sound understanding of investments and back office functions and controls would be beneficial.
- Full accountancy qualification is required (e.g., ACA, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA, etc.).
- At least 3 years Post Qualification Experience
- Other professional pension accounting memberships (e.g., PRAG) would be beneficial.
- Degree qualified or equivalent

Please download a full job description to find a full scope, deliverables, experience and personal attributes required for this role.
Flexible and agile working
- hybrid of office and home working (there will be an expectation to attend the office, as required)
- reduce or vary working hours
- reduce or vary the days worked
- work from home (or a different location)
- work compressed hours
- job share

Directorate/Department Overview

The Nest Finance team is split into the following areas: Business Partnering, Corporate Finance (including Financial Planning and Analysis), and Pension Scheme Accounting.
The Pension Scheme Accounting team is responsible for:

- Ownership of the Scheme general ledger ensuring all entries and monthly reconciliations of the Scheme balance sheet
- Production of high-quality monthly pension Scheme management accounts
- Managing and delivery of specific key external publications relevant to the Nest Pension Scheme such as SARA (Scheme Annual Report & Accounts), quarterly ONS (Office for National Statistics) returns and semi-annual ABI (Association of British Insurers)returns.
- Providing challenge to the Fund Administration Team to ensure the data flows from the Scheme Administrator and Fund Administrator/Custodian are timely and accurate.
- Ensuring routine finance and cash reconciliations supporting the Pension Scheme financial statements are completed.
- Main finance point of contact for SAPE
- Monitoring of the General Account and approval of payments from the account
- Day to day ownership of the banking relationship for Nest ensuring banking issues are dealt with effectively

Organisational Overview

Nest is an award-winning workplace pension scheme, the largest in the country.
Set up by the government to give every worker in the UK somewhere to save, their first-class responsible investment practice and governance are the backbone of what they do, supported by all the functions you’d expect to find in a thriving business. They'recommitted to creating a workplace where you can be your authentic self and offer an inclusive and flexible working environment.

Diversity and Inclusion

They also recognise the importance of diversity of thought and other forms of neurocognitive variation.

They are a level 2 Disability Confident Leader under the Disability Confident Scheme. As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, they're part of the guaranteed interview scheme.