Overview
Pensions Senior Manager - Governance & Risk. This role is a permanent, full-time position (36 hours per week) within the Surrey Pension team (SPT). Salary: £61,784 to £67,859 per annum.
Details
* Reference: SCC/TP/288606/3714
* Positions: 1
* Category: Pensions and Benefits
* Contract type: Permanent
* Working hours: 36 hours per week
* Posted on: 26 August 2025
About the Team
The Surrey Pension Team administers the Surrey Pension Fund, part of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Surrey County Council acts as the administering authority, overseeing investment, funding, governance and day-to-day administration of the fund. The fund value is over £6 billion, supporting more than 130,000 members and around 500 participating employers. The team manages the full pension lifecycle—from onboarding new members to retirements and dependents’ benefits. The mission is to deliver a first-class customer experience while maintaining the fund’s long-term financial sustainability, with a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
About the Role
You will lead and develop a high-performing team responsible for governance, risk and investment functions, and oversee governance and oversight of the Fund and external suppliers/partners. You will monitor all Fund risks and intervene to mitigate them, keeping member interests at the heart of all decisions. You will provide strategic direction as governance and risk requirements evolve, deputise for the Head of Pensions – Investment & Governance at key meetings, and contribute to the development and delivery of strategic and operational plans. You will also draft and present reports to the Local Pension Board and Pension Committee.
Responsibilities
* Lead and develop a team across Governance, Risk and Investment.
* Oversee governance and oversight of the Fund and external suppliers/partners.
* Monitor Fund risks and implement mitigation where needed.
* Deputise for the Head of Pensions – Investment & Governance at key meetings and forums.
* Develop and implement strategic and operational plans for the Surrey Pension Team.
* Draft and present reports to the Local Pension Board and Pension Committee.
Shortlisting criteria
To be considered for shortlisting, evidence the following:
* Experience of senior leadership in governance and/or risk & compliance.
* Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement abilities.
* Strong strategic thinking to adapt to change and continuously seek improvement.
* A track record of delivering results on time.
* High proficiency in Microsoft tools (PowerPoint, Word, Excel, etc.).
Applicants’ questions
Please answer the following questions as part of your application:
* Describe a time when you led a team through a significant governance or risk-related challenge. What was the situation, actions taken, and outcome?
* Tell us about adapting your strategic approach in response to changing regulations or guidance and how you ensured best practice remained.
* Give an example of influencing senior stakeholders or external partners to support a governance or risk initiative. What challenges did you face?
* Tell us about drafting and presenting a report to a senior board or committee. What was the purpose, how did you ensure clarity and impact, and what was the outcome?
Contact
Please contact us with any questions relating to the role, including flexible working requests or barriers to employment.
Advert timings and local government context
The advert will close at 23:59 on 14 September, with interviews to follow later in September. Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation to implement devolution and will transition to a smaller number of unitary councils by April 2027. The role will transfer with terms and conditions to one of the new unitary councils.
Our Commitment
Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria and have chosen to disclose a disability. We welcome applications from all underrepresented groups and will provide reasonable adjustments during the interview and onboarding processes.
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