Head of Pensions Member Services

Job responsibilities

• Leading the design and delivery of high-performing operational strategies and frameworks aligned with organisational goals to drive operational performance improvement across NHS Pensions to deliver a high-quality, cost-effective service and lead root cause analysis of underperformance and implement systemic solutions where needed.
• Active monitoring and management of operational risk: assessing threats and opportunities, developing and implementing resolutions and mitigations. Develop and maintain a strategic risk register for member services, ensuring proactive mitigation of systemic risks and reporting outcomes.
• Leading member services to ensure delivery aligns with strategic goals, delivering measurable value for money, and consistently improving customer satisfaction.
• Implementing robust performance management frameworks to monitor service delivery and ensure high performance, identify areas for improvement, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Driving a culture of high performance and continuous improvement using data, insights, and stakeholder feedback.
• Ensuring robust planning is in place to ensure operational capacity is accurately forecasted and managed to meet current and future demand. Translating strategic objectives into clear operational plans with measurable outcomes.
• Efficient and effective service delivery aligned with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), providing an excellent member experience.
• Identifying and implementing opportunities for operational efficiency while maintaining service quality.
• Optimising the use of resources and streamline processes to deliver cost-effective services.
• Setting and delivery of the operational direction of the service demonstrating an ambition and vision to provide benefits across the NHS and beyond through building a future proof member services delivery model that will be the foundation for success.
• Leading on operational business performance for the NHSBSA Pensions services, translating the strategic direction and business priorities for the service into meaningful operational targets.
• Ensuring the ongoing development and delivery of NHS Pensions is in line with agreements held with clients and which meets performance standards as measured by KPIs.
• Responsibility for policy or service development which impacts on NHS Pensions operations.
• Ensuring that the systems and processes utilised for service delivery are fit for purpose and working with suppliers to ensure that systems requirements are delivered to the appropriate standard.
• Providing high-level operational planning and leadership ensuring high quality and efficient delivery of NHS Pensions which meets the needs of clients and customers, achieving set and agreed standards and financial targets.
• Ensure services are resilient, agile, and capable of adapting to changing priorities and demand.Performance Management & Continuous Improvement
• Own the performance management framework across member services teams, including the development and monitoring of KPIs, SLAs, and service standards.
• Drive a culture of high performance and continuous improvement using data, insights, and stakeholder feedback.
• Lead root cause analysis of underperformance and implement systemic solutions

Service Improvement

• Responsibility for establishing an effective member services structure to meet current and future needs of the operational service, designing and implementing an operating model that supports and continuously improves the service, while remaining coherent by design with the Pensions Discovery/ Transformation programme. Ensuring the operating model meets the needs of Scheme members and Employing Authorities, operates within the financial envelope of the Pensions Scheme Levy and the structure is aligned to the values and principles of the NHSBSA.
• Maintain appropriate professional relationships with any out-going suppliers and new suppliers ensuring that the transition from legacy solutions to replacement solutions has no negative impact on client and customer organisations, proactively communicating regularly with them to keep them informed of implementation plans, managing the resolution of any issues that arise and managing their expectations regarding service delivery.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, questioning and challenging the current state and rewarding the team for identifying and exploiting opportunities for incremental betterment.
• Ensure that the new systems and target operating model is effectively implemented and stabilised, managing the resolution of any issues that arise and managing client and customer expectations regarding service delivery.

Member Services Management & Service Delivery

• The role requires the ability to make important decisions in ambiguous and unprecedented situations, often involving conflicting stakeholder priorities, regulatory constraints, and ensuring the delivery of core business alongside important McCloud remedy work. The postholder will lead complex option appraisals, scenario modelling, and impact assessments to inform strategic direction and mitigate systemic risk.
• Undertake the operational management of the service, ensuring the effective implementation of national and local policies and the delivery of service objectives, meeting the requirements of the Pensions Regulator, including provision of pensions information and payment to pensioners accurately and on time.
• Determine and implement the actions to be taken to ensure effective supplier engagement and contract management of 3rd party suppliers.
• Ensure that unplanned variation in service delivery (activity, income, expenditure, capacity, performance) is identified and appropriate, timely action taken.
• Develop an effective and viable business plan for the member services delivery of Pensions, ensuring that the plan is integrated with the Pension strategy for both income and expenditure. Establish a system for business risk evaluation of service development.
• The postholder is the accountable budget holder for the NHS Pensions Member services, with responsibility for financial planning, oversight, and reporting across multiple concurrent programmes and services, ensuring optimal resource allocation, value for money and alignment with strategic priorities.
• Youll champion efficiency, continuous improvement and customer centric innovation to enhance service impact.

Service Development

• Through networking with the wider customer ecosystem and by keeping abreast of the emerging and changing landscape of retirement and pensions services, ensure that the service and its solution offerings remain contemporary and fit for purpose. As such, identify areas for service delivery improvement and initiate and outline the scope of projects in conjunction with other Heads of Service, acting as Project Executive for projects undertaken.
• Deliver an appropriate customer strategy which considers the customer needs in relation to all aspects of the service and ensure that the customer proposition is communicated to customers.
• Oversee and operationalise complex transformational programmes across multi-disciplinary teams within member services by establishing robust governance structures that drive strategic alignment, embed clear accountability, enable effective risk management, and ensure timely delivery of key milestones, translating strategic intent into sustainable, high-impact operational outcomes.
• Implement a culture of service excellence within the team, working to embed the standards and behaviours needed to bring about lasting improvements in service delivery and deliver customer and user satisfaction.
• Ensure effective customer satisfaction measures are in place and regular insight is collected to ensure a high level of understanding exists to enable future enhancements and continuous improvement is aligned to customer and stakeholder expectations.
• Drawing from experience, expertise and networks across industries, to ensure that the service benefits from relevant innovations and remains future proof and aligned to moving technology and best practice.
• Build strategic alliances with other public sector pension schemes to drive innovation, benchmarking, and collaboration opportunities.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list.

For a full list of responsibilities, please refer to the attached job description and person specification

Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Identify and influence different approaches to working practices.
• Encourage innovation in others.
• Significant experience in managing highly complex budgets
• Proactive, with ability to use own initiative.
• Is personally effective, displaying a positive and logical approach to problem solving.
• Ability to manage varied and complex relationships to drive change and continuous improvement. Proven contribution to high level decision making and policy development.
• A flexible approach.

Experience

Essential

• Skilled in leading change, inspiring multi-disciplinary teams to deliver continuous improvement and service excellence.
• Expert in translating strategic initiatives into sustained operational delivery, including technological innovation, process redesign, and policy implementation.
• Experience of contributing to organisational strategy and translating that into service deliverables
• Experience of developing a customer focused, quality driven culture.
• Experience in managing change and being a catalyst and leader in a changing environment harnessing others to embrace transformation.
• Previous experience working at a Head of Service or equivalent senior level role.
• Significant experience balancing digital and non-digital service delivery.
• Experience of business planning and managing key performance indicators.
• Proven ability to lead cultural and organisational change across multi-disciplinary services, embedding lasting improvements and aligning with strategic priorities

Desirable

• Experience of working at a senior level with large-scale pension schemes, including public sector pension schemes, large corporate pension funds, or multi-employer schemes.
• Extensive experience implementing change and transformation within regulated environments, ensuring compliance while delivering operational improvements.
• The postholder will be recognised as a national expert in pensions service delivery, with deep subject expertise to deliver improvements in public sector related pensions, digital transformation, and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Degree level in relevant field and/or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Master's degree in relevant discipline such as a Master's in Public Policy or Administration or equivalent experience.
• Qualifications in service and risk management, such as Management of Risk Practitioner and ITIL.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.

Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Ability to operate at a senior strategic level to lead and drive operational excellence across pension services, expanding existing service lines and developing new, innovative solutions that align with both organisational objectives and the evolving needs of scheme members and stakeholders.
• Strong leadership skills, including an ability to motivate and inspire a diverse workforce, to achieve high performance and continuous improvement. A confident and effective ambassador for the NHSBSA, able to command respect and build trust with colleagues, senior partners, and key stakeholders
• Highly developed leadership skills and team player with good interpersonal skills.
• Highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex, multi-layered information and transform it into clear, targeted service improvements
• Strategic thinker with the ability to respond swiftly to complex, high-pressure situations while maintaining focus on operational priorities.

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience at a senior level in leading large scale high-profile workforce / citizen facing transactional operations. Extensive experience in shaping a customer-focused, quality-driven culture that enhances service delivery.
• Proven track record in senior operational leadership, driving transformation across complex, regulated organisational systems.
• Strong ability to mobilise teams, manage risk, and engage stakeholders to ensure successful transitions and long-term impact.
• Significant leadership experience across multiple service areas, delivering operational excellence and driving integrated and sustainable service improvements.
• Extensive experience motivating and empowering teams to consistently deliver high performance under pressure, achieving KPIs within a regulated environment

Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Generate clarity and understanding through effective communications & engagement.
• Excellent engagement skills needed for presentations to large groups.
• Skilled in building and maintaining sustainable effective working relationships with stakeholders at all levels sensitive and high-profile issues.
• Able to travel between NHSBSA sites and nationally from time to time.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of building effective working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to maintain strategic relationships.