Head of Pensions

Head of Pensions
Up to £120,000 plus great benefits, including private healthcare and a company car or car allowance (Work Level 4)
Manchester city centre - In this role, you’ll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between the office and home (find out more about our hybrid working policy at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy).

We’re looking for a Head of Pensions to join us at an exciting time for our Co-op. As our senior pensions expert, you’ll ensure we provide colleagues with a first class retirement planning offering while managing our closed Defined Benefit pension schemes by carefully balancing risk, security and opportunity.

Leading our pensions team, you’ll be responsible for shaping and delivering our pensions strategy. You’ll provide expert advice to senior leaders, trustees, and governance boards, and manage multiple external service providers to ensure all of our schemes run  efficiently.  You’ll also play a key role in helping us navigate a rapidly evolving pensions landscape.

Why this role matters

At Co-op, we know that financial wellbeing is an important part of helping colleagues thrive, both during their careers and into retirement. That’s why we’re committed to providing pension arrangements that deliver real value and support better outcomes for our colleagues and pension scheme members.

As Head of Pensions, you’ll help make sure we’re doing just that. Through your leadership and expertise, you’ll ensure we continue to offer a pension scheme that supports our colleague value proposition, enables the Co-op to manage risk effectively, and ensures all of our pension arrangements meet the highest standards of governance.

What you’ll do

• Lead and develop a high-performing pensions team, creating an environment where colleagues can grow and succeed
• Develop and deliver Co-op’s long-term pensions strategy, balancing member outcomes, cost, risk, and regulatory requirements
• Provide trusted pensions expertise and advice to senior leaders, trustee boards, governance committees, and the Co-op Board
• Lead our approach to pension funding, investment, and risk management across our defined benefit arrangements
• Build strong relationships with trustees and external partners to support effective governance and decision-making
• Proactively monitor legislative and regulatory changes, making sure we’re prepared for future risks and opportunities
• Support business activity such as acquisitions, restructures, and corporate transactions by providing specialist pension expertise
• Regularly review our defined contribution pension offering to ensure it meets colleague and Co-op needs 
• Champion pension engagement and financial wellbeing awareness, helping colleagues make informed decisions about their future
• Manage pension budgets, financial planning, and supplier relationships to deliver value and effective risk management
• Ensure the provision of actuarial and risk management guidance and support to our Co-op Funeral Plan business

What you’ll bring

We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you’ll need to bring:

• Significant experience in a senior pensions leadership role
• Extensive knowledge of pension scheme governance, funding, investment, and regulatory requirements
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to balance risk, cost, and member outcomes
• Strong analytical thinking and sound judgement when navigating complex challenges
• The ability to translate technical pensions matters into clear, practical recommendations
• Experience leading, developing, and supporting high-performing teams

Why Co-op?  

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• An annual bonus scheme (based on business and personal performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays 
• A company car or £6,000 car allowance
• Private healthcare
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions 
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands 
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it 
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice 
• 24/7 colleague support service 
• Training and support for your development and career progression 
• Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone, and our support centre is an inclusive environment where all our colleagues can thrive.  

If you have a disability, we’ll make reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process. We’re also proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme - if you’re disabled and you meet the minimum criteria for this job, we’ll guarantee you an interview.  

Learn more about our recruitment process at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process  

Explore our commitments to diversity, inclusion and wellbeing at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion-wellbeing

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.