Job title: Assistant Director- Investment Strategy
Location: Barnsley / Hybrid
Contract: Full-time (35 hours per week Monday to Friday) / Permanent
Salary: £106,136 - £116,693 (includes 20% market supplement) plus benefits, relocation support and 24/25 pay award pending.
The Assistant Director- Investment Strategy is one of three Senior Management roles supporting SYPA’s Director in giving leadership and direction to the Authority’s operations. The diagram below shows how this role fits into the overall structure of the organisation and illustrates the difference between SYPA as an organisation, and a conventional LGPS administering authority where many support services are provided by the host council.
You will provide:
- Leadership and direction to the Authority’s investment function
- Strategic investment advice to the Authority
- Effective oversight of the Authority’s outsourced investment management activities, in particular the activities of the Border to Coast Pensions Partnership
- A comprehensive monitoring service in relation to the Authority’s investments
- Assistance in the overall leadership of and setting the direction of the organisation
- Effective support and assistance to and to deputise for the Director as required
In addition, you will be responsible for:
- The development and setting of strategy working closely with elected members, senior management colleagues and independent advisers.
- Providing leadership and direction to the wider management team and the whole organisation and act as the face and voice of the organisation in key partnerships, and on occasion to the wider local government sector and/or pension industry.
- You’ll hold responsibility for the setting of priorities and allocating resources between projects and programmes of activity.
Your time horizon is several years ahead, and you’ll need to maintain an awareness of the external environment and its impact on the organisation to ensure that forward planning addresses the right issues.
The role is responsible for the direct line management of three members of staff (as shown above) including appraisal, performance review and personal development in line with the Authority’s policies.
What do we want?
- Degree or equivalent, or significant vocational experience showing development in a series of progressively more demanding relevant work/ roles either within the financial services / investment management industry or the pensions industry / local government pension scheme.
- An investment related qualification such as the IMC or CFA is essential, while an additional pension qualification such as PMI or the CFA ESG certificate is desirable.
- Experience of working within the investment management industry and of the management of investments on behalf of pension funds is essential, while experience of doing this in a public sector scheme such as the Local Government Pension Scheme is desirable.
- Comprehensive knowledge of computerised business systems in terms of functionality and capability.
- Knowledge of principles, practices, policies and procedures relating to business planning and financial and organisational management.
- Proven written and oral communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners/ professionals.
- Ability to analyse complex information and draw conclusions.
- Problem solving skills with the ability to exercise high levels of initiative to devise and implement workable solutions.
- Aptitude and willingness to manage a range of projects through to completion.
What’s in it for you?
- We have a generous annual leave policy that offers between 28 days and 36 days annual leave depending on length of service, plus all statutory bank holidays.
- As of April 2024, employees will have access to a range of salary sacrifice schemes that are being introduced as well as newly enhanced family policies such as maternity, adoption and paternity.
- We have several work-life balance policies including hybrid working enabling you to work from home for up to 3 days per week, subject to successful progress during probationary period.
- You’ll automatically be enrolled into the LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme) which provides a salary-related pension, to which the employer contributes.
- We offer a range of wellbeing initiatives including regular webinars on health & wellbeing, fresh fruit, tea, coffee, and employer provided flu vaccination vouchers each year. We also organise regular social and charity events.
Come and join us!
Key Dates
Closing date: Midnight Wednesday 29 May
Shortlisting date: Friday 31 May
Please note, an Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ) & an Executive Scenarios assessment will be issued to shortlisted candidates prior to interview.
Technical Interview: Monday 10 June (virtually via MS Teams)
Stakeholder Interviews: Monday 24 June (Oakwell House in Barnsley)
Final Member Panel Interview: Tuesday 25 June (Oakwell House in Barnsley)
