Investments Team Manager

Investments Team Manager Role: Investments Team Manager– Interim Rate: Competitive (subject to experience & interview competencies) Type: Contract (via umbrella payroll company – Inside IR35) Location: Bristol, BS1 Hours: 35 hours a week (full-time), Monday to Friday Hartley Pensions is looking for an experienced SIPP administration specialist to lead our investments team during an important transitional phase for the business. By leading Hartley's Investments team, we are offering a highly rewarding opportunity for a professional seeking to manage and oversee a team of investment administrators dedicated to providing an exceptional service to our clients. Who are Hartley Pensions?
Hartley Pensions are a SIPP and SSAS pensions operator based in central Bristol. Since July 2022, the company has been in a trading administration. Under the administration of UHY Hacker Young, Hartley Pensions continues to operate an essential service to clients whilst preparing to transfer members to new UK-based operators and wind down the business. Role As the Interim – Investments Team Manager, you will work within a dedicated team of professionals in overseeing our clients' SIPP accounts. By ensuring the timely and effective completion of a multitude of tasks, often cross-functionally with other departments across the firm, you will provide high quality and consistent outcomes to our clients. Your key duties make up the core of our operations. These include (but are not limited to) the following key areas:

• Managing and mentoring team of entry level and senior investment administrators.
• Managing the end-to-end processing of client led instructions. This concerns the prompt execution of requests (whether from the member direct or their adviser) administering disinvestments from third party platforms. In these instances, you will ensure your team proactively identify missing information on assets and are proactive in chasing and updating valuation records across the portfolio prior to liquidating the relevant funds back into the SIPP.
• Additionally, by obtaining the accurate valuations of all assets within the SIPP, your diligent reporting and attention to detail will ensure the accurate reporting of asset values to HMRC as part of the client's wider request in drawing down from their SIPP pension. You will also be accountable and responsible for the accurate and clear information reporting of members of your team.
• You will act as a transparent and communicative lead in guiding clients and IFAs through the complexities of drawdowns and benefit entitlements following fund recalculations of the SIPP. This includes updating colleagues across the wider business, such as Hartley's Pension Administration and Contact teams. Where necessary, you will be expected to report on potential unauthorised investments to senior management.
• Obtaining accurate investment valuations and updating the system with obtained current market values. This will involve chasing investment platforms and investment custodians to confirm the current market value of the investment(s). Importantly, as our Retirement Specialist, you will be accountable for the accurate reporting of asset values to HMRC.
• Liaise with pension schemes and operators to obtain necessary pension information. In cases of non-standard assets, you will proactively investigate, identify, and log such cases. You will ensure these are communicated to your team, while taking responsibility for maintaining clear updates for clients and relevant stakeholders.
• Supply accurate reporting of information around the client's investments to Hartley's Transfers Out department, communicating where necessary if a member holds investments, property or even non-standard assets within their SIPP.
• Fulfil any other reasonable requirements of the firm. Importantly, you will be expected to assist in clearing backlogs which may also involve helping colleagues in other departments on ad-hoc administrative requests.
• As a senior colleague, you will be expected to train and facilitate the upskilling of junior staff by providing your technical SIPP expertise and if required, schedule training plans. This additionally involves creating and maintaining procedure documentation and process maps, chartering the team's work flows to maximise operational efficiency.
• In addition, as the Investments Team Leader you will report directly to the Operations Director and will be responsible for reporting management information (MI) the Board. About You It is essential that you are an individual capable of working well under pressure. Moreover, you can demonstrate your ability to manage multiple workloads and be organised in your duties. As a senior colleague, you will be a reliable member of the team whose expertise and guidance will at times be depended on.
• Extensive experience in SIPP administration is mandatory and should be reflected in your CV. You must have demonstrable technical knowledge and experience administering SIPP pensions across a variety of functions. Ideally, your experience encompasses cradle to grave administration across the entirety of a SIPP's life cycle.
• Hold a comprehensive understanding of up-to-date pension laws and surrounding tax regulations, specifically around annual allowance and retirement and death benefit entitlements.
• You will be handling sensitive tax-privileged funds where administrative errors can be costly, resulting in significant penalties to the firm. Therefore, you must be diligent and attentive to detail in your work.
• You will be conscious of and have demonstrable experience with GDPR regulations and ensuring the application of security protocols, ensuring the privacy and appropriate handling of sensitive client data is always upheld.
• You must have experience and competency utilising bespoke SIPP/SSAS administration platforms. It is desirable that you have prior experience with Delta Platinum Pro and SIPP Pro. Further, you must have a competent ability to use core Microsoft tools such as Word and Microsoft Excel.
• Numerical proficiency must be an essential element to your skillset. This is necessary for performing benefit calculations and reconciling investment transactions. A minimum Grade C/4 or above in GCSE Mathematics (or an international equivalent) is required.
• A competent standard of literacy is also critical. You will be dealing with complex legal documents, tax regulations and direct client communication. You will also be writing and compiling Scheme Returns to HMRC. Therefore, your ability to read, interpret and write in a clear and professional manner is necessary for this position. A minimum Grade C/4 or above in both GCSE English Literature and English Language (or an international equivalent) is required.
• You must have a decent level of communication skills. It is highly important that as a representative of the firm, you can effectively communicate technical pension information into lay terms to clients. Your ability to communicate must crucially concern the ability to cater your tone to one of empathy and assurance. This is particularly important when being conscious of cases where clients may be vulnerable or in handling cases of deceased clients, where you may be communicating with beneficiaries. Qualifications Although experience is more valued for this position, we do favour applicants who hold the following qualifications:
• Certificate in Pensions Administration (CPA)
• Retirement Provision Certificate (RPC)
• Advanced Diploma in Retirement Provision (ADRP)
• Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning
• Award in Financial Administration (RQF Level 3) In addition to holding a relevant pensions qualification, it is preferred that candidates hold a degree with a minimum of a 2-1 or above (in any subject). What we offer
• A highly competitive rate: We pay within the top 10% of employers in the industry.
• Meaningful impact: A rare opportunity to play a leading part in assisting a business through a crucial transitional period.
• Hybrid working: We allow hybrid options (up to 2 days from home a week) after successful completion of training period and where business needs permit. Recruitment Process Hartley Pensions follow a two-stage recruitment process. A 30-minute screening call. A 90-minute interview with competency-based questions.

Website To find out more about Hartley Pensions, please visit: https://www.uhy-uk.com/hartley-pensions-limited-administration

• Please note, we have been in a trading administration since July 2022. This means that we cannot provide sponsorship to applicants at this time.