About Us

Spence & Partners (Spence) provides full pension actuarial, consulting, investment consulting and administration services that provide simply smarter solutions for trustees, employers, and members.

We are excited about the future. The industry in which we operate offers a dynamic and challenging environment and our excellent reputation is contributing to the growth of our business from an expanding portfolio of clients. With our unique approach to the provision of services, we aspire to continue to extend our client base and deliver truly integrated solutions across our work through the use of our highly innovative software platform, Mantle.

Spence is part of the 3173 Group of companies, which also includes Dalriada Trustees Limited, one of the UKs largest professional pension scheme trustee companies, and Mantle, which reimagines the traditional models of defined benefit pensions administration, actuarial valuation and investment consulting software. Joining us as a graduate can open up a wealth of opportunities for you across the group.

We have clients throughout the UK, serviced from offices in London, Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, and Leeds.

More information about what its like to work at Spence can be found.

About You

Do you want a graduate job that will provide you with:

• A variety of work activity from day one and the opportunities to challenge yourself in new ways?
• A comprehensive graduate development programme that supports you to grow your knowledge and drive your career?
• The exposure to all aspects of our business, resulting in a breadth of knowledge and experience that will enable you to become a credible and effective actuarial professional?
• A supportive environment within a Company that is committed to the health and wellbeing of colleagues and the provision of interesting careers?

If so, this is the job for you.

As an integral part of our Actuarial team, you will contribute to a wide range of work within the pensions sector; incorporating the provision of advice and technical support to the trustees and sponsoring employers of pension schemes, as well as our work with the Pension Protection Fund and charity/not for profit organisations. This provides you with the opportunity to enhance your technical abilities and develop core actuarial competences on a daily basis whilst working in a challenging environment as part of a rapidly growing, innovative pension consulting firm. You will liaise with colleagues throughout our office locations and work on clients from a diverse range of industries.

As well as individuals currently studying for an actuarial degree, we welcome applicants on relevant degree courses but who have not studied actuarial subjects to date and see this as an opportunity to develop their skills/knowledge and gain a professional qualification in a working environment.

This is an opportunity for a person with strong technology skills to add significant value to the delivery of our services and the way we operate. We are especially interested in individuals who can demonstrate an understanding of how emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technology can be used to enhance the efficiency of our operations, streamline workflows and support data driven decision making. Comfort experimenting with and developing AI solutions, such as automation, generative AI, and data analysis tools will support the impact you can have on our Business.

Responsibilities & Criteria

As part of our Actuarial and Investment team, you will:

• Help provide a client service that is proactive, timely and fully focused on the needs of the client and maintains the excellent reputation that has been established by our impressive team.
• Be encouraged to use your creativity and critical thinking to come up with tailor-made solutions to unique problems.
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills through regular interaction with clients.
• Become proficient in the use of our bespoke in-house software, Mantle, to assist you to consider the risks to our clients and develop appropriate solutions that meet our clients needs.
• Prepare actuarial and member benefit calculations, creating actuarial models to address a diverse range of client requirements.
• Assess the impact of changing demographics or legislation on pension schemes and the effects that changes in financial markets have on different organisations.
• Draft reports and presentations to clients in support of their decision making in managing their pension scheme arrangements.
• Support our investment colleagues through the preparation of regular monitoring reports.
• Support our work with the Pension Protection Fund as a member of its Specialist Administration and Actuarial Services Panel.
• Support internal projects to improve our processes and develop our service proposition; positively impacting the way in which we work and deliver.
• Perform in accordance with financial targets and standards; time recording, budget monitoring, billing and all other aspects of financial management.

Essential Criteria

• An honours degree at 2:1 level or above
• A Levels, or equivalent Mathematics at Grade B or above
• Excellent IT skills and competent in Microsoft packages, e.g. Word and Excel, with an aptitude for learning other systems
• Experience of working proactively and using your own initiative to complete tasks
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to display a keen interest in the industry and environment in which we operate
• Eligibility to work in the UK

Desirable Criteria

• Experience using AI or automaton tools, e.g. generative AI, data analytics, or process automation, to deliver efficiency and innovation

Location

Opportunity is available in Belfast or Glasgow. You may also be required at times to travel to other UK locations.

Working Hours

• Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week with additional hours as and when required.
• All roles are subject to a six-month probationary period and all prospective employees are required to complete an Access NI check.
• As part of the pre-hire process the successful candidate will be subject to reference checking security vetting.
• 3173 is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Applying with a disability or long-term health condition?

As part of our belief that we benefit from the differences among us we are committed to increasing the representation of disabled colleagues and want to remove any barriers or challenges that get in the way of candidates with a disability or long-term health condition from applying to work with us.

If there is support or an adjustment that we can provide to enable you to be at your best during the recruitment and selection process, we encourage you to advise us in good time so that we may make suitable arrangements. We understand that being open with us may feel uncomfortable so please only share with us the information that you are comfortable to share, and rest assured that we will use this only to provide you with the right support.

Any information you give us will be treated completely confidentially. To discuss this further please call and ask to speak to a member of the People & Culture team.