Pensions Consultant

Your new company

This is your opportunity to join West Sussex County Council in a pivotal role where your expertise will help shape the future of our pension provision for thousands of employees across the Council and schools.
Do you have expert knowledge of pension regulations, practices and procedure, particularly within Local Authority schemes or Public Sector?
Are you ready to shape policy, influence key decisions and make a genuine difference?

Your new role

As their Pensions Consultant, you'll be the subject-matter expert across the County Council where you'll take ownership of pension policy, ensuring compliance, driving best practice, and supporting robust decision-making across the organisation.
You will be a Pensions subject-matter expert across four major pension schemes.

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Fire Pension Schemes
NHS Pension Scheme
Teachers' Pension SchemeAbout the Role

This is a high-impact, specialist role within the HR Policy and Pensions Team. You will:

Lead the development and review of pension-related employment policy and decisions
Provide expert advice on complex pension matters, including legislation, regulation and case law
Ensure pension decisions, disputes and queries are handled compliantly and consistently
Influence and guide senior stakeholders to make informed, risk-aware decisions
Monitor national changes and best practice, ensuring WSCC remains compliant and forward-thinking
Support projects with pension implications (e.g. TUPE, auto-enrolment, policy change)
Build strong partnerships with HR, Payroll, schools and external stakeholders
You will play a key role in ensuring the Council fulfils its responsibilities as an employer while delivering high-quality outcomes for scheme members
What you'll need to succeed

We're seeking a confident and knowledgeable pensions professional who can challenge, influence and deliver.
Evidenced ability to develop and maintain detailed knowledge of relevant pension regulations, practices, and procedures for local government with expertise in one or more of schemes such as the LGPS, Fire Schemes, the NHS Pension Scheme and the Teachers' Pension Scheme
Experience developing pension-related employment policy and practice
Ability to provide timely, sound and accurate advice and guidance direct to managers.
The confidence to constructively challenge and drive continuous improvement
Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
The ability to communicate complex technical information clearly and effectively
Post Graduate Diploma in the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and/or Institute of Payroll and Pensions Management (IPPM) qualified or equivalent HR/Pension related qualification or depth of experience.
Chartered Member of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Institute of Payroll and Pensions Management or equivalent, and/or evidence of continuous professional development.
Evidenced ability to develop and maintain detailed knowledge of relevant pension regulations, practices, and procedures for local government with expertise in one or more of the schemes such as the LGPS, Fire Schemes, the NHS Pension Scheme and the Teachers' Pension Scheme.
Strong analytical skills with demonstrable experience of considering complex issues, including legislation and case law, in developing and implementing solutions to meet the needs of the organisation.
What you'll get in return

At West Sussex County Council, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We're committed to supporting your development and offering a rewarding and flexible working environment.

A generous Local Government Pension Scheme
30 days annual leave (plus option to buy more)
Flexible and hybrid working options
Excellent family-friendly policies
Access to extensive learning, development, coaching and mentoring
Employee discounts platform - save over £1,000 per year
Health and wellbeing support, including Employee Assistance ProgrammeJoin West Sussex County Council and Make a Difference
This is more than a technical role; it's a chance to influence policy, support the workforce, and ensure best practice across vital pension schemes that impact thousands of lives. If you're ready to take the next step in your pensions career and make a meaningful impact, we'd love to hear from you.

What you need to do now If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at (url removed)