Job Description
Job Type: Secondment / Fixed Term Contract (12 months parental cover)
Location: This role will be based in our London office, with some flexibility to work between the office locations and home. We will discuss what is important to you and balancing this with business requirements during the recruitment process. You can read more about flexible working here.
Salary and Benefits: From £100,000 (pro-rated) subject to experience, plus bonus, private medical cover, 38 days annual leave, excellent pension, 12x salary life assurance, career breaks, income protection, 3x volunteering days and much more.
If you're looking for a role where you can act as a trusted advisor, provide meaningful challenge and help shape the future direction of a growing Pension Risk Transfer business, we'd love to hear from you.
Who are we?
We’re Standard Life, a retirement specialist focused entirely on retirement savings and income. We champion the belief that everyone’s journey to and through retirement can be better, and for more than 200 years, we’ve been helping our customers plan and prepare for their financial futures.
Life today is increasingly complicated, uncertain and unpredictable. People move through different careers, face unexpected moments and navigate important choices. We offer our colleagues flexibility, trust and benefits that work for whatever life brings. In return we expect curiosity, connection, accountability and high standards. We make room for what matters - so you can bring your best, every day.
Function & Role Context
We're looking for an experienced strategic business leader and trusted advisor who combines strong commercial judgement, exceptional stakeholder management skills and a deep understanding of the UK Pension Risk Transfer market.
Supporting our Managing Director of Business Development & Origination, you'll act as a trusted partner across strategy, executive decision-making, governance and key growth initiatives, helping shape the future direction of one of the UK's leading PRT businesses.
At an exciting time for Standard Life's continued expansion in the PRT market, this role will play a critical part in supporting strategic priorities, providing credible challenge, driving organisational effectiveness and helping deliver our growth ambitions.
This is a unique opportunity for someone who combines strong business management capability with PRT market expertise. You may have gained experience within PRT business development, origination, pricing, transactions or a broader strategic leadership role, and will be comfortable operating at the intersection of commercial strategy, executive decision-making and business performance.
Working closely with senior leaders across Business Development & Origination and the wider Retirement Solutions & Asset Management business, you'll provide the insight, coordination and challenge needed to support a fast-growing and evolving business.
Experience, Knowledge & Skills
Strategic Leadership & Business Management
- Act as a trusted advisor to the Managing Director, providing challenge, insight and support on strategic and operational priorities.
- Drive strategic planning, business performance management and organisational effectiveness across Business Development & Origination.
- Lead the preparation of Board papers, executive briefings and strategic insights to support decision-making at the highest levels of the organisation.
- Coordinate governance, business planning, workforce planning and financial management activities across the function.
- Drive alignment across stakeholders, ensuring effective execution of strategic priorities and transformation initiatives.
- Support executive decision-making through analysis, prioritisation and the effective management of competing business demands.
Pension Risk Transfer (PRT) Strategy & Market Engagement
- Provide informed insight and challenge on Pension Risk Transfer strategy, market developments and growth opportunities.
- Apply deep knowledge of the BPA market to support strategic decision-making and business priorities.
- Support the development of materials for significant PRT opportunities, executive meetings and Board discussions.
- Partner closely with Business Development, Origination and wider PRT stakeholders to ensure alignment against strategic objectives.
- Monitor market trends, competitor activity and emerging opportunities to help shape future business strategy.
- Act as a key link between strategic priorities, commercial opportunities and operational delivery.
What are we looking for?
- Proven experience in a strategic business management, chief of staff, business planning or leadership support role within a complex financial services environment.
- Strong knowledge of the UK Pension Risk Transfer (BPA) market, with experience across PRT, Asset Management, Investments, Individual Annuities or related retirement specialisms.
- Commercially astute, with a strong understanding of financial drivers, business performance, cost-benefit analysis and value creation, coupled with the confidence to provide constructive challenge to senior stakeholders.
- Skilled in developing Board-level materials, executive briefings and strategic insights, with the ability to translate complex information into clear recommendations and actions.
- Strong strategic thinking and stakeholder management capabilities, with a proven ability to navigate complexity, drive organisational effectiveness and deliver outcomes in a fast-paced growth environment.
Personal Attributes
- Trusted Advisor & Strategic Partner: Builds credibility quickly and becomes a valued sounding board to senior leaders, providing balanced judgement, thoughtful challenge and trusted counsel.
- Thrives in Change & Transformation: Energised by growth, transformation and continuous improvement, bringing structure, clarity and momentum in an environment where priorities evolve rapidly.
- Commercially Astute & Strategically Minded: Connects market insights, business performance and long-term objectives to identify opportunities and drive meaningful outcomes.
- Influential, Resilient & Adaptable: Navigates ambiguity, competing priorities and changing direction with confidence, maintaining focus, pace and a positive outlook.
- Exceptional Relationship Builder: Creates strong partnerships, builds alignment across stakeholders and brings people together behind shared objectives.
- Proactive & Outcome-Focused: Anticipates challenges, takes ownership and consistently delivers high-quality outcomes with pragmatism and attention to detail.
Essential
- Degree in Business, Finance, Actuarial Science or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
Desirable
- Experience gained within Pension Risk Transfer business development, origination, pricing, transactions, proposition development or a related commercial leadership role.
We want to hire the whole version of you.
We are committed to ensuring that everyone feels accepted and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If your experience looks different from what we’ve advertised and you believe that you can bring value to the role, we’d love to hear from you.
If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, please let us know so we can help you to be at your best.
We’re reviewing applications as they come in and may close this role before the closing date, so apply early to avoid missing out.
Find out more about working at Standard Life
