Pensions Investment Officer

This review provides an in-depth look at the Pensions Investment Officer opportunity within the in-house Relx Pensions Investment Office. Designed for potential candidates, this overview highlights the advantages of this role and key considerations to help guide your career path.

About the Opportunity: A Balanced Role with Growth Potential

The Relx Pensions Investment Office operates as a compact, high-impact team. This Pensions Investment Officer role is central to its functioning, acting as the critical conduit for authorised instructions and vital data to a range of internal and external stakeholders. A significant advantage of this position is its structured yet flexible nature. The role is anticipated to be an even split between investment-related duties and audit work, offering a comprehensive experience in both domains. Furthermore, there's an explicit encouragement for individuals to proactively suggest improvements to existing processes, fostering a culture of continuous enhancement and personal contribution.

The successful candidate will quickly establish themselves as the primary point of contact for all investment and associated audit data pertaining to REPS, including the crucial review and scrutiny of SOC1 control reports. This presents an excellent opportunity to build expertise and become an indispensable asset within the team.

Key Responsibilities and Skill Development:

• Audit Management: Overseeing year-end audit reporting requirements for corporate audit and producing the Pensions SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice). This involves the generation of Management Information and the Annual Report of the Trustee and Financial Statements, providing invaluable experience in regulatory compliance and financial reporting.
• Investment Analysis & Instruction: Analysing data across various investment classes and preparing instructions for external investment managers. This is a core responsibility that demands strong analytical skills and a deep understanding of investment strategies.
• Liaison & Query Resolution: Acting as the point of contact with investment managers and addressing investment-related posting queries with the custodian. This role hones communication and problem-solving abilities.
• Custody System Oversight: Managing third-party custody systems and diligently monitoring their service levels against agreed-upon service level agreements. This develops a keen understanding of operational efficiency and vendor management.
• Information Synthesis: Gathering data, meticulously reviewing lengthy documents, summarising key findings, and analysing the resultant information. This responsibility cultivates excellent research and critical thinking skills.
• Control Environment Assurance: Providing essential information to auditors regarding the efficacy of the control environment, demonstrating an understanding of user entity internal controls over financial reporting (SOC1). This experience is highly sought after in finance and audit.
• Investment Manager Performance Monitoring: Collaborating with investment consultants to monitor the performance of external investment managers against their service level agreements, enhancing your understanding of performance evaluation and strategic oversight.

What We're Looking For in Candidates:

This role is ideal for individuals with a foundational understanding of both investment and year-end audit processes. Specific experience with the reporting requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley (for corporate audits) and the Pensions SORP is essential. A solid background in pensions investment is also critical, enabling you to effectively analyse data and direct investment managers.

We are seeking candidates with:

• Exceptional Analytical and Project Management Skills: Proven ability to gather and interpret data, summarise complex information, and drive projects to completion.
• Audit and Control Expertise: Experience in providing information to auditors on control environments and a grasp of user entity internal controls over financial reporting (SOC1).
• Investment Acumen: Practical experience in analysing investment data and formulating instructions for managers.
• System Proficiency: While not mandatory, experience with third-party custody systems and monitoring service levels is beneficial.
• Performance Monitoring Experience: Familiarity with monitoring investment manager performance alongside consultants.
• Microsoft Office Proficiency: Advanced skills in Word and Excel for data analysis and presentation.
• Communication Excellence: Superb interpersonal skills and polished written English, with an unwavering attention to detail.
• Team and Self-Management: A self-motivated individual accustomed to working within a small team, possessing excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise effectively.

Qualifications: A Qualified IFA or a Masters degree in a relevant field is required. A background in pensions audit or consulting is considered a strong advantage.

Advantages for Your Career Path:

• Diverse Skill Development: The dual focus on investment and audit provides a well-rounded and highly marketable skillset.
• Impact and Ownership: The opportunity to become the 'go-to' person and influence process improvements offers significant professional growth and recognition.
• Exposure to Senior Stakeholders: Regular liaison with the Chief Investment Officer, Trustee Secretary, and external auditors ensures visibility and networking opportunities.
• Industry Relevance: This role offers deep exposure to the intricacies of pension fund investment and governance, a critical area within the financial services sector.
• Tailored Development: The scope to shape aspects of the role based on your interests supports personalised career progression.

For those looking to deepen their expertise in pension fund management, gain comprehensive experience in both investment operations and financial audits, and contribute meaningfully to a dedicated team, this Pensions Investment Officer position at Relx presents a compelling and rewarding career opportunity.