Pensions Administrator Placement 2024

3173 is a privately owned UK firm of pensions experts with clients throughout the UK, serviced from offices in London, Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Leeds.

The 3173 Group of companies includes Dalriada Trustees Limited (Dalriada) one of the UK’s largest professional pension scheme trustee companies.  Spence & Partners provides full pension actuarial, consulting, investment consulting and administration services that provide simply smarter solutions for trustees, employers and members and Mantle: reimagines the traditional models of defined benefit pensions administration and actuarial valuation software.

The 3173 Culture

Our primary aim is to provide interesting, worthwhile and healthy careers for all our people; we believe that this emphasis sets us apart from our competitors.

We are defined by our ethos and by our goal. Our ethos is an individual and collective commitment achieved through carefully balancing responsibility with freedom and flexibility, all of which is underpinned by a willingness to work interdependently. When we get this balance right, it is how we do our best work.

We look after our staff first and foremost, but for a commercial purpose, which is to deliver great service profitably. By focusing on our goal, we provide the best outcomes for pension scheme members, trustees, and employers.

We are now recruiting for our 2024 intake of placements. We can offer you a placement experience in Pensions Administration that is the first step in a high profile career, with many of our placement students wishing to return to continue working with us after Graduation.

After full training, you will be exposed to various issues arising in the world of pension administration. Our team carries out all types of exercises from winding up schemes and calculating members' pension benefits to carrying out forensic research, all the while providing an excellent service to the members of our schemes. This variety makes Spence an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in a career in pensions.

You will become a key contact for pension members by answering queries over the phone and via written communication. You will become effective at providing clear and accurate information to members and beneficiaries.

About you

We recruit the best, and are looking for the future influencers of our industry. To be successful in this role you will need to be innovative, driven and want to develop and grow by learning from our team. You will be keen to make an impact in your placement year, which could lead to further opportunity in our award winning organisation.

We are looking for candidates who are intelligent, ambitious and great at working with people. You should enjoy solving complex problems and be interested in the financial services industry and areas affecting it. You will be well organised and proactive, calm under pressure and have the ability to communicate well at all levels (written and verbal).

You will enjoy working in a challenging environment in which you can develop both personally and professionally. You will be an individual who knows how to interact in a professional environment and deliver to the requirements of our high performing culture.

Responsibilities & criteria

Behavioural competencies for the role

• Inspiring Leadership
• Strategic Thinking
• Impacting & Influencing
• Client Engagement
• Collaborative Working
• Problem Solving
• Planned Approach
• Professional Approach

About you

Essential criteria

• On track for 2:1 or above in a relevant degree
• A Level (or equivalent) Maths grade B or above
• GCSE Maths and English Grade A-C or above
• Proven technical and academic ability illustrated through grades and achievements
• Evidence of proactive extra-curricular learning and engagement in chosen career path
• An obvious interest in the industry in which we operate
• Excellent knowledge of computerised systems e.g. Microsoft Office/Windows applications, in particular Excel

Desirable criteria

• Relevant work experience
• Attending events, seminars, self-study to promote knowledge in area of interest

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. As part of this commitment we guarantee to automatically interview anyone with a disability who meets the minimum criteria.

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.