Head of Pensions & Benefits

Job Summary

Zurich Insurance Company are currently hiring for Head of Pension and Benefits (Ireland)

Working in the Human Resources department, the key purpose of this role is to oversee and manage our pension and benefits arrangements for the staff employed by all Zurich companies in Ireland.  

This includes acting as pension manager and scheme secretary of the Zurich Ireland defined benefit pension scheme (fund value c.€700m) (the “Scheme”) which is administered in-house.  

This role will report to the Head of Human Resources and will be based in our Blackrock office. The position sits on the HR Leadership Team.

Zurich Life Assurance is one of Ireland’s leading Pension and Life Assurance providers.

This is a hybrid role. The role may be available part-time or full time. This is because we want the best people for our roles, and we recognise that sometimes those people aren’t available full-time.  Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you may need.

Your Role

The duties of the successful candidate will include but not necessarily be limited to the following:
 

• Responsible for the pension and benefit arrangements for all staff in Zurich Ireland working for Zurich Insurance Company, Zurich Life Assurance plc and Zurich Insurance Europe AG.
• Responsible for the day-to-day management and governance of the Scheme, including supporting the Trustee, the Key Function Holders and the management of the pensions administration team; Providing support to the companies on the valuation and impact of the Scheme under accounting and solvency measures. 
• Liaising between the Trustee and the companies to ensure alignment and understanding between all stakeholders on the funding and investment strategy of the Scheme. 
• Collaborate with other areas of HR and business stakeholders to drive benefit innovations ensuring alignment with talent and remuneration strategy. 
• Promote a team environment inspiring collaboration and personal development. Lead team to deliver high quality service and timely outputs across multiple stakeholder touchpoints.
• Communicates and guides on overall pension provision and other benefits to employees and management. 
• Provides technical support for complex pension enquiries and effective dispute resolution. 
• Ensure compliance with regulation and governance in line with relevant frameworks including Pensions Authority regulations and guidance
• Drive continuous improvement - identifying and implementing process initiatives to streamline activities, remove duplication and bring synergies and efficiencies

Your Skills and Experience

As Head of Pensions and Benefits your skills and qualifications will include: 

• The candidate should hold an honours primary degree and/or relevant professional qualification (for example, an actuary, a fellow of the IIPM, a legal or accountancy qualification)
• Knowledge of Defined Benefit (DB) Pension Schemes and the related regulatory, legislative and governance environments, with at least five years relevant experience
• Strong Pensions Technical, investments and administration knowledge, 
• Flexible team player with the ability to work collaboratively and to build and maintain relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• Strong people management / leadership ability
• Demonstrates initiative and able to work independently
• Strong analytical skills and decision-making ability.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills;
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels;
• High level of numeracy and computer literacy.
• Previous experience as a Pension Scheme Secretary/Manager an advantage
• Previous experience in payroll and/or reward an advantage
• A pension trustee qualification would be an advantage. 
   

Additional Information

Primary work location is Blackrock based but occasional travel may be required to other Zurich locations. If you value an exciting and varied working environment and meet the above requirements, then our recruiter is looking forward to receiving your application by clicking on the button “Apply online”.
 
Who we are 
Zurich is one of Ireland's leading insurance companies providing a wide range of general insurance and life insurance products and services. The company employs over 1,600 people across its locations in Dublin and Wexford. 
Zurich is a strong brand – with our 53,000 employees worldwide form the basis of our success, helping our customers in 210 countries and territories to understand and protect themselves from risk. In order to deliver our services, we offer our employees flexible working models and interesting opportunities for further training & development. As a Zurich employee you benefit from a multitude of advantages as well as a strong culture, characterized by acceptance, diversity and team spirit.
 
At Zurich, we foster a culture of diversity and inclusion. Our purpose and values are designed to protect, inspire confidence and help our employees reach their full potential. We value and defend what is right and promote opportunities for equity among our professionals, regardless of gender, disability, LGBTQ +, race, ethnicity, generations, belief, etc. Join Zurich and be part of this culture. Together we are committed to delivering on our purpose - Let’s Create a Brighter Future Together!
 
Closing date for applications is the 6th December. Early applications are encouraged as interviews may take place before closing date.