Job vacancy: Compliance Advisor, NHS Business Services Authority, Blackpool/Newcastle

Job summary

Main area: NHS Pensions
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 6
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 914-BSA8268077

Employer: NHS Business Services Authority
Employer type: NHS
Site: Bickerstaff House, Bridge House, Stella House
Town: Blackpool/Newcastle
Salary: £39,959 - £48,117 per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 28/09/2026 23:59

Compliance Advisor

NHS AfC: Band 6

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. The post holder will undertake the following duties and responsibilities with minimal guidance.

2. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that they meet all deadlines set by the Compliance Team Manager, Head of Service and Pensions Board.

3. The post holder will ensure on a daily basis that all of their work and time is logged and accounted within control logs that may be easily reported against and audited should the need arise.

4. The post holder will be responsible for providing management information in an accurate and timely manner to various parts of the business on a regular basis and on an ad-hoc basis should the need arise at the request of the business.

5. To undertake daily horizon sweeping and understand the impact of changes (draft and enacted) to NHS Pension Scheme regulations and over-riding pensions legislation.

6. The post holder must be able to undertake independent compliance reviews of all parts of NHS Pension Scheme administration for example (though not limited to) service delivery, payroll, technical and finance.

7. The post holder must be able to collate the outcome of independent compliance reviews into a compliance report for review by the compliance manager, which clearly sets out the outcome and findings of the reviews. Such reports should be issued in an accurate and timely manner.

8. The post holder must be able to make, collate and quantify recommendations for business improvement across all aspects of the compliance reviews.

9. The post holder must be able to correctly identify any areas, in which the business is none compliant, and collate and quantify those areas into time bound recommendations for rectification across all aspects of the compliance reviews.

10. To support compliance reviews the post holder will be faced with many different software packages. The post holder must be able to understand and interrogate, all varieties of different software used throughout NHS Pension Scheme administration.

11. Prior to undertaking an independent compliance review, the post holder, in relation to the specific topic and with minimal support must be able to independently: -
• Research and establish all the relevant pensions legislation, including all statutory guidance (e.g. The Pensions Regulator’s code of practices) to determine the over-riding statutory responsibilities, and
• Research and establish the relevant service level agreements to determine as to whether or not those agreements have been met, and
• Research and establish the process flow throughout administration to determine if the business has followed their established processes, and
• Research and establish the documentation attached to the subject matter to determine if the business has met both it’s statutory responsibilities and is compliant with NHS BSA writing guidelines, and
• Identify, understand and interrogate the relevant software.

12. In support of the Compliance Manager, the post holder will from time to time, deputise as necessary.

13. The post holder will attend both internal and, where necessary, external meetings with any external party, to facilitate and support ongoing independent compliance reviews.

14. The post holder will be responsible for their own objectives and in doing so will contribute towards meeting delivery of Compliance Team objectives through effective performance.

15. Work with peers to ensure delivery is seen as the overall team, not just the area of the individual.

16. To deliver a high level of personal productivity and accuracy over a range of objectives.

17. Is responsible for the training and mentoring of new and less experienced staff to ensure their performance is increased to allow them to achieve their performance goals.

18. Is a Public Sector Pension Scheme technical and administration expert and has knowledge of over-riding legislation.

19. To work autonomously to manage own workload and make decisions in own work area.

20. To contribute to service improvement through networking and building effective working relationships with colleagues and customers.

21. Demonstrates a commitment to develop flexible matrix working so that the broad base of skills and experience of all staff are utilised to maximum benefit for the individual, team and organisation.

22. Identifies personal training needs and works with Compliance Manager to establish personal objectives and contribute to their own ORO.

23. Will be required to work on any aspect of the Compliance objectives with minimal support to meet business priorities.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• GCSE Grade C passes in a minimum of 5 subjects including English (or equivalent) and Maths plus equivalent work experience.

Desirable criteria

• Degree level or equivalent in Customer Service or Business Administration (or equivalent)
• Pensions Management Institute Diploma - Retirement Provision.

Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria

Ability to understand documented complex technical guidance issued by Secretary of State, Government Actuary Department, HMRC, HMT, DWP and Department of Health
Ability to undertake independent compliance reviews on all aspects of NHS Pension Scheme Administration.
Able to deliver excellent customer service whilst meeting deadlines and targets.
Able to communicate effectively at all levels and to a wide variety of audiences (colleagues, Scheme employers, Scheme members, Government Departments)
Able to prioritise own workload and work on own initiative.
Numeracy and analytical skills
Strong time management and work prioritisation skills.
Ability to identify implications of actions
Attention to detail
Public Sector Pensions Administration working practices
Proven ability of undertaking compliance reviews in a Public Sector Pension Scheme
Proven ability to interpret complex pension legislation and to in turn understand and quantify the impact on NHS Pension Scheme administration
Knowledge and understanding of UK over-riding pensions legislation and statutory guidance
In depth knowledge and understanding of the Pensions Regulators codes of practice applicable to public sector pension schemes

Desirable criteria

Awareness of Data Protection and Freedom of Information Issues.

Experience

Essential criteria

Significant experience in wide range of public sector pensions administration activity.
Significant experience of working in a heavily regulated environment.
Able to independently follow clear instructions to carry out complex and varied tasks and calculations

Desirable criteria

Experience of drafting reports.
Experience of undertaking pensions compliance reviews.
Experience of supporting and developing colleagues.
Experience of interrogating a variety of pensions software packages.

The NHSBSA is passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive organisation, which is a great place to work and truly reflects the diversity of our customers. We welcome applications from talented people of diverse characteristics including age, disability, gender identity and expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any marginalised group. We also welcome applications from all those in the Armed Forces Community.

At the NHSBSA we pride ourselves on being a Disability Confident Leader, Stonewall Top 100 employer and we’ve recently been awarded the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion Gold Standard benchmark.

We offer an invitation to the first stage of the selection process for people with disabilities that wish to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme, and for members of the Armed Forces Community, where all of the essential criteria in the person specification are met.

Successful candidates will be asked to give details of any existing criminal convictions during the pre-employment checking process. Telling us about a criminal conviction would not automatically exclude you from employment. Each case will be confidentially assessed individually, in relation to the duties of the job.

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