Actuary Band 2 - 3 (Fixed Term Contract)

10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU / Edinburgh Government Hub Queen Elizabeth House, Edinburgh EH8 8FT

Job Summary

The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) is a non-ministerial department. Our mission is to improve the stewardship of public sector finances by supporting effective decision-making and robust financial reporting through analysis, modelling and advice.

Job Description

Band 2 actuaries would typically have more experience than Band 1 actuaries and would lead on certain projects and client interactions on our smaller clients and would work with more senior colleagues on our larger clients and projects. They would also be expected to assist with the development of more junior colleagues and support on the team’s business development objectives. Band 3 actuaries would be expected to take responsibility for leading on larger pieces of work and on medium sized clients, and coming up with solutions to non-standard requests. They would report to more senior colleagues and be involved in developing more junior colleagues. They are also expected to contribute to growing our portfolio of work and looking for opportunities for where GAD can add value. You can find out more about GAD, our work, the position, and our assessment process in the following recruitment pack: GAD Actuary PSPS Fixed-term Recruitment Pack - May 2025

Band 2 actuaries would typically have more experience than Band 1 actuaries and would lead on certain projects and client interactions on our smaller clients and would work with more senior colleagues on our larger clients and projects. They would also be expected to assist with the development of more junior colleagues and support on the team’s business development objectives. Band 3 actuaries would be expected to take responsibility for leading on larger pieces of work and on medium sized clients, and coming up with solutions to non-standard requests. They would report to more senior colleagues and be involved in developing more junior colleagues. They are also expected to contribute to growing our portfolio of work and looking for opportunities for where GAD can add value. You can find out more about GAD, our work, the position, and our assessment process in the following recruitment pack: GAD Actuary PSPS Fixed-term Recruitment Pack - May 2025

Person specification

Providing high quality actuarial advice to GAD’s clients from Public Service Pensions team, supporting work in other teams, as necessary. Collaborating with colleagues across all teams to ensure all work is appropriately scoped and delivered in an efficient and timely manner with a focus on providing value for money for our clients. This includes:

• Specifying work, monitoring output and providing feedback
• Responsibility for ensuring work managers are fully informed of all substantive work requests;
• Effective project management;
• Motivating and team building;
• Partnering with clients to to maintain and build existing relationships and developing new relationships;
• Operational duties – scheduling work, leave management, exercising financial control as required
• Business development and client engagement activities
• Providing a consistently high level of service with work undertaken within professional requirements.

This includes:

• Providing/supporting appropriate quality advice (oral and written) to agreed timescales and within budget;
• Complying with peer review procedures;
• Adapting to changing client needs and balancing conflicting priorities;
• Complying with all professional actuarial and GAD standards and guidance.

Agile working and effective liaison with other GAD teams, including flexible working across teams as required to meet client demand.

Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of role-relevant actuarial and other matters (including meeting all CPD requirements).

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, IFoA, or equivalent actuarial professional body (Essential)
• Detailed knowledge of UK actuarial concepts and techniques (Essential)

Alongside your salary of £74,432, Government Actuary's Department contributes £21,562 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. As well as competitive salaries, we offer a substantial package of benefits:

• Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day-to-day work.
• 25 days annual leave per year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service.
• In addition, we offer 9 days public and privilege days leave per year (pro rata for part time staff)
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• 5 days of paid volunteering leave
• Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
• Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year.
• Occupational sick pay
• Family-friendly policies such as help with caring responsibilities, special leave, generous paid maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
• Access to employee assistance programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice.
• The opportunity to join a trade union.
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
• Salary advances for travel costs, including annual season tickets and cycle-to-work schemes.
• Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice.
• Complimentary BUPA health check for permanent staff.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Technical skills. As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained.
• A Personal statement of up to 500-words explaining how you meet the essential criteria for the role, with particular reference to the below 4 criteria provided in the person specification as these will be the lead criteria you will be sifted against:
• Experience of providing actuarial advice as a qualified Actuary
• Experience of delegating and checking work produced by other staff
• Experience of project management
• Strong influencing, communication and relationship building skills, including ability to build/maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and clients

During the interview you will be assessed on the behaviours listed in the Person Specification and detailed in this advert.

Application deadline : 2355 hrs on 15 June 2025

Shortlisting : W/C 16 June 2025

Interviews : W/C 30 June 2025

Interview location : In office (London, E14 4PU)

Please apply via our recruitment portal below. As part of the application form process, please submit your CV and supporting statement. Please do not email your CV outside of this process as it will not be accepted.

Shortlisting criteria is based on the Person Specification as set out in the Assessment Criteria section of the Job Description. Please ensure you provide examples of how you meet the Assessment Criteria; a strong application will also demonstrate that you meet the required criteria that are identified as key for this role. Applications will be shortlisted in line with the essential criteria for the role. Behaviours will be assessed at interview stage. Candidates who are successful at shortlist will be contacted as soon as possible and advised of the interview process and assessment (exact times and dates will also be confirmed). A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Technical skills.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact Name : Recruitment Team

Email : recruitment@gad.gov.uk

Recruitment team Email : recruitment@gad.gov.uk

Further information

The Government Actuary’s Department’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/ If you feel at any time your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting recruitment@gad.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioners.