DC Investment Consultant

Mercer’s Defined Contribution and Savings (DC&S) team is unrivalled and is the largest group of DC expertise (including governance, scheme design, investment consultants, provider and technical researchers and technicians) in the UK. This exciting growth area of Mercer’s UK business is a key strategic focus and delivers both successful pension and savings solutions for clients and career opportunities for our talented colleagues.

Through the delivery of market leading innovation our:

• Scheme design and governance experience;
• Technical and provider research skills;
• Fiduciary Management of assets;
• Investment expertise; and,
• Master Trust and Workplace Savings propositions,

ensure we retain the edge over our contemporaries and other competition.

With the most significant changes to pensions in the last 100 years recently announced in this year’s Budget 2014, the prospect of greater freedom and choice will further stimulate and increase market and public interest in DC pensions and savings. This can only provide significant and exciting opportunities for all of Mercer’s stakeholders (clients, shareholders and employees alike).

We are currently recruiting for a DC Investment Consultant in our Birmingham office.

The purpose of this position is to use defined contribution (DC) plan technical knowledge, consulting, and business development skills on a variety of clients’ retirement issues (i.e. plan design, benefit strategy and investment consulting). Clients include trustee boards of trust-based schemes, governance committees of contract-based schemes and their corporate sponsors.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Serve as a lead consultant on clients and/or as part of a Mercer team delivering multiple services to a client.  As appropriate, consultant will review calculations and work products produced by junior consultants and analysts using Mercer software/tools. Consultant will also provide support and advise internal Mercer teams regarding defined contribution issues.
• Participate as a significant team member with respect to sales by driving new business proposals and contributing in a meaningful way to new business efforts e.g. external marketing initiatives such as forums, seminars.
• Hold significant responsibility for proactive revenue generation of existing clients and extending the range of DC services provided by other lines of business as appropriate.  
• Contribute to the future strategy for the team, working with the DC&S leadership team and local business leaders.
• Acts as a change agent by supporting and implementing Mercer business and corporate strategies as appropriate.
• Acts as a mentor and coach by motivating staff to deliver a high standard of work through on-the-job training and development (for example, foster a team environment, brings staff to client meetings, challenges technical growth and prepares staff to take on more senior roles with their clients).

Qualifications

Essential requirements for the role include:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience within the DC investment market and demonstrable experience in all areas of DC consultancy (including both trust and contract based provision) in a major firm
• Relevant professional qualification such as PMI, FIA/FFA or CFA
• Proven experience in managing projects and client expectations
• Proven experience in developing new business from an existing client base and new clients
• Strong organisational and planning skills
• Ability to develop strong working relationships with colleagues, clients and provider contacts at all levels
• Ability to work with clients at all levels
• Show initiative and enjoy working in a dynamic team environment

To find out more - and to apply - please click here.