Chief Operating and Financial Officer

LGPS Central (LGPSC) Ltd is the FCA-regulated asset manager for eight local authority pension funds across the Midlands. LGPSC is jointly owned on an equal shares basis by those Partner Fund, and it is responsible for managing almost £30bn of their assets. It is one of eight Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) asset pools in the UK.

LGPS Central’s Partner Funds are:

• Cheshire Pension Fund
• Derbyshire Pension Fund
• Leicestershire Pension Fund
• Nottinghamshire Pension Fund
• Shropshire Pension Fund
• Staffordshire Pension Fund
• West Midlands Pension Fund
• Worcestershire Pension Fund

LGPS Central is owned equally by all eight of its Partner Funds and is dedicated to the management of local government pension assets. LGPS Central manages assets across public and private markets both internally and through externally appointed investment managers.

The Company is committed to responsible investment and has made responsible investment a core part of the investment process in every asset class.

LGPS Central offers a friendly and diverse, hybrid-working environment with a range of employee benefits. The Company moved to new premises at i9, Wolverhampton Interchange in January 2022, close to local transport links.

Position:

The Chief Operating and Financial Officer joins LGPS Central at an exciting time for the company and for Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) pooling in general with developments in the UK pension landscape.

As the COFO, you will be a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for overseeing the financial and Investment operational functions of the firm. You will drive financial strategy, operational efficiency, and help steer the company towards achieving its strategic goals.

This role is a certified role under the Senior Manager’s Certification Regime and will be subject to assessments in Fitness and Propriety and any other regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of the company’s financial strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Lead relationships with banks and auditors.
• Ensure delivery of the asset transition plan and development of tax and cost-efficient products.
• Oversee financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, and reporting processes.
• Oversee the preparation of financial statements of the Company, the ACS fund vehicles and the private markets Limited Partnerships, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of delivery.
• Ensure the financial integrity of the firm through sound and effective financial management.

Planning & Reporting

• Ensure that reporting is delivered to internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide financial insights and recommendations to the CEO, board, and executive team to support decision-making.
• Develop, monitor and evaluate LGPSC’s financial strategy.
• Oversee LGPSC’s financial management including development of policies, management of costs budgeting and the evaluation of financial performance.
• Optimize the firm’s capital allocation and investment strategies to maximize ROI.
• Manage tax strategy and planning in collaboration with external advisors.

Operational Leadership

• Oversee the day-to-day Investment operations of the company, ensuring operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational performance and service delivery.
• Collaborate with department heads to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and optimize resource allocation.

Operational Strategy

• Work closely with the CEO, Executive Committee and Strategic Delivery Group to ensure alignment of financial and Investment operational goals with Company strategy.
• Manage relationships with key service providers, including custodians and brokers.
• Develop and implement scalable operational processes to support growth and innovation.

Requirements:

Key Requirements

• Strategic Vision: Ability to develop and implement long-term financial and operational strategies.
• Financial Acumen: Strong knowledge of financial planning, analysis, and reporting.
• Operational Expertise: Deep understanding of investment management operations and business processes.
• Leadership: Proven ability to lead, inspire, and develop high-performing teams, with the ability to manage cross-functional teams and influence at all levels of the organization.
• Risk Management: Expertise in identifying and mitigating financial and operational risks.
• Communication: Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate complex information clearly and effectively to different stakeholders.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with a hands-on approach to execution.
• Knowledge and experience of the investment needs of defined benefit pension fund.
• Proven ability to set and implement business strategy and vision and to deliver at pace.
• Track record of building and leading effective teams.

Ethical Conduct and ESG Awareness

• Commitment to high ethical standards, with a strong understanding of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and the ability to integrate these factors into everything we do.
• Have a solid understanding of ESG factors and how they impact LGPS Central.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field; MBA or CPA/CFA is desirable.
• Highly experienced in a senior finance and/or operations role, ideally within investment management, private equity, hedge funds, or financial services.
• Proven track record in financial strategy, budgeting, forecasting, and capital management.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements within the investment management space (e.g., SEC, FINRA, etc.).

Other information:

What do we offer?

We are proud to provide our people with a premium and exclusive benefits package and we are continually improving the rewards we offer. Here are a few of the valuable rewards that you will enjoy:

• Competitive salary
• An enhanced and generous Pension Scheme
• 30 days' paid holiday plus bank holidays
• 2 days paid volunteering days
• An extra paid Company Day in addition to paid holidays
• Excellent Learning & Development Opportunities
• Welfare and Family-friendly policies
• Enhanced pay for new parents
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme - 24-7 Health & Wellbeing Support
• Vitality Private Medical Insurance
• Hybrid Working
• Company Service Awards
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Company Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Nominees of the Family Friendly Employer of the Year 2022 - Personnel Today Awards 2022
• Winner of the Cultural Awareness Initiative of the Year - FT Advisors Diversity in Finance Awards 2023
• Winner of Diversity and Inclusion Award - LAPF In Investments Award 2023