Senior Manager – Employee Benefits

Role Overview

• This role is accountable for the execution and operationalisation of the approved Absa Group Pensions and Employee Benefits strategy, policy and related practices and services.
• This includes tactical design and delivery plans, formulation of associated practice/s and ensuring operational implementation and adoption.
• The role will also support the effective implementation of technological solutions to enhance/improve employee engagement with their pension and benefit arrangements and strengthen management of these arrangements.
• Specialist advice to the Group’s various operating entities on pensions and employee benefits.
• Lead and/or oversee specific approved pension and benefits projects across the various parts of the Absa landscape as required.
• Ensure effective pension and benefits governance.
• Support local (entity-level) pension and benefit arrangements by providing technical/specialist assistance to local Human Capital teams in specific African and International Operations locations.
• Remain abreast of international, African and local International Office pension and benefits developments and trends (including legislative and regulatory change) and review these for the impact for implementation.
• Support Group Reward initiatives that impact on Absa’s pensions and benefits e.g. organisation restructuring, employee benefit improvements.
• Support the delivery of Absa pension and benefits projects e.g. mergers, acquisitions and disposals, plan design changes, operational change.
• Contribute to Absa’s pension communications across the enterprise to ensure that the content is appropriate.
• Respond to complex pension and benefits cases.
• Be a subject matter expert/technical point of reference for business units, providing technical support/advice to assist their commercial and human capital objectives and pension & benefits education strategy.
• Support due diligence and implementation planning for acquisitions, disposals, out-sourcing, etc. that assists the Group’s commercial negotiations.
• Support and operationalise the management of the relationship with the various Trustee and other internal governance bodies across the Absa pensions and benefits landscape.
• Support the optimisation of the working relationship with third party providers to ensure efficiency and ‘best in class’ practice.
• Enhance pension and benefits education/upskilling.
• Agree and manage service offerings and SLAs with internal customers (agree annually and measure on a monthly basis).

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years+ direct international employee benefits advisory, management and implementation experience (ideally in more than one industry/environment, but preferably including financial services).
• Experience of leading/participating in cross-border projects in delivering pensions and employee benefits solutions.
• Experience of working within a large corporate or within a reputable pensions/employee benefits consulting/advisory firm preferred.
• Degree in commerce, management or finance on NQF 7 equivalent.
• Professional Body Registration (e.g. Actuarial Society, Institute of Chartered Accountants) is not required, but will be an advantage.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Professional development opportunities