We are one of the largest single employers in the Scottish Borders, with over 300 people spread out over our four organisational departments.
Operations
Our Operations department is the largest functional department at SPPA and is split into two sub departments: Customer Services and Change & IT. Within operations there are a range of career opportunities – ranging from frontline customer service roles to IT and project management.
Customer Services
A career in customer services can be challenging but also extremely rewarding. We are responsible for the financial futures of 500,000 members – that’s roughly 1 in 10 people in Scotland.
Our customer service teams are the single point of contact for members just starting their career up until they reach their well-deserved retirement and beyond.
Some of the responsibilities include:
• Responding to member enquiries
• Assisting members who are opting in or out of the scheme
• Processing complaints received by members and other third parties
• Processing and analysing data received from employers to ensure its accuracy
• Processing retirement applications for members or the NHS, Teachers’, Police and Fire pension schemes.
• Processing the annual pension increase for retired members
Change & IT
Change and IT provide vital support to the SPPA by ensuring we have the right technology to provide a good level of service to our members. This includes the maintenance of current IT systems as well as the introduction of new systems.
The project management office supports the introduction of various change programmes being undertaken at SPPA. This ranges from the recurring Annual Benefit Statements to major legislative changes such as McCloud.
Some of the responsibilities include:
• Review of the Project Management Framework
• Providing project support to teams at SPPA
• Providing IT support and advice to SPPA colleagues
• Development of IT databases and user systems
• Development and oversight of information governance policies
• Overseeing the SPPA’s security strategy
I wanted to a job that challenged me whilst offering job security and reasonable terms and conditions - SPPA ticked all those boxes.
People, Strategy and Communications (PSC)
The PSC directorate offers a large selection of organisational support roles. A job in PSC can set you up for a career in Human Resources, Communications, Governance or Estates.
People Services
As the name suggests PSC is responsible for the wellbeing and safety of the SPPA’s most important asset – our people. People Services (HR and L&D) provide support to colleagues with their physical and mental wellbeing as well as their own professional development goals.
Estates and Environment
The Estates and Environment team ensure the SPPA office in Tweedbank is a safe and comfortable environment for colleagues and visitors alike.
Communications and Engagement
The team provide internal and external communications support for the SPPA and ensure communications issued by the SPPA are easily understood, relevant and supportive.
They are also responsible for publishing and maintaining the content on our website and colleague intranet.
Corporate Governance
The corporate governance team look after our various stakeholder boards. These boards consist of employer and member representatives and feedback and support to our senior management team.
Corporate Office
Oversees Executive planning and strategy for the Agency, providing Executive assistance and business analysis to produce performance metrics and statistics.
The SPPA provides you with great development opportunities that help you progress your career
Finance, Procurement and Risk (FPR)
Our Finance team manage the agency’s allocated budget as well as the roughly £5 billion we deliver to members of our pension schemes annually.
Payroll Processing
Our payroll processing team are responsible for ensuring we pay our members on time. To do this they plan, schedule and undertake weekly and monthly payrolls to meet agreed payable dates for the Scottish NHS, Teachers, Police and Firefighters’ pension schemes.
Procurement
Our procurement team are responsible for the agency’s day-to-day purchasing. They produce the SPPA’s Procurement Strategy in line with our business planning and corporate strategies and advise colleagues on best practice to ensure we stick to SG procurement and procurement regulations.
Risk and Assurance
The Risk and Assurance Team supports colleagues to ensure that we have good quality discussions around the different forms of risk that may occur whilst at work.
Risk is a collective responsibility but the team work to co-ordinate our efforts and ensure all of our colleagues understand potential organisational and operational risks that may occur.
The environment at SPPA is really good - the workforce has a real community feel
Policy
The Policy department are responsible for preparing and maintaining the regulations that govern the public service pension schemes we administer.
The team also provide advice on occupational pensions to Scottish Ministers and other government departments.