Job Description

Are you a pensions expert with a background in technical management? The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) administer public sector pensions to over 600,000 members in 4 major schemes, delivered across an operational area of over 200 colleagues. The Technical Services remit is to centralise the operational controls that oversee pensions, data, and payroll delivery in partnership with colleagues from Policy, Risk, Audit, and Governance. The Technical Services team will support operational colleagues in understanding current and future requirements, and articulating process and system demands to meet those requirements. As the Manager of Pensions Technical Controls, you will lead and manage a team responsible for the development, maintenance, and assurance of complex Excel-based calculation tools that underpin critical pensions, data, and payroll operations. Operating within a highly regulated and complex environment, you will provide strategic direction and oversight to ensure these tools are accurate, compliant, and aligned with policy objectives, risk parameters, audit preparedness, and governance requirements. This role demands strong leadership to drive calculator innovation, embed technical controls, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence. Responsibilities:

• Operational Leadership: Manage and lead a team of specialists, ensuring clear objectives, performance management, and professional development to deliver high-quality outcomes.
• Calculator Asset Management: Oversee the maintenance of a comprehensive register of all internal and online calculation tools, with a primary focus on Excel-based calculators.
• Maintenance & Defect Resolution: Direct and coordinate routine maintenance and defect remediation activities to safeguard accuracy and functionality of Excel calculators.
• Risk & Impact Assessment: Lead evaluations of the robustness and compliance of calculation tools, identifying emerging risks and informing mitigation strategies.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive the development and implementation of an improvement roadmap for Excel-based calculators, embedding best practices and fostering innovation.
• Assurance & Compliance: Ensure assurance activities are effectively executed so all calculators meet regulatory standards and operational requirements.
• Release Management: Implement and oversee a structured release process to guarantee that only approved and accurate versions of Excel calculators are deployed.

Success profileSuccess profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on. Technical / Professional Skills:

• Operational leadership and management - Working.

You can find out more about the skills required, here Experience:

1. Lead Criterium - Strong ability to design, test, and implement robust calculation solutions that ensure accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency.
2. Proven extensive expertise in developing and maintaining complex Excel-based calculation tools, ideally within a pensions environment or a regulated financial services setting.

Behaviours:

• Communicating & Influencing - Level 3
• Working Together - Level 3
• Delivering at Pace - Level 3
• Making effective decisions - Level 3

You can find out more about Success Profiles here: Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot
How to apply Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement of no more than 750 words which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

In the event of a high number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted on the Lead Criterium Experience 1 as listed above.

Candidates who pass the initial sift will have their applications fully assessed against all remaining Experience, Technical & Behaviours criteria listed in the Success Profile above.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and job related simulation. Assessments are scheduled for w/c 5th May 2026, however this may be subject to change.

Interview and assessment are expected to take place in person on site at SPPA, 7 Tweedside Park, Tweedbank, Galashiels, TD1 3TE.

Recruitment Principles
As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.

About us:The Scottish Public Pensions Agency is an Agency of the Scottish Government. Our principal role is to administer the pensions for employees in the National Health Service, Teachers’, Police and Fire-fighters’ pension schemes in Scotland for over 500,000 key workers. The Agency administers these public service pension schemes on behalf of Scottish Ministers with an annual pension spend to over 200,000 pensioners to the value of more than £2.5 billion. SPPA Careers | SPPA (pensions.gov.scot) Civil Service Nationality Rules Working PatternOur standard hours are 35 hours per week. We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options, with two days minimum working on site at SPPA. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us. Security ChecksSuccessful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions). You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide Equality StatementWe are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation. Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them. Further InformationFind out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers WebsiteRead our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes. We will hold a reserve list for this post for 12 months. Apply Before: 19th April 2026 (23:59)