An opportunity has arisen for the role of Chair for the Hargreaves Lansdown (HL) Independent Governance Committee (IGC). The IGC was established in April 2015 to fulfil the regulatory responsibilities as set out by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Its role being to protect the interests of the members within HL administered Workplace Pension Schemes and Investment Pathway fund solutions.
As Chair, you will use your extensive knowledge of the workplace pensions and Investment Pathways environment and your understanding of the competitive landscape to effectively lead the committee and influence the relevant decisions and priorities of HL. A key part of the role will also include planning, directing, and coordinating the work of the committee and supporting internal and external experts, to ensure that our IGC fulfils the duties as set out by the FCA and exhibits governance best practice.?
It is HL's continued commitment to offer a fully comprehensive proposition which is befitting of its target audience. Being respected by scheme members and their employers as value for money is key, and the work of our IGC in close collaboration with HL is an essential enabler in meeting this commitment.
What you'll be doing
- Ensuring that the IGC functions optimally as a team and acts solely in the interests of HL workplace pension scheme members?and Pathway investors.
- Ensuring the publication of the annual report of the Committee by the regulatory deadline.
- Providing rigorous ongoing assessment of the ongoing value for money as applicable to members of HL workplace pension schemes and clients invested in investment pathways - as well as other regulatory obligations as set out within its terms of reference.
- Participating with the HL business in recruiting suitably experienced and diverse IGC members, exhibiting relevant skills, experience and behaviours beneficial to the committee purpose and fully aligned with HL values.?
- Conducting proactive, routine, timely, effective and constructive liaison via HL aligned representatives and Hargreaves Lansdown Asset Management (HLAM). ?
- Ensuring identification and arrangement of IGC membership induction and ongoing training requirements, and when necessary, HL or external professional or legal advice.
- Creating an annual plan and the subsequent planning of themed committee meetings.
- Working alongside HL aligned representatives to organise relevant MI, people expertise, facts, materials, papers and agendas.?
- Ensuring the presence of suitably qualified and experienced internal/external subject matter experts at committee meetings.?
- Preparing FCA responses as required and escalating to the FCA, scheme sponsors and/or members, any matters determined as insufficiently acknowledged and/or addressed following escalation to the HL governing body.
- Ensuring the most effective and appropriate means of member awareness of, and communication with, the IGC.??
- Effectively managing potential and/or emerging conflicts of interest relating to yourself and all committee members.?
About you
- Previous experience and demonstrable value-add from within an IGC or Trustee environment.
- Proven team leadership, management and collaborative skills.
- A role model in embracing and upholding professional standards founded upon excellent interpersonal skills.
- Broad and enduring experience of pension schemes and Investment Pathways, including their key administrative, investment, communication and charging nuances.?
- Considerable understanding of the workplace pensions and saving market, Investment Pathways and ESG.
- Knowledge of the evolving regulatory environment as applicable to the role remit.?
- Ability to effectively communicate, collaborate with, challenge and influence HL stakeholders at all levels, to best achieve action resulting in value for money and optimal outcomes for members from their HL workplace pension and Investment Pathways.?
- Ability to collaborate externally, e.g. with other IGCs and industry bodies to fulfil evolving value for money comparative benchmarking.
- Proven ability to make swift, well informed and rational decisions.
Working schedule
The role will require flexibility and time capacity to adequately fulfil all professional and regulatory responsibilities.
IGC meetings are held a minimum of six times per year. In addition to the necessary IGC meetings, attendance and reporting into HLAM Board will be required bi-annually and potentially at quarterly intervals.
Travel to our Bristol head office (BS1 5HL) to attend IGC and Board meetings will be required at times.
The initial term of this contract is negotiable but is currently envisaged as warranting an initial three-year duration.
Why us?
Here at HL, we're the UK's number 1 investment platform for private investors, based in Bristol. For more than 40 years we've helped investors save time, tax and money on their investments.
To achieve our mission, we believe we have a workplace like no other, with constant learning, dynamic teams, and a great ethos. We're steered by core values that promote service, quality, innovation, and opportunity in everything we do.