When meeting us, you’ll quickly discover that the best thing about the Association of British Insurers is the people. We’re hugely proud that 98% of our people think individual differences are respected and we are empowered to bring our whole self to work without fear of judgment. We work at the forefront of policy development - helping to get things right before they are implemented and ironing out bumps where they are identified in existing rules. If that sounds like your sort of culture, read on to find out how you can join us.

We’re looking for an interim Assistant Director, Head of Long-Term Savings Policy to lead the strategy, development and promotion of the ABI’s policy and technical proposals on long term savings policy across a broad portfolio of work. Ownership of the portfolio is shared with another Assistant Director, and covers issues relating to pension risk transfer, long term savings, retirement and investment. This is a maternity cover contract until c. August 2026.

We are open to flexible, part time and/or job share working – please let us know if this would be your preference. We work in a hybrid way with at least 40% of time in the office.

Our team is made up of people who are new to insurance, those who are highly experienced, and everyone in-between, so we welcome people from all industry backgrounds.

What’s the job?

• Provide strategic oversight of policy development initiatives impacting the Long-Term Savings market, particularly defined contribution and defined benefit pensions, pension investment and the upcoming Pension Schemes Bill, retail investment and advice & guidance.

• Lead the ABI’s relationship with relevant government departments (e.g. DWP, HMT) and other important stakeholders, including trade associations, as required to influence policy work and ensure alignment of messaging.  

• Lead policy debates at ABI Committees and Working Groups to develop and advance credible evidence-based policy positions

• Lead the work of senior ABI Committees in your portfolio, and feed into the Long-Term Savings Committee (and other Board committees as appropriate).

• Act as a leader in the ABI’s Long-Term Savings Policy Directorate, responsible for representing the interests of the UK’s long-term savings market to key stakeholders (government, regulators, the third sector), in the media, and by undertaking high profile speaking engagements at conferences and events.  

• Oversee the ABI’s response to Government and regulatory initiatives impacting the long-term savings market. 

• Line manage a team of high performing individuals.

What skills are we looking for?

• Policy expertise – you can digest large quantities of detailed material and present it to members and Government to make it easily understood by all, having worked in a complex area of policy or regulation. You understand the markets, policy and regulation regarding pensions and/or wider financial services system in the UK.

• Leadership – you can manage, develop and retain a highly motivated and performing team to plan, prioritise and deliver work across a wide range of issues and projects.

• Strategic thinking – you can identify and act on opportunities and risks that may have not fully crystallised for the industry and have the tenacity to see objectives through over an extended time period.

• Lobbying – you can persuade others by winning the confidence of senior people in member firms, Government, regulators and elsewhere, and to argue persuasively for the industry’s interests.

• Relationship management – you build and maintain strong working relationships with key partners, influencers and decision-makers, as well as with colleagues and team members to build support for ideas and deliver our objectives.

Throughout the interview and assessment process, we will be looking for you to demonstrate our values; We are Brave; We take Ownership; We are Appreciative; We are Human and We are Curious.

Inclusion matters to us

We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and we run our application process in a way that removes bias as much as possible. As well as asking for a CV, we’ll ask application questions which are relevant to the role and the skills we need to ensure everyone has equal opportunity to demonstrate their suitability.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and are committed to making adjustments to help you perform at your best in our recruitment process. Additionally, where practicable, we offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum requirements for a role. To discuss, please contact careers@abi.org.uk

To find out more

You can find lots more information on our careers page, including details of our generous benefits package and who we are as an organisation.

You can find out how we use your personal information by reading our candidate Privacy Notice: https://www.abi.org.uk/about-the-abi/careers/abi-candidate-privacy-notice/.