Medical Retirement Pensions HR Business Partner

Medical Retirement Pensions HR Business Partner

*** 5 Year References***

• Provide an expert, professional HR advisory service on a range of complex and sensitive issues that may arise during the employee life cycle by providing advice, guidance and to all managers and officers/ staff in order to provide a consistent, professional HR advisory service to the force.
• Provide professional advice and guidance to the Chief Constables of Kent & Essex (the Scheme Managers) and the delegated scheme managers in respect of the provision of medical retirement Pension Policy, procedural advice, guidance and governance to enable them to discharge their statutory responsibilities under the relevant regulations and schemes ensuring compliance with the new Police Pensions Scheme regulations, their smooth operation and alignment with regulatory requirements.
  
  Linking in with the Head of Payroll and Pensions to provide them with any information required to meet compliance with The Pension Regulator (TPR) code of practice.
• Manage complex case work involving issues such as compliance with pension regulations, medical appeals, the application of discretionary pension benefits, pension forfeiture claims, IDRP pension complaints, early release of benefits for ill-health retirement, deferred ill-health retirement, promoting the application of approved and effective policies, practices and working procedures, in order to provide a consistent and equitable, professional HR advisory service to the forces, for both officers and police staff.
• Act as the force representative for Essex and Kent Pension Authority in respect of medical appeals (PMAB), work with and act as a key contact for the pension administrators for the Essex and Kent Pension Authority regarding medical retirement and on behalf of the delegated scheme manager (Essex and Kent) investigate and medical retirement pension complaints appertaining to the Police Pension Scheme and in respect of LGPS complaints (IDRP either stage 1 or
  2) ensuring professional and appropriate support to the Delegated Scheme Manager.
• Act as an advocate and influencer of change by developing and supporting communication methods with staff, participating in joint consultation and negotiation procedures with staff associations and trade unions, promoting effective communication and good working practices. This will include maintaining a resource repository for both forces.
• Attend and advise the Pension Board for Kent and Essex Forces acting as the key contact point for medical retirement pension information, producing reports and papers and linking in with the Head of Payroll and Pensions to ensure this meets the requirements of the board to discharge their responsibilities.
• Develop, analyse, and interpret medical retirement related data, management information and employee feedback to identify trends and issues to shape people and pensions interventions across both forces regarding medical retirement ensuring strategic objectives are met.
• Liaise with the head of Payroll and Pensions to support in any information provision or interpretation for medical retirement pensions for the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) Pensions Information, attending any relevant meetings and interpreting pension regulation updates in order to ensure that the interests of Kent and Essex are fully represented at a national level.
• Liaise with the Head of Payroll and Pensions, and other internal and external stakeholders, to lead any change as required by legislation, including the expected Government White Paper for Police Reform in 2026.
• To undertake the statutory review of those in receipt of medical retirement pension allowances on behalf of the Scheme Manager (Chief Constable) and to provide reporting on progress and outcomes.
• Manage and review corporate HR areas of responsibility, including the design, development and revision of medical retirement policies, processes and conditions of service, implementation of police pension regulations, management of both force's medical retirement pension processes and appeals, influencing associated policy, practices and procedures, including…