Senior Actuarial Trainee

Team: Equity Release & Inflation Risk Modelling

Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment and protection needs of individuals, families and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries and our employees by operating as a modern, agile and welcoming organisation.

Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903. We have hundreds of respected and supported employees committed to doing the right thing for our customers and colleagues.

Canada Life UK is transforming to create a more customer-focused business by providing our customers with expertise on financial and tax planning, offering home finance and annuities propositions, and providing collective fund solutions to third party customers.

Job Purpose
Support the modelling, valuation and reporting of Great-West Lifeco's UK equity release mortgage (ERM) portfolios and the modelling and reporting of inflation risk for Canada Life UK Division.

As a senior actuarial trainee at Canada Life you will be responsible for providing actuarial, statistical and financial insight and analysis to management. You will have the opportunity to advise the business/management to ensure that we are managing our risk exposure to satisfy our statutory responsibilities and the needs of policyholders.

Key Accountabilities
1) Support production of regular ERM valuations and reporting in accordance with the relevant standards and regulations for the UK, Canada, Ireland and Reinsurance Divisions, including:
• Accurate and timely production of IFRS 17 and Solvency II metrics, including base and stressed valuations, quarterly reporting packs, analysis of change, risk reporting, investment reporting.
• Identify, investigate and resolve any issues with the ERM reporting. Where appropriate identify the root cause and work with relevant teams to ensure the issue is not repeated.
• Communicate ERM valuation results to global stakeholders and UK senior management, and provide insight and recommendations as necessary.
• Review the valuation basis for ERMs in accordance with the relevant standards and regulations.
• Continuous improvement of the processes and maintenance of process documentation.
• Support relevant initiatives and projects across the business for ERMs.
2) Support inflation risk reporting as required, including:
• Accurate and timely production of inflation curves for reporting, pricing and investment teams.
• Produce management information and other papers for the Asset/Liability Committee and working groups.
• Communicate inflation MI to the Investment team and support development of appropriate trading strategies.
• Enhance the inflation risk management framework within the UK division.
• Specify enhancements to the inflation model, test model changes and ensure model and process documentation is kept up to date.
• Support the development of Solvency II Inflation risk internal model.
• Provide inflation risk assessments and support stress and scenario testing for the ORSA.
3) General Responsibilities
• Ensure familiarity with risk management programs, as they impact this role, and follow appropriate risk management procedures to control, monitor and report on business activities.
• Ensure compliance with Company policies, regulatory, professional & legal requirements.
• Actively study for the qualification as a FIA (or equivalent).

Desired Knowledge / Experience / Skills
Technical Expertise
• Experience with valuation / reporting work and practical experience with setting actuarial basis.
• Understanding and ability to implement/maintain an actuarial control framework.
• Prior experience with ERMs and / or inflation risk would be advantageous.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of the needs of the business.
• Willing and capable of taking difficult and complex decisions in order to progress issues, and able to exercise sound judgement and commercial sense to understand the importance of different issues and assess when matters need to be escalated.
• Prior experience with Matlab, VBA or R would be advantageous.
Developing knowledge and understanding of different actuarial disciplines including via student rotation
• Developing the ability to interpret as well as analyse financial information to provide insight for immediate line management.
• Developing knowledge of a variety of statistical methods, models and controls, and their commercial application/implication.
• Ability to develop and modify actuarial systems and spreadsheets, developing understanding of their commercial application/implication.
• Intermediate to advanced MS excel skills demonstrating efficient use of spreadsheets and basic data manipulation skills.
• Ability to deliver work to a consistently high standard under tight time pressure with attention to detail.
Communication
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Can explain complexities in a straightforward and accurate way with coaching or support from managers.
Relationship Building
• The ability to develop and maintain strong relationships across the actuarial function, acting with integrity and being a role model for the company values at all times
• Being able to flex their style and approach to different individuals, with occasional coaching and support, in order to achieve a successful outcome.
• Taking part in and making a valuable contribution in different roles via actuarial student rotation.
Problem Solving
• Able to effectively plan, organise and execute their own work with little supervision, making management aware of conflicting priorities and readjusting their workload accordingly.
• Good problem solving skills and attention to detail, being able to identify issues and interdependencies, recommending a course of action with support and guidance from colleagues.
• Proactive approach to tasks and taking on new responsibilities.
Developing Self
• Actively studying for actuarial exams, usually being over half-way through their qualification.
• An interested and inquisitive individual who is committed to their own ongoing professional and personal development.

What you'll like about working here
As a Canada Life UK colleague, you'll receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package including income protection, private medical insurance and life assurance, along with a generous pension and bonus scheme. You'll also receive the support you need with your personal and professional development.

Diversity and inclusion
Canada Life is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Our role as an employer of choice is to provide the right environment for talented people to do their best work, by respecting, understanding and valuing individual differences

"We appreciate that everyone has different work and life responsibilities. We're happy to discuss flexible working arrangements, including part time, for any of our roles should this be a requirement for you "