East Sussex Pension Fund (ESPF) is seeking an Independent Person to provide advice on Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) governance, administration and investments. This is a new role that has been created in response to the Government’s Fit for the Future reforms. The deadline of applications is 5pm on 7th September with interviews expected to take place in late September/early October.
The full details of the role are highlighted on the webpage below. We have also provided a summary of the role in the PDF below:
Independent person brochure (PDF)
We can provide a text-only version if required. Please email [email protected]
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East Sussex Pension Fund is seeking an Independent Person to provide advice on Local Government Pension Scheme governance, administration and investments. This is a new role that has been created in response to the Government’s Fit for the Future reforms.
The Independent Person will play a key role in supporting the Pension Committee and any Senior Officer by providing independent and professional expertise to support scrutiny and challenge in line with statutory guidance and best practice.
The introduction of an Independent Person is a key element of the enhanced governance framework for the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The role is intended to strengthen independent oversight, provide constructive challenge, and offer assurance across all aspects of the Fund’s activities, including investment strategy, funding arrangements, administration, governance, and pooling activities. Through this appointment, the Fund will benefit from increased transparency, stronger decision-making, and enhanced accountability, further reinforcing the effectiveness of its existing governance arrangements.
The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is a defined benefit, career average revalued earnings scheme, which in England and Wales is administered through 86 local Funds serving approximately 6.9 million members.
Further information about the benefits of the LGPS can be found on the LGPS member website. Information regarding the Scheme regulations and resources published by the LGPS can be found on the LGPS regulations and guidance website.
East Sussex County Council is the Administering Authority of East Sussex Pension Fund. As at the last triennial valuation on 31 March 2025, the Fund had over 93,000 members divided into 25,000 active members, 41,701 deferred members and 26,841 pensioner members.
Currently, in excess of 100 employers participate in the Fund including East Sussex County Council, Brighton and Hove City Council, five district and borough councils, town and parish councils, academies, free schools, colleges, a university and many private contractors as admission bodies. East Sussex is an area affected by Local Government re-organisation and more information on this can be found on the link below:
What is reorganisation and devolution?
As at the most recent triennial valuation, the Fund Actuary determined the Fund to be 117% funded. The full valuation report can be found on the Fund’s website.
With effect from April 2026, the Fund officially became a shareholder in the Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd investment pool, and has began the process of transitioning assets from the ACCESS investment pool, as part of the government’s Fit for the Future reforms. The Fund holds some legacy assets within the ACCESS Pool which will continue to be managed until all assets have been transferred to Border to Coast. As at 31 March 2026, the Fund had c£5.5bn assets under management.
The East Sussex Pension Fund website contains a variety of information and documents that may be of interest to applicants. This includes the Fund’s triennial valuation reports, newsletters, policies and strategies, guides for members and employers, among a much wider collection of useful information.
The East Sussex Pension Committee has responsibility for the management of the Fund. The Committee consists of 5 County Councillors, the makeup of which reflects the overall political balance of the Council. The current Committee was appointed in May 2026, following local elections in East Sussex, and is made up of 2 Reform UK councillors, 1 Green Party councillor (who holds the role of Chair), 1 Liberal Democrat councillor and 1 Independent nominated councillor.
The current full terms of reference for the Committee can be found in the East Sussex County Council constitution. The responsibilities held by the Committee include, but are not limited to:
· Ensuring the Fund is administered, managed and pension payments are made in compliance with the regulations and having regard to statutory guidance
· Determining the Fund's aims and objectives, strategies, statutory compliance statements, policies and procedures for the overall management of the Fund
· Making arrangements for actuarial valuations, ongoing monitoring of liabilities and undertaking any asset / liability and other relevant studies
· Ensuring robust risk management arrangements are in place, considering and making recommendations in relation to the internal audit strategy and internal audit report pertaining to the management of the Fund and reviewing its findings
The Fund has a dedicated Training Strategy which applies to all members of the Committee (as well as Board members and officers) and which includes the expectation to attend regular training sessions in order they may maintain an appropriate level of knowledge and skills to perform their role effectively.
As a non-voting member of the Committee, the Independent Person would work with the Pension Committee members and provide impartial advice to them regarding the management of the Fund.
The East Sussex Pension Board also assist the Pension Committee in running the Fund by providing oversight of the work undertaken by the Fund and providing challenge and scrutiny to officers and Pensions Committee.
A request has been made to the Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government to merge Pension Board and Pension Committee and a response is awaited. Further details can be found below.
The Independent Person will provide objective and independent insight, drawing on their professional experience to support informed, evidence-based decision-making that reflects the long-term interests of members, employers and other stakeholders.
A key aspect of the role is to support the Pension Committee and Senior Officer in maintaining high standards of governance by promoting transparency, constructive challenge and effective scrutiny of investment, funding and administration matters. The Independent Person will help ensure that risks and opportunities are appropriately considered and that decisions are robust and well-founded.
The role also supports the Fund in meeting statutory and regulatory requirements, as well as recognised LGPS good practice. Through independent oversight and challenge, the Independent Person will help ensure the Fund operates effectively, responsibly and in accordance with its legal and fiduciary responsibilities.
Working within an established governance framework, the Independent Person will contribute to a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and sustainable outcomes for both scheme members and employers.
Some of the key responsibilities of the role will include:
| Participation |
In person attendance at Pension Committee, providing independent insight, constructive challenge, and informed commentary to support effective decision-making. Virtual attendance at Investment and Administration Working Groups will also be required (4 per year each).
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| Scrutiny |
Independently assess and challenge reports, recommendations and advice provided by the Fund’s professional advisers, actuary, investment managers and LGPS pool, ensuring assumptions, risks and alternative options are fully considered.
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| Strategic Support |
Support the development and review of the Fund’s strategic documents, including the Investment Strategy Statement, Funding Strategy Statement, Governance Strategy, Administration Strategy and Training Strategy, providing independent challenge to ensure they are effective, compliant and fit for purpose.
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| Oversight |
Support the Committee and officers in monitoring investment performance, reviewing pooling governance and operational arrangements, assessing pension administration effectiveness, and evaluating the Fund’s approach to risk management.
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| Engagement |
Review the Independent Governance Review findings and challenge proposed improvement actions, supporting the Committee and officers to ensure governance improvements are implemented promptly and effectively.
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| Collaboration |
Develop and maintain constructive relationships with key stakeholders, including the LGPS Senior Officer, Pension Committee Chair and Local Pension Board Chair, to support effective governance and collaborative decision-making.
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| Integrity and standards |
Uphold high standards of integrity, independence and professionalism, ensuring decisions and contributions are free from conflicts of interest and focused on the best interests of scheme members and employers.
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| Independent Approach |
Provide impartial, evidence-based advice and challenge, helping to ensure decisions are objective, well-informed and aligned with the Fund’s best interests.
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In terms of the time commitment required for the role, the Independent Person would be:
(*) It should be noted that East Sussex Pension Fund has made an application to the Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government to combine the Fund’s Pensions Committee and Local Pension Board.. However, please note that this change may result in the creation of Pension Investment Sub Committee at which the Independent Person would be required to attend.
Please note that the Independent Person is not an employee of East Sussex County Council.
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Essential experience |
We are seeking candidates with a strong track record in pension governance, trusteeship, investment oversight, and scheme administration. Individuals who have held senior leadership roles in public service, financial services, regulatory organisations, or governance-focused environments will be particularly well suited to this position. |
Applicants should be able to demonstrate one of the following to carry out the role:
Some of the key skills applicants should hold include:
| Constructive challenge |
The confidence and ability to provide effective challenge, scrutinising assumptions, recommendations and risks in a thoughtful and constructive manner. They must be capable of questioning proposals and decisions objectively, ensuring robust governance and informed decision-making, while remaining focused on achieving positive outcomes for the Fund and its stakeholders.
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| Analysis and communication |
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to assess complex financial, actuarial and governance information and reach sound, evidence-based conclusions. Communicates clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, and contributes constructively to Committee discussions while articulating independent views with confidence.
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| Professionalism |
Act with integrity, independence and professionalism, maintaining transparency, managing conflicts of interest appropriately, respecting confidentiality, and upholding the high ethical standards expected of an LGPS governance role.
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| Independence |
Maintain the highest standards of independence and propriety, avoiding any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that could undermine their ability to provide objective oversight and effective stewardship on behalf of East Sussex Pension Fund and its stakeholders.
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Remuneration will be agreed in the terms of the service contract and will reflect the responsibilities of the role and prevailing market rates. Please contact Susan Greenwood, Head of Pensions to discuss this further:
Reasonable costs will also be met by the Fund.
Applicants should provide a covering statement demonstrating how the role requirements are met along with a CV.
Responses will be used to shortlist applicants. Applicants will be required to attend an informal interview prior to appointment.
Applications should be emailed to:
The deadline receipt of applications is 5pm on 7th September with interview expected to take place in late September/early October.
Note: Applicants must not be employed by, have a contractual relationship with, or hold a financial interest in any organisation that provides paid services to the Fund. This includes providers of pension advisory, actuarial, investment consultancy, Independent Governance Review (IGR), or similar professional services.
Candidates must declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest and take appropriate steps to manage them.