Career Paths at LPPI

Samuel Williams

Progress through professional development

Seeing change as an opportunity for growth and development is a sure way to advance your career. Samuel Williams, a Senior Financial Reporting and Treasury Accountant, started in a junior contract role at Local Pensions Partnership Investments (LPPI) in the pensions administration department. Embracing opportunities to gain qualifications and try new roles has spurred him onto more senior positions. 

I’m a bit of an opportunist - I make the most of every situation. But I wouldn’t be where I am today without the right guidance.

I did a business studies degree at university and graduated in 2013. When I graduated I wanted to get into marketing, but it was a competitive market and was taking me a while to find something, so I widened my scope. It got to the point where I just thought, let me try to get into a company and then I can move internally.

I started working for LPPI (LPFA at the time) on a fixed-term contract calculating deferred benefits. I worked there for about a year and then an opportunity came up for an accounts payable role. I had an interview and got the role. And everything then just fell into place.

Having the ACCA qualification has made all the difference.

My line manager suggested I do the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) exam, so I did the first level quite quickly. A lot of it was numbers-based, like basic bookkeeping, and it wasn't too taxing. I then started to take on more responsibility with the Financial Control team, and my new manager suggested I jump straight into the ACCA [the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants qualification]. LPPI sponsored me, which was important because it’s not that cheap, as well as making sure I had the right financial reporting and revenue recognition experience by moving into the Financial Reporting team. I worked full time while I was studying, but you get a few days of study leave per exam. And if you need extra time you can take it as annual leave - my managers were pretty flexible. Since qualifying I have been trusted to take on even more responsibility in the form of regulatory reporting and management.

It's definitely a nice place to work.

I've been lucky - I've an employer that supports me and managers who’ve pushed me and enabled me to develop. My current manager and I have a good, open relationship. I feel valued by him and he's keen to help me progress. But I also believe that you make your own luck and need to work hard to achieve what you want.

LPPI is very good in terms of trying to develop young talent. For example, helping me achieve my qualifications. At the minute, we've four individuals doing their professional qualifications just within my department. It's probably one of the main benefits of working at LPPI.

The work-life balance is good here. There are situations where you may have to work a little bit later to get the job done. But some of my managers have young kids and they're disciplined in terms of making sure that we leave at a decent time. We're in the office two to three days a week. This really makes a difference to me, especially with a second child on the way.

Change is just an opportunity to do something new or to progress.

As a young organisation, there's always change at LPPI. Things move at a fast pace. But one thing I try to pass on to junior members of the team is that change brings opportunity - what’s key is to stay open-minded. You can really shape the way things are when you embed new processes. If you position yourself well, work hard, are open to learning and growing, and have a good attitude, then there's definitely the opportunity for you to develop.

Rachel Sollis

Embrace life’s opportunities

Pivoting into different roles and learning new skills can be challenging, but can also provide new opportunities for career growth. Rachel Sollis, a Senior Compliance Officer at Local Pensions Partnership Investments (LPPI), explains what she has learned from the different roles she has held during her career: from leaving teacher training for accountancy, to auditing and working in a regulatory environment at LPPI.

I did my degree in business and management, and I thought I was going to be a teacher. Big mistake! I did about six to eight weeks of teacher training and decided, no, I definitely don't want to be a teacher. So, I moved back home to Lancashire.

I joined Lancashire Council as a trainee accountant, rotating around accountancy and audit teams.

I saw the job advertised for a three-year programme and my immediate impression was: “That's ideal as it brings together two things I like.” I was interested in politics and had done politics A-level. And my strength during my degree was always on the finance side. When I qualified, I got a job as an accountant in corporate finance, where I worked on producing the annual budget and statement of accounts for the Council.

It's not just about numbers.

I soon learned that it’s important to be able to relate to people, even though you work with numbers all day. As an auditor, you walk into somebody's premises first thing in the morning, and they think they're just about to have the worst day of their life. So, you need an ability to put people at ease and ask them questions they can understand. You’re always out and about dealing with people, so the ability to really listen and communicate well is key. I really enjoy this aspect of the job.

I enjoy making a difference.

You then start to learn what is important to you at work. Throughout my career, I've always enjoyed working in multidisciplinary groups where I'm with lots of people from different areas. It's about everybody working together, playing their bit, but understanding where other people are coming from. When I moved on to work as the Senior Accountant on a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) school building project, I enjoyed that so much more because I could see the impact of what I was doing. The project wasn't just about rebuilding schools - old schools were disestablished and the catchment areas changed - a bit of social engineering.

To be involved in that big procurement exercise and get to the stage where the preferred bidder started building the schools was fantastic. I wasn't on the project by the time they were built because I went on to leave to have my son, but they're just down the road from me, so I see them every day.

Life at LPPI is interesting. It changes every day.

I can’t quite believe LPPI will reach its 10th anniversary next year. This is probably the longest period I have ever stayed in one role, but I can honestly say that every day is still different!

My nine years at LPPI have been a rollercoaster of transition. I feel lucky to have been part of the company’s growth, as this has allowed me to develop and grow with it. I've had the opportunity to be involved in some major regulatory changes over the years, and I can see how my previous experience has contributed to where I am today and given me some important lessons.

I really love working at LPPI, it's a friendly place to work. We work in an open plan office, including the executive members - so everybody's approachable. The culture is incredibly special and it’s a great working environment. You feel as though they really do care about you. You get the opportunity to be part of some of big, varied projects and never quite know what's going to come in your inbox every day, in terms of questions that you might get from the business.

Embrace the opportunities that come your way.

When you start out you never realise how many opportunities there are, and also what life could throw at you. What I would say is, just keep your options open and really explore all there is out there. Nowadays it’s easy to move roles and find out what you really enjoy doing.

We work in a massive industry and it's very demanding. So, it's important to find the right kind of employer who has that good work-life balance and wants to look after you and nurture you.

At LPPI, what makes it great is all the little things that you just can't necessarily put a value on. Everybody is really great to work with and there are plenty of opportunities to grow. Everybody works together and just gets on with it. It’s a supportive working environment: you can tell that LPPI cares about what they offer people as an employer and that they think about the bigger picture.

Carl Jeffreys

Grab opportunities for learning: taking charge of your career development

A culture of collaborative working and support can make a world of difference at work. Carl Jeffreys, Senior Service Delivery Manager, has worked at Local Pensions Partnership Investments (LPPI) for almost seven years - from starting as an IT contractor. Mentoring and being able to carve out his role have played a key part in Carl‘s professional development.

As the company has evolved, so have I. It’s exciting to be a part of this growth.   

I started at Local Pensions Partnership (LPP), as it was then, back in August 2018 as an ICT Project Manager on a short-term contract. Not long after, I applied for and was offered a permanent role as ICT Team Lead. In 2020, LPP split into two separate entities: LPPA for pension administration and LPPI for investment management. I was then promoted into a new position - Senior Service Delivery Manager. It was a significant step up for me and came at a time when LPPI was evolving its technology and ensuring it was fit for the future. I had the opportunity to help shape that new direction and to carve out my role.

I’ve never taken my relationship with management, peers and colleagues for granted.

The support from my line manager, peers and colleagues has been outstanding. We’ve had loads of opportunities together, from unpicking different challenges to decisions on how we could shape the business’s future with technology. My current line manager asked me the type of role I wanted to be involved in, and I asked him what he wanted from me: it was very much two-way. That’s an example of the collaborative way of working at LPPI. And we created the role I'm in now.

I get the encouragement I need to take a lead on my own development

At LPPI, you can take the lead on your career development, underpinned by real structure and support. Everyone can complete a ‘talent profile’ - you fill out your aspirations: where you are now, where you want to be and what training you think you might need to reach your end career goals. And you go through it all with your line manager. I’ve taken advantage of these opportunities, completing my talent profile and engaging in open discussions about what I need to achieve my goals. I’ve done internal training, and LPPI also funded a globally recognised external qualification in ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) for me.  Career growth isn’t handed to us, it’s something we shape through choices, feedback, and continuous learning. That mindset has helped me take ownership of my development and make the most of every opportunity.

It’s great being part of a growing company – it’s incredibly busy and no two days are the same.

There are plenty of opportunities here to get involved with different things. We’ve a relatively small IT team – so we all have to wear multiple hats. But no-one minds getting involved in things that are outside their comfort zone, because there’s a ‘no fear’ culture at work. No-one has their own office – everyone is ‘on the floor’, so even the most senior people are approachable. From the start, I felt listened to. Now I’m in a position where others on the team seek my input and experience.

Serious but fun – they’re the first two words that come to mind when describing our culture.

I’ve always really liked my team. I get on with them. They are good people and there’s a strong sense of community. We have regular business briefings, recognition awards and social events organised by a dedicated events team, everything from summer parties to festive celebrations.  All these things genuinely make a difference, helping to create an environment where people feel they belong, can grow, and truly thrive. They excel at the ‘softer’ aspects too, offering a balance of challenge and support that’s both motivating and reassuring.

I am genuinely proud to work at LPPI.

My career has gone from strength to strength, and it’s changed me as a person. I'm looking forward to the next chapter. If you asked me if you should take a job at LPPI, I’d say go for it. From a support perspective, you’re listened to, there are plenty of opportunities to feedback, and flexible working is a massive help for those outside London. Times are changing with local government pension schemes - it truly is an exciting time to join

Helen Connor

Taking the leap into a new career can be daunting. But with determination and ambition, embracing the challenge can pay off.

We talk to Helen Connor, a Deputy Portfolio Manager at Local Pensions Partnership Investments (LPPI), about her career journey: from starting in a temp admin role, to taking professional actuarial exams, and now working in LPPI’s investment strategy team.

"It sounds a bit geeky, but I really liked maths at uni. I even did maths papers for fun! But I had no idea what to do with that, apart from being a maths teacher. I definitely had no idea it would lead to where I am today. I always thought I wanted an office job because a lot of my friends did accounting or something like that. I also wanted to have a career, but I didn't know what it would be. "