Placement and Graduate opportunities

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1 Placement and Graduate opportunities

2 We strive to provide interesting and worthwhile career opportunities for our employees and believe this emphasis sets us apart and ensures our employees engage and thrive in the work that they carry out.

3 Spence has a unique culture, one of which I am very proud of and believe would be hard to replicate. I work with individuals every day who I believe are the best in their field, innovators and problem solvers, delivering quality to our clients and ensuring they meet their particular needs. Our employees are dedicated to their roles and each other in a way I have not witnessed before and that sets us apart. Our award winning group of companies are ideally positioned to develop future industry influencers. At Spence, our Placement Programme is integral to our structure and our service to our clients. We believe in empowerment at all levels within our organisation and we ensure our Placement and Graduates gain the tools, skills, confidence and experience that they need to get a head start in the industry. Our Placement Programme continues to evolve and produce excellent industry ready individuals with experience that they would not gain elsewhere, evidenced by the fact that we have a successful return rate of students after Graduation. Spence is a learning organisation and we ensure that learning and working goes hand in hand for all our employees in order to maximize their full potential. Brian Spence

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5 We recruit the best people and, by investing in their future, we also invest in the future of Spence and our clients What to expect You will be involved in all aspects of the business from an early stage and our flat corporate structure will mean you will work alongside key industry influencers from the outset. We promote a friendly and collaborative atmosphere at all levels of the business and placement and graduate students are integrated immediately as members of the team. If your application is successful, no matter what area of the business you are assigned to, you will be able to take full advantage of the opportunity to work within a real industry setting with professionals by your side to teach and inspire you along the way. We promote a friendly and collaborative atmosphere at all levels of the business... You will be offered an interesting and rewarding placement experience within our award winning company which will readily equip you for working life after graduation and as a graduate you will be offered an excellent opportunity to start a successful career. Flexible working practice to suit individuals needs. Our colleagues enjoy: A generous study leave package, for those studying. A flexible benefits package, including core benefits of permanent health insurance, pension, life assurance with the option to avail of a wide range of flexible benefits. Here is what our recent graduates and placements say about their experience with us. Rachel Graham Placement Student, Graduate Recruit, Actuarial Technician I gained so much from my placement experience and it confirmed for me that the actuarial profession was where I saw my future Martin Purvis Placement Student, Graduate Recruit, Pensions Administrator, Data Analyst, Pension Trustee Assistant My placement year spent with Spence proved to be the most crucial of my four year degree course. David Bogle Placement Student, Graduate Recruit, Actuarial Technician You are encouraged to be yourself at work and using your initiative is encouraged and rewarded.

6 Spence & Partners is a professional firm of actuaries, pension consultants, data specialists and administrators who since 2000, has built a team of personnel with a breadth and depth of experience and expertise. We strive to understand the real world pressure on our clients in today s market and we work with those who appreciate our straight talking approach. We focus on innovation and technology to provide a more efficient and cost effective service but understand that a personal touch is needed to guide people through a complex landscape.

7 Our focus is on innovation and utilising technology solutions to provide a more efficient and cost effective service. Kareen McDonagh Placement Student 2016 Graduate 2017 I heard about Spence through the QUB Placement Office whilst preparing for my placement year. The staff spoke very highly of Spence which encouraged me to attend their information evening. I learned about all the opportunities available and it was following this evening that I decided to apply as an actuarial placement student. I could never have imagined how much work I would get involved in. My roles included acting as actuarial support and helping with other departments such as the Administration, Finance, Accounts and Payroll teams. Due to the vast amount of work I was involved in, it allowed me to develop my professional and technical skills whilst also enhancing my business awareness as a whole. It is due to this that there is never a typical day in Spence. The responsibility I held increased throughout the year and I was carrying out more complex tasks. Within the year, I was already checking other students work and providing training to more senior members of staff. This reflects Spence s approach of treating their placement students as integral members of the organisation. During my placement year, Spence offered me a graduate position within the company to complete the actuarial exams. I learned a lot about the actuarial exams from my colleagues and I am very grateful for all the study support offered by Spence. Completing my placement year at Spence was the best decision for me as it provided me with valuable experience inside and outside of my actuarial role. I would highly recommend Spence to any student wanting a placement year that is busy, fast-paced but extremely rewarding. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time to date with the company and I look forward to the future. I could never have imagined how much work I would get involved in.

8 Approachable personnel with a breadth and depth of experience allows us to provide our clients with a market leading service proposition throughout the UK. Rachel Graham Placement Student 2009 Graduate 2011 I was one of the first students to graduate from the Actuarial Science and Risk Management degree at Queen s University Belfast in My third year of study required students to gain exposure in an actuarial working environment and I was fortunate enough to secure my placement year at Spence. During my time there I was involved in a variety of actuarial tasks and from day one was contributing to proper actuarial work. I had guidance and support along the way and everyone at Spence was always willing to answer any questions and made me feel at home from the very beginning I gained so much from my placement experience and it confirmed for me that the actuarial profession was where I saw my future. Since returning to Spence as a graduate in August 2011 I have developed my professional skills and knowledge as a result of the variety of work I have had the opportunity to be involved in. I am currently progressing through the actuarial exams and hope to qualify as an actuary in the near future. Spence provides great study support which includes subsidised study materials and tutorials, a study mentor and a bank of study days to help us achieve an appropriate work-study balance. I cannot speak highly enough of my experience to date with Spence, my personal and professional development has been beyond my expectations. It has been exciting, challenging and extremely rewarding and I look forward to what the future at Spence holds for me. I gained so much from my placement experience and it confirmed for me that the actuarial profession was where I saw my future.

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11 Our ability to truly innovate in an industry that can often appear stagnant has been a huge factor in our ability to provide unique opportunities for our employees. Martin Purvis Placement Student 2009 Graduate Recruit 2011 I joined Spence & Partners on 1st July 2009, returned as a graduate in 2011 and my journey still continues with sister company Dalriada Trustees. Studying Actuarial Science and Risk Management at Queens University Belfast, I was required to spend my third year on placement gaining real life experience. Studying such a specialised course presented the difficult task of finding a suitable company that matched not just my course, but me as an individual. I initially learned of Spence through my QUB careers advisor, admittedly I knew little about actuarial firms in practice at that time. Perfectly sized, it offered the opportunity to work closely with different professionals on a wide range of projects. Immediately my position within the company became clear, I was not treated as a placement student, but as an equal member of staff. On a daily basis I worked with a variety of actuaries, consultants, accountants and pension administrators. Each day I would be presented with new tasks, new projects and new challenges. Under the inexhaustible guidance of my colleagues, I gained experience at a phenomenal rate. I was actively encouraged to take responsibility for my own work alongside involvement on numerous group projects. As my time at Spence progressed, I gained not only much needed experience, but a drive to forge a career within this industry. Returning as a graduate I joined the pension database function, specialising in data transition, audit and management. This provided me with the opportunity to build a technical understanding of data and the numerous platforms used within the industry. I set to work on adding a new technical dimension to my actuarial and pensions background. In December 2013 I progressed to the consultancy team, working under the banner of Spence s sister company, Dalriada Trustees Limited. I now work on a wide range of schemes, both Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution. A number of my schemes have been appointed to us via The Pensions Regulator or the Courts, many amidst suspicions of Pensions Liberation Fraud, a corruptive approach used to offer early access to retirement savings. To work on such high profile and difficult cases, at such an early stage of my career, is a testament to the opportunities made available to me. Benefiting from the guidance of a senior consultant on a daily basis, I am now immersed in a challenging and interesting career. As my time at Spence progressed, I gained not only much needed experience, but a drive to forge a career within this industry.

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13 It is important that we have a broad spectrum of people and skills, it is the only way we will remain sustainable and successful. Teresa McClean Placement Student 2014 Graduate 2016 I joined Spence & Partners in July 2014 as a placement student from the Finance degree at Queens University Belfast. As a member of the Administration Team I was entrusted with the wide range of responsibilities that are involved in the day-to-day management of pension schemes. As my skills progressed and I became more integrated within the company, I was also asked to join the Liberation Team which provided me with many challenging and rewarding opportunities. My year with Spence has been the greatest highlight of my time at university. The company s commitment to ensuring I received the best possible experience as a placement student allowed me to develop many personal and technical skills including communication, leadership, teamwork, excel and mathematical skills to name a few. The staff create a welcoming and friendly atmosphere which helped me to enjoy every day and work to the best of my potential. At Spence & Partners, individuals are recognised and rewarded for their hard work and efforts. Personally, I can accredit some of my greatest achievements to Spence, having been nominated by my mentors and won the company s Young Achiever of the Year Award 2015 and the Student Recognition Award 2015, both of which I consider to be invaluable additions to my CV. My placement year at Spence greatly prepared me for my final year at university as well as working life afterwards, as I am now a much more confident, self-believing and qualified individual than when I began. With the generosity of Spence to sponsor me throughout my final year at university, I was able to fully concentrate on my studies and I am now delighted to be returning to commence a graduate role in which I will undertake greater responsibilities and advance my career opportunities. individuals are recognised and rewarded for their hard work and efforts. Personally, I can accredit some of my greatest achievements to Spence

14 All newcomers at Spence are given a degree of freedom and responsibility for their own development. Matthew Leathem Graduate 2014 I joined Spence and Partners in June 2014 having recently graduated from the Actuarial Science degree at Queens. Working at Spence was attractive to me at the time due to the growing and ambitious nature of the company and I was not disappointed. All newcomers at Spence are given a degree of freedom and responsibility for their own development. This means that any ideas are taken on board and very often you can see your ideas come to fruition. Over my time here I have enjoyed being able to contribute to our award winning software Mantle, and also to our investment function together with my main work within the actuarial function. Every day presents different challenges due to the breadth of work we undertake, this helps keep the job interesting and will also mean that you can develop a wide range of skills. I have recently qualified as an actuary and benefited greatly from the study support provided by Spence, including study materials, attendance at tutorials and most importantly the support of other colleagues going through the actuarial exams to help develop an effective study plan. My experience at Spence so far has been great and it has really helped me develop both personally and professionally. I m excited to see what the future holds here. I have recently qualified as an actuary and benefited greatly from the study support provided by Spence

15 If you are interested in joining our team... Please apply via our website Applicants are requested to submit a CV and cover letter which clearly illustrates that their skills and experience are relevant to the post requirements. Please ensure you clearly outline your academic qualifications. Any queries please contact our HR team: Spence & Partners Limited, Chamber of Commerce House, 22 Great Victoria Street, Belfast BT2 7BA. T :

16 Spence & Partners Limited 22 Great Victoria Street Belfast BT2 7BA T : +44 (0) West Regent Street Glasgow G2 1RW T : +44 (0) New Broad Street London EC2M 1JH T : +44 (0) Castlemead, Lower Castle Street Bristol BS1 3AG T : +44 (0) Pall Mall Court King Street Manchester M2 4PD T : +44 (0) E : mail@spenceandpartners.co.uk spenceandpartners.co.uk Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered No. NI37760