Senior Manager, Pension & Benefits

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This role plays a crucial role in providing strategic leadership, development, governance, and continuous improvement of retirement programs, group benefit plans, and other employee benefit initiatives. These include employee & family assistance programs, discount programs, and employee share ownership programs. You will ensure that benefits and pension programs remain competitive, sustainable, and aligned with business objectives and industry best practices.

The Senior Manager is responsible for governance, compliance, and execution of retirement programs while leading the management pension committee’s work plan. The incumbent also spearheads HR and cross-functional projects, collaborating with various stakeholders to support overall Total Rewards strategy.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Director, Total Rewards to develop strategies for retirement plans (Defined Benefit & Capital Accumulation Plans), group benefits, and wellness programs, ensuring alignment with the total rewards vision and talent strategy.
• Partner with business units, HR, and vendors to identify opportunities, market trends, and insights to define a strategic vision for pension and benefits.
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve retirement and benefit programs, plan designs, policies, and procedures, including modeling, business case development, and ROI analysis.
• Manage retirement plan governance requirements as per the governance work plan and framework documents defined by the Management Pension Committee. Ensure compliance with federally regulated pension plans and applicable laws.
• Act as a Centre of Excellence (COE) expert, fostering cross-functional collaboration and continuously improving the Total Rewards COE as part of the HR Operating Model.
• Manage external vendors to ensure seamless benefits administration, identifying opportunities for process improvements and service enhancements.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of pension and benefits professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Ensure a seamless employee experience by developing clear communication strategies to educate employees on their benefits and retirement options.

Qualifications:

• University degree in Business Management or Human Resources preferred.
• Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) or Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation preferred.
• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) certification or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum 5+ years of progressive experience in pension and benefits management, with a strong track record of leading strategic initiatives and implementing innovative solutions.
• Minimum 5+ years’ experience negotiating recommendations and insights to various stakeholder groups while maintaining a collaborative business partnering approach.
• Technical proficiency in Defined Benefit, Defined Contribution, Executive Pension, Group RRSP, TFSA, and Group Insurance arrangements. Knowledge of 401K plans is an asset.
• High business acumen with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels, including the Executive level.
• Strong data-driven decision-making skills, with extensive experience developing business cases using quantitative and qualitative data to inform strategy.
• Vendor management expertise, including experience in contract negotiations, RFPs, and performance evaluations.
• Leadership capabilities with a proven ability to develop and manage high-performing teams.
• High level of integrity and discretion when handling confidential information.

David Aplin & Associates Inc., operating as Aplin, and its associated brands, CompuStaff and Impact Recruitment, is an award-winning employment agency connecting diverse, top-tier talent with exceptional organizations across North America. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and charge no fees to apply or engage with our recruiters. Our clients partner with us to help expand and diversify their teams. Please note that all applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada, including holding any necessary work permits.