Senior Pension & Benefits Specialist - Contract
Bolton, Ontario, Canada, L7E 3A9
Who We Are
Becoming experts on beer doesn't happen overnight - we've been in business since 1927 and today, The Beer Store is the primary distribution and sales channel for beer in Ontario and is owned by 30+ Ontario-based brewers! Through our Retail Stores, Distribution Centres, Draught Services, Customer Contact Centre, and our Corporate Office, we form one large team that is passionate about the beer business. The Beer Store is proud to foster a respectful and inclusive culture that expands and leverages the diverse talents, experiences, and perspectives of our team members to deliver exceptional service for our customers. We continue to be successful by working together, respecting each other, having a positive attitude and by trying new and innovative ideas. Not only are we knowledgeable, passionate, and loyal ambassadors for beer, we’re also health and safety advocates, environmental champions, DEIB enthusiasts and we give proudly back to our communities.
The Role
We are currently searching for a Senior Pension & Benefits Specialist reporting to the Supervisor, Pension & Benefits. This is a 24-month, full-time contract opportunity. This role oversees the administration and compliance of pension and benefits programs, ensuring accuracy in audits, valuations, filings, and complex calculations. It provides subject matter expertise, supports employee education, manages vendor relationships, and leads system enhancements and special projects to improve efficiency and service delivery.
Location
Our Corporate Office is located in Bolton, ON. We offer Remote/Hybrid Flex work with visits into the office on an as-needed basis depending on the role and function.
What You'll Be Doing
- Lead the coordination, validation, and quality review of audits, actuarial valuations, plan amendments, and regulatory filings to ensure compliance with legislation, plan documents, and collective agreements
- Oversee pension and benefits data analysis, identifying trends and root causes, and ensuring accurate reporting for stakeholders and vendors
- Analyze actuarial valuation reports to confirm defined benefit pension plans are funded according to actuarial standards and legal requirements
- Supervise and validate pension benefit calculations and statements for life events such as retirement, termination, death, and marriage breakdown
- Review complex pension calculations, including PAs, PARs, PSPAs, and pension indexation, ensuring accuracy and compliance
- Manage third-party vendor relationships to ensure high-quality delivery of pension and benefits services in line with plan guidelines and strategies
- Provide subject matter expertise, training, and technical guidance to team members and develop materials such as manuals and communication tools
- Design and deliver employee education sessions and consult with staff and retirees on pension and benefits matters
- Collaborate with HRIS and external vendors on system enhancements and lead special projects related to budgeting, compliance, and efficiency improvements
- Perform other related duties and projects as assigned
Who You Are - Your Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Education
- University degree or college certificate in Human Resources Management (HRM), Commerce, Mathematics, Economics, Actuarial Science or other related discipline
Experience
- Minimum 5 years' of defined benefit pension experience, with particular emphasis in defined benefit plan administration, regulatory compliance, financial analysis and planning
- Minimum of 5 years' of benefit plan administration experience, with emphasis on Administrative Services Only (ASO) and insured programs, and plan designs
- Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Human Resources Information System (HRIS) such as PeopleSoft or SAP
Skills
- Excellent analytical skills with strong mathematical aptitude to help digest data
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate with employees across all levels of the organization
- Excellent time management and problem solving skills in a fast paced environment
- Ability to take on a leadership role and provide guidance to junior team members
- Experience analyzing and applying regulatory and compliance documents
- Maintenance of confidentiality and understanding of privacy requirements
- Strong knowledge of applicable legislation (e.g. Pension Benefits Act, Income Tax Act, Family Law Act and provincial benefit plans)
- Advanced MS Office – solid proficiency in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and emphasis on Excel
What We Offer
Our success as an organization is a result of our commitment to our greatest strength…our people! We believe that any opportunity we can provide to help further your career growth and development is an investment in not only your individual success, but our overall success as a business.
We work to recognize you in meaningful ways including a competitive compensation, a health benefits program, employee & family assistance program, recognition programs, hybrid work arrangement, summer hours, employee special offers, and a casual dress and work environment.
*Benefits and perks are dependent upon role and status and are subject to change at the sole discretion of the company.
Equal Opportunity Employer
We are committed to providing a respectful and empowering workplace that values our greatest resource, our people. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging are essential components of our culture that empower us to meet the needs of our employees, customers and communities. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds including racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and any other characteristic. We’re an equal opportunity employer and provide employment accommodation in accordance with provincial legislation. If contacted for an employment opportunity or testing, please advise Human Resources if you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process.
We genuinely thank you for your interest in this opportunity with us. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
