Pension Specialist

**OUR COMPANY BACKGROUND & CULTURE**

The UPP is a new, jointly sponsored pension plan that serves all active, retired, and deferred members and beneficiaries of the five current pension plans of the founding institutions - Queen’s University, the University of Guelph, and the University of Toronto. UPP serves more than 35,000 members and manages assets of approximately $10.5 billion. The UPP is an exciting and ground-breaking pension start-up, intended to help enhance the long-term sustainability of defined benefit pension plans in the university sector for generations to come. Drawing on the decades of experience of our predecessors, our commitment is to protect the stability of our members’ pensions and deliver service excellence to our members and employers.

Our people drive performance. We live a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion - across race, place, gender expression, sexual identity, and cultures. The ability to bring your whole self to work drives performance. We actively look for talent that shares this commitment to inclusion and connectedness.

**THE ROLE**

Reporting to the Senior Director, Pension Services, this is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Pension Services professional to join a team of high performing professionals to make a great impact. For the first two years, this role is seconded and will work directly with the Director, Pension Services at Queen’s University. Thereafter, the role will permanently transition to UPP.

UPP has adopted a Hybrid Work Model which allows staff the flexibility to work remotely with the opportunity to work in person at the office ~2 days a week. Our office is located in downtown Toronto.

**SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES**:

- Acts as the primary contact for escalated matters for members of the pension plan, including active faculty and staff, retirees, and vested deferred members, responding to questions regarding retirement estimates and quotes, retirement planning, termination, and death benefit payments, etc.
- Prepares and/or coordinates statutory reporting requirements including annual member statements, pension adjustments for T4s, special payments, and quarterly pension adjustment reversals; ensures compliance with the pension plan text, all legally prescribed timelines, and internal policies; ensures that all data is accurate and comprehensive
- Monitors the activities of the co-sourced pension service provided by the plan’s administrative consultant (Aon) to ensure accuracy of member information, provides payroll data analysis as required, and coordinates data corrections with Payroll Services
- Responsible for providing members with timely communication and information
- Provides analytical and technical expertise and works collaboratively with the UPP team in the review, interpretation, development and implementation of pension-related policies, procedures, and guidelines.
- Liaises extensively with UPP and its external partners, such as the plan’s actuary, data conversion vendor and trustee/custodian
- Remains current on pension benefit trends, practices and procedures, and evaluates and recommends adjustments as warranted
- Provides training, information, and guidance regarding pension administration to the Human Resources Client Service Team and other Human Resources staff to expand the knowledge and understanding of UPP plan provisions and pension legislation
- Provides work direction, and technical/functional guidance to Pension Services staff
- Schedules and assigns work and oversees its completion
- Coordinates and monitors workflow
- Reviews assignments and provides feedback on work to employees
- Provides input on work performance to management staff
- Provides orientation and on-the-job training to employees on the Pension Services team
- Has co-signing authority with Director as per established internal processes
- Recommends improvements to pension administration
- Supports the Senior Director on special pension projects as needed
- Other duties as assigned

**QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE**:

- Completed college diploma or university degree with 3+ years of strong client service experience in the pension, insurance or financial services industry
- CEBS or PPAC would be an asset
- Strong oral and written communication skills and an ability to communicate complex information clearly and at a level appropriate for the member and employer
- Professional, client-focused approach to colleagues and assignments
- Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things
- Ability to organize, set priorities and work independently

**ATTRIBUTES**:

- Strong client service disposition
- Good numeric skills to ensure accuracy in calculations of pension entitlements, payments and deductions
- Self-motivated, flexible, and adaptable to changing priorities and new challenges
- Logical and detail oriented
- Strong commitment to innovation and continuous improvement
- Pro-active pr