Benefits Specialist- Group Administration

Reporting to the Supervisor of the Administration Department, the Benefits Specialist will be responsible for delivering on-going training to support staff development to our Third-Party Administration (TPA) administration department. In this role, the Benefits Specialist plays a lead-hand role by assisting, reviewing, auditing, and establishing or refining procedures. The Benefits Specialist is responsible for communicating with the Supervisor to identify training needs, including designing, developing, coordinating and conducting training programs. This individual will ensure employees are given the necessary training and tools needed to succeed in their roles, in addition to assessing and recommending changes to help guide the evolution of current programs. The Benefits Specialist will also assist with new group setups, plan changes, project support, enhancing and testing systems and assist with other initiatives supporting the strategic direction of the departments. The Benefits Specialist also acts as a back-up to other senior positions within the departments.

More specifically, the Benefits Specialist will:

- Train the staff on using the tools developed by the department and maintain procedure guides
- Help develop standard operating procedures with the administration leaders
- Test and train employees on system changes
- Coordinate and provide employee training and feedback
- Participate in new client implementations
- Identify training requirements and institute plans for training new and existing employees
- Measure employee's information retention rates by issuing assessment tests and quizzes on course materials
- Proactively identify topics to be address or areas in need of additional instruction
- Develop standardized documentation tools and methods
- Facilitate learning through a variety of delivery methods including classroom training, virtual training, or on-the-job coaching
- Develop and prepare templates, educational aids and materials

**What does it take?**
- Post-secondary degree in a related field, such as business administration or the equivalent training acquired from a combination of relevant work experience and education;
- At least 5 years of work experience in a field related to employee benefits
- A solid understanding of various benefits processes
- Extensive knowledge of group insurance
- Superior interpersonal skills
- Proficiency in MS Office products with advanced knowledge of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong initiative, planning, and problem-solving skills, including an ability to focus on both details and results.
- Strong attention to detail, organizational, time management and prioritizing skills
- Comfortable dealing with company personnel at various levels
- Comfortable presenting to groups of all sizes
- The ability to handle issues professionally and stand up well under pressure
- Strong coaching and effective leadership skills
- Demonstrate good judgement, reliability, and professionalism in fast paced environment
- Sound judgement and critical thinking skills
- The ability to use tact, discretion, and maintain information in the strictest of confidence
- The ability to deal maturely with issues and stand up well under pressure
- Participate in new client implementations
- Adapt and implement procedures to meet changing client needs
- Bilingualism is an asset (English & French)

**Who we are**
Canadian-owned and operated, Cowan Insurance Group is a leading independent insurance brokerage and consulting operation, providing real value to our clients. With close to 500 employees operating out of 9 locations across Canada, we’re proud to have been named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2012.

We partner with leading national and international insurance companies to:

- deliver insurance and risk management solutions to businesses, organizations and individuals
- advise on and create retirement, group benefits, disability management and international benefits programs for employee groups.

We also offer wealth and asset management as well as financial and succession planning services to individuals, and specialize in property, casualty and credit insurance.

**What sets us apart?**

**Be in good company**
***Integrity matters. It drives our award-winning workplace culture and fuels our collective desire to help our clients, employees, and communities thrive.

**Challenge your thinking**
***You're valued for your passion, drive and creativity. The pace is fast, but the work is meaningful, interesting, and complex, just the way you like it.

**Grow together**
***We believe in your potential. If you’re looking to develop your expertise with learning opportunities and mentoring, we’ll make that happen.

**Benefits and perks**
- Competitive salary
- Participate in our comprehensive benefits plan on day one — no waiting period
- Company-matched Retirement Plan
- Company-paid training and developme