Pension and Benefits Advisor

**Division**:

- Human Resources

**Important Notices & Amendments**:
**This position**currently falls within our hybrid model**, allowing the employee to**typically**work**a minimum of**50% of**your** time**at your regular work location and the other 50% of time at home.**

**About Us**:
Serving a diverse urban and rural population of more than 475,000, Niagara Region is focused on building a strong and prosperous Niagara. Working collaboratively with 12 local area municipalities and numerous community partners, the Region delivers a range of high-quality programs and services to support and advance the well-being of individuals, families and communities within its boundaries. Nestled between the great lakes of Erie and Ontario, the Niagara peninsula features some of Canada’s most fertile agricultural land, the majesty of Niagara Falls and communities that are rich in both history and recreational and cultural opportunities. Niagara boasts dynamic modern cities, Canada’s most developed wine industry, a temperate climate, extraordinary theatre, and some of Ontario’s most breathtaking countryside. An international destination with easy access to its binational U.S. neighbour New York State, Niagara attracts over 14 million visitors annually, as well as a steady stream of new residents and businesses.

At Niagara Region, we value diversity - in background and experience. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We aspire to hire and grow a workforce reflective of the diverse community we serve. By doing so, we can deliver better programs and services across Niagara.

For the Region's full employee equity statement, Working at Niagara Region - Niagara Region, Ontario.

**Don’t have every qualification?**

**Job Summary**:
Reporting to the Supervisor, Payroll Shared Services, the Pension and Benefits Advisor (Shared Services) is responsible for administering group benefits and OMERS pension for the assigned shared services client. This includes administration, conducting audits, data management, investigation of pension and benefit issues, conducting research, reporting and analysis. This role develops business requirements and processes and identifies system and process opportunities and serves as the main point of contact for clients on group benefits and pension administration, all related escalated service matters and liaises with benefits consultant and providers on benefit projects and in support of collective bargaining.

**Education**:

- Post-secondary diploma in Business or Human Resources.

**Knowledge**:

- 3 years’ experience in human resources or payroll with direct experience in pension and/or benefits administration.
- 5 years’ experience in human resources with exposure to compensation, payroll, T4 reporting, pension and benefits administration in a union environment is preferred.
- Working towards or obtained Certified Benefits Professional (CBP), Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) or Certified Human Recourses Professional (CHRP) designation is preferred.

**Responsibilities**:
**Deliver exceptional service and administration of shared service employee benefits (40%)**:

- Liaise with benefit vendors to resolve employee issues, assist in the interpretation of policy administration and implementation of benefit plan changes.
- Investigate and resolves complex benefits issues and inquiries, working with client HR staff and benefit vendors to ensure alignment with the plan design, policies, and procedures.
- Serve as the primary contact for benefit plan vendors.
- Research and recommend plan design changes; provide costing and analysis of benefit related collective bargaining proposals and plan design changes; ensure proper implementation and administration of changes.
- Process invoices to pay benefit providers, complete benefit audits/reporting, account reconciliations and implement benefit rate changes.
- Manage ongoing relationships with benefits carriers and consultants, monitoring service levels, investigating and resolving complaints, appeals, and non-routine inquiries.
- Collaborate with the Associate Director, HR Operations & Systems, and the Manager, Total Rewards to continuously evaluate vendor performance and implement improvements where beneficial or required.
- Analyze benefit claim trends and costs, identify and investigate trends in employee groups and corporate accounts.
- Provide input and support for annual benefit renewals and projects and implement of all changes.
- Prepare, collect, and organize data for actuarial assessments.
- Facilitate life insurance claims and supports beneficiaries and dependents through the claim and survivor continuation of benefits processes.

**Provide service, reporting and administration and ensures compliance with OMERS pension plan rules and legislation (40%)**:

- Audit and analyze pension transactions and contributions to ensure accurate calculations. Calculate amounts and advise on processing and methodologies for repayme