Pension & Benefit Advisor

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: Faculty & Staff Benefits .

Location

Work primarily takes place at Enterprise Square , Edmonton.

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Working for Shared Services

Our vision is a close-knit community of smart, approachable people who collaborate, exchange knowledge and identify solutions. Our team of experts problem-solve by collaborating with Centres of Expertise (centres providing strategic expertise and specialized services in specific functional areas), faculty and staff in order to see the whole end-to-end process and find a solution that works for the entire community.

We provide advice, guidance and leadership in process, quality and accuracy. Shared Services is a highly-educated, integrated team that provides service excellence in delivering and innovating the diverse catalogue of services we are responsible for.

Ultimately, we create a human, positive experience when it comes to problem solving.

The staff who are joining Shared Services can expect to feel empowered in the service they provide and look to grow their careers with critical thinking, relationship building and ongoing learning opportunities.

Position Summary

Do you enjoy working in a collaborative environment, believe in service excellence and have a strong background in Pension and Benefits Administration? Then the role of Pension and Benefits Advisor, is waiting for you!

Reporting to the Team Lead Workforce Administration, the P&B Advisor is a subject matter expert and skilled in coordinating the effective management of employee benefits entitlements. The P&B Advisor ensures that employee benefit and pension plans enrollments, changes and terminations are completed in a timely and accurate manner and that employees are provided with advice, consultation and education about the benefit and pension offerings available to them and their families. The P & B Advisor is also responsible for administering the University’s defined benefit (PSPP, UAPP) and defined contribution (ASRP, EDCSRP) pension plans in accordance with federal, provincial and plan regulation.

Duties

• Provides consultation, education and advice to employees on benefit program offerings, plan costs, election options and enrollment, change and termination processes and procedures, family eligibility, coordination, and other specialized benefit related questions
• Reviews and manages the daily event maintenance and open enrollment processes within Benefits Administration module including daily reports to ensure employees have made the right selection to enroll in initial benefits upon hire, rehire, promotion or transfer
• Enrolls employees in optional benefits (supplemental health, optional coverages, etc.) upon receipt of completed forms
• Meets with individual employees to process benefit changes related to significant life events affecting the employee such as retirement, and termination
• Works with the Leave Administrators to provide advice and assistance to employees when life events impact benefits such as maternity and parental leave, partial leave, illness leave, vacation leave, recurring term inactive period, long term disability, termination, layoff, reduced duties leading to retirement and retirement
• Prepares premium calculation costs for employees wishing to pre-pay benefits while on unpaid leave of absence
• Consults with 3rd party benefit providers and employees to resolve and clarify issues regarding coverage and claims
• Administers and maintains annual benefit programs such as academic child care, student declarations, health spending account and personal spending account allocations
• Works with Functional Analysts to define business and reporting requirements, setup and maintain benefit and pension plans and design PeopleSoft HCM processes and system functionality
• Manages member termination & retirements in 3rd party pension enrollment systems (Ben Plus/EOS) for UAPP (Universities Academic Pension Plan) and PSPP (Public Service Pension Plan)
• Coordinates with Pension Specialist to review, validate and update data for year-end pension reporting in accordance with plan deadlines
• Reviews benefit rate and program table changes and perform testing to ensure rate changes and setup meets expected business requirements

Qualifications

• Completion of a post-secondary certificate, or degree in Human Resources Management certificate, Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Pension Plan Administrator (PPAC), or equivalent designation(s) and experience are desirable
• Two to four years experience working with benefit and pension plans in a large, unionized employer is desirable
• Experience with UAPP, PSPP, LAPP or other defined contribution pension plans is required
• Experience with PeopleSoft HCM (Base Benefits, Benefit Administration, Payroll for North America, PS Query) is an asset
• Exemplary client service, focused on demonstrating a genuine concern for understanding client needs and meeting or exceeding client expectations
• Strong verbal and written communication skills required to share feedback and address concerns respectfully and constructively
• Cooperative and productive workstyle working with diverse teams and clients to achieve desired results
• Approaches challenges and opportunities with creative solutions to problems and offers detailed, well-articulated explanations
• Strong planning and organizational skills, managing time and resources effectively to achieve results and identify critical tasks, effectively focusing on workload priorities while working within strict deadlines

At the University of Alberta, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know at the time of booking your interview and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.