Bilingual Pension, Benefits & Disability Specialist

Summary:

Based in Brampton, ON and reporting to the Sr Human Resources Manager, the Bilingual Pension & Benefits Specialist will provide pension, benefits and leave of absence support to our 225 employees who are predominantly in warehouse, sales and administrative roles located in our 7 locations across Canada.

Pension Responsibilities:

• Support employees, managers and retirees by acting as the subject matter expert for Ryerson’s DC & DB pension plans, health insurance plan and wellness related activities.
• Responsible for the day-to-day administration of the pension and benefits plans, including new member enrollment, member changes, and processing terminations.
• Communicate and coordinate with members, retirees, providers, auditors and any other third-party representatives regarding pension and benefit entitlements, data, administration procedures and interpretations of plan provisions.
• Liaise with payroll, accounting, external consultants and auditors as needed.
• Promote our pension, benefit and wellness programs by sending regular communications to employees, arranging education sessions with plan providers and conducting new hire orientations.
• Coordinate all regulatory pension filings and required reporting with external consultants (i.e. AIRS, PBGF, Financial statements, member statements).
• Review and process invoices for accuracy as received by external vendors.
• Determine entitlements on death, disability, retirement, termination, and marriage breakdown in accordance with specific pension and benefit plan provisions, government legislation requirements and current service standards.
• Maintain knowledge of legal and regulatory changes, trends and other developments affecting pension and benefits.
• Participate as an active member of Ryerson’s Pension Advisory Committee.
• Maintain applicable trackers and run reports as necessary.
• Identify process improvements and work with team to implement new procedures.
• Support the HR team with other administrative tasks or other duties as assigned.

Leave of Absence Responsibilities:

• Lead day-to-day administration for leaves of absence and disability management, supporting our employees and working in collaboration with our partners and management.
• Regularly communicate with the HR team, payroll, and applicable managers with updates or changes to leave status.
• Provide guidance to managers on how to manage employee leaves and medical issues in a manner consistent with Ryerson’s policies and legal responsibilities.
• Facilitate the gradual return to work process by reviewing restrictions and collaborating with applicable management on any accommodations.
• Maintain a cost tracker for employees on leave and work with payroll to ensure employees are paid accurately.
• Support the Canadian Health and Safety Manager and management team regarding Worker’s Compensation cases.

Skills and experience:

• Fluency in English and French, both written and oral, is required.
• Post-secondary education in HR or business-related field.
• Pension Plan Administration Certificate (PPAC) is preferred.
• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist Certificate (CEBS) is an asset.
• 2-4 years of solid experience in a pension, benefit and/or leave of absence administration role with preference given to those with pension experience.
• Understanding of provincial Worker’s Compensation regulations across Canada is an asset.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely; superior poise, presence and ability to project professionalism, credibility and authority dealing with individuals at all levels within and outside of the organization.
• Keen attention to detail and strong time management skills are required.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information discretely and with integrity.
• Ability to work in a team environment, as well as self-motivated to complete assignments. independently; ability to prioritize, handle multiple projects, set schedules and meet deadlines.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Must be able to process a great deal of administrative responsibilities quickly and accurately.