Position Summary

The Benefits Specialist III / Retirement & Leave Analyst is responsible for the administration, analysis, and continuous improvement of key retirement, leave, and related benefit programs across the organization. The role owns U.S. defined contribution plan administration, manages the remaining defined benefit/pension responsibilities as those obligations decline, leads leave-of-absence program administration, and supports the growing scope of Canadian retirement programs, including integration of acquired companies into the organization's RRSP structure. The position works closely with external vendors and internal partners to ensure accurate administration, strong controls, regulatory compliance, effective employee support, and timely execution.

Beyond day-to-day administration, this role is expected to use data, financial acumen, research, and sound judgment to identify issues, investigate root causes, evaluate alternatives, and make practical recommendations to the Benefits Director. Success requires intellectual curiosity, a strong sense of urgency, comfort working with detailed financial and employee data, and the ability to move work forward independently in a changing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Retirement Plan Administration - U.S. Defined Contribution and Defined Benefit

• Serve as a subject matter expert for U.S. retirement plans, with primary focus on defined contribution programs and continued support of remaining defined benefit/pension obligations.

• Partner with Fidelity and WTW to ensure accurate and timely plan administration, including contributions, distributions, participant support, data feeds, reconciliations, and issue resolution.

• Collaborate with Payroll (Dayforce), HRIS (SuccessFactors), Finance, Legal, and other partners to maintain data integrity and resolve complex plan or participant issues.

• Coordinate annual compliance testing, audits, Form 5500 filings, plan notices, and other required activities; monitor applicable legislative and regulatory changes, including SECURE 2.0 requirements.

• Maintain plan documents, procedures, controls, and records in accordance with ERISA, IRS, DOL, and internal requirements.

• Manage remaining pension/defined benefit activities and support an orderly transition of responsibilities as plan activity and administrative requirements decline over time.

Leave of Absence Program Administration

• Own day-to-day administration and oversight of the organization's leave-of-absence programs, serving as the primary benefits contact for leave processes and complex escalations.

• Coordinate with leave/disability vendors, HR, Payroll, HRIS, employees, and managers to support accurate eligibility, status changes, pay/benefit coordination, return-to-work processing, and timely issue resolution.

• Monitor vendor performance, service levels, case trends, recurring issues, and employee experience; drive follow-up and corrective actions where needed.

• Maintain leave procedures, communications, controls, and documentation and help ensure programs are administered consistently with applicable federal, state, local, and company requirements.

• Analyze leave data to identify trends, cost or process concerns, opportunities for automation, and improvements to program administration and employee support.

Canada Retirement Programs & Acquisition Integration

• Administer and support Canadian retirement programs, with particular emphasis on RRSP governance, operations, data accuracy, employee support, and vendor coordination.

• Lead benefits workstreams associated with integrating newly acquired Canadian companies into the organization's RRSP program, including data review, plan mapping, implementation coordination, employee communications, and post-integration validation.

• Partner with Canadian HR, Payroll, Finance, external advisors, and vendors to identify differences in acquired-company programs, evaluate integration impacts, and recommend practical solutions.

• Monitor Canadian retirement plan activity and regulatory requirements and help maintain consistent governance while recognizing local requirements and business needs.

Data Analysis, Financial Management & Process Improvement

• Prepare, reconcile, and analyze benefits data for leadership reporting, compliance, audit, vendor management, and decision-making.

• Use data to identify trends, anomalies, financial impacts, control gaps, and root causes; translate findings into clear recommendations and action plans.

• Develop and maintain repeatable reports, reconciliations, dashboards, trackers, and controls that improve visibility, accuracy, and operating discipline.

• Evaluate program utilization, vendor performance, participant behavior, and administrative processes to identify opportunities to reduce risk, improve service, and increase efficiency.

• Approach unfamiliar issues with curiosity and structured problem solving: ask the right questions, validate assumptions, research options, and follow issues through to resolution.

Retiree Health, Financial Wellness & Employee Support

• Manage and support legacy retiree health and life insurance programs, including eligibility, Medicare Part B enrollment, vendor coordination, and retiree transitions.

• Respond to complex employee and retiree questions with accurate, timely, and practical guidance; escalate or investigate issues as appropriate.

• Develop clear employee communications, guides, and educational resources and participate in benefits orientations or other employee-facing sessions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, Accounting, Analytics, or a related field preferred.

• 5+ years of progressively responsible benefits administration experience, including meaningful retirement plan experience; leave-of-absence administration experience strongly preferred.

• Experience with U.S. defined contribution plans required; defined benefit/pension plan experience preferred.

• Experience with Canadian retirement programs, RRSPs, mergers and acquisitions, or benefits integrations strongly preferred.

• Working knowledge of ERISA, IRS, DOL, SECURE 2.0, and applicable leave requirements; ability to research and apply new requirements as needed.

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and demonstrated ability to work with large or detailed datasets, perform reconciliations, identify discrepancies, and develop actionable insights.

• Experience working with benefits vendors and HR technology platforms; experience with Fidelity, WTW, SuccessFactors, and Dayforce preferred.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex benefit or data issues clearly to varied audiences.

Core Competencies

• Analytical and data-driven - uses facts, financial information, and disciplined analysis to reach conclusions and make recommendations.

• Intellectually curious - asks thoughtful questions, seeks to understand how and why processes work, and learns new subject matter quickly.

• Problem solver - investigates issues to root cause, considers alternatives, and develops practical solutions rather than simply identifying problems.

• Sense of urgency and ownership - prioritizes effectively, follows through, and drives issues to closure while maintaining accuracy and sound judgment.

• Financially minded - understands the cost, risk, control, and business implications of benefits decisions and administrative processes.

• Detail-oriented and control-focused - maintains high standards for data accuracy, compliance, documentation, and execution.

• Adaptable and collaborative - works effectively across HR, Payroll, Finance, Legal, vendors, and geographically dispersed teams in a changing environment.

• Employee-focused communicator - balances strong service with consistent program administration and clear expectations.

What benefits do we offer?

We know that the well-being of our employees is integral. Our benefits include:

• Generous and flexible paid time off including paid personal time off, caregiver, parental, and volunteer leave
• Competitive health insurance plans and 401(k) match, with benefits starting day one
• Competitive and performance-based compensation packages and bonus plans
• Educational assistance, leadership development programs, and recognition programs