Senior Specialist, Pension Plan Projects

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Posting Reason:

New Position

Job Type:

Employee

Anticipated Duration in Months (for contracts and temporary assignments):

24

Job Family:

Total Compensation

# of Open Positions:

1

Faculty/Service - Department:

Pensions

Campus:

Main Campus

Union Affiliation:

N/A

Date Posted (YYYY/MM/DD):

2026/03/05

Applications must be received BEFORE (YYYY/MM/DD):

2026/03/16

Hours per week:

35

Salary Grade:

Non-Union Grade NC8 - 35 hrs

Salary Range:

$94,214.00 - $117,768.00

About Human Resources
Our Human Resources team is recognized for its collaboration and service excellence. Through the development of strategic partnerships, our dynamic team supports uOttawa’s vision and strategic plan by creating and delivering high-quality, innovative, and client-centered HR programs and services. Our focus is to attract, develop, retain, and inspire a talented, diverse, healthy, and engaged workforce. If you want to be part of an impactful team, work in a rewarding and enriching environment and have an innovative mindset, our HR team is the place where you belong!

Position Purpose:

Reporting to the Manager, Pension Plans, responsible and accountable for leading the configuration of the pension administration and case management system and/or additional functionalities and reviewing workflows and processes. The candidate works closely with the Manager, Pension Plans and the Senior Specialists, Pension Plans to evaluate projects, procedures and operational requirements, and make recommendations that follow the strategic and operational direction of the sector.

Act as an official liaison between the University’s Information Technology Services and the Total Compensation sector to identify new technologies, systems and procedures that could be leveraged to the sector’s advantage.

Supports the pension team in operational and administrative activities during the data gathering, implementation, testing and go live periods while identifying business opportunities.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

Project Management:

• Under the direction of the Manager, Pension Plans and in collaboration with the Senior Specialist, Pension Plans, leads the configuration of the pension administration and case management system and/or additional functionalities as well as  reviewing associated workflows and processes.

• Works closely with the service provider (product development team) and internal stakeholders to implement a Web-based employee planner, a Web-based administrator portal and a case management system as well as other optional modules available from the service provider.

• Develops and implements project plans to ensure key timelines are met. Works closely with internal and external partners to obtain buy-in and alignment. Ensures that appropriate project controls and progress reports are prepared regularly and meets requirements, goals and deadlines. Provides decision-making and successful project delivery by ensuring that functional requirements, solution benefits and risks, project milestones, deliverables, and prioritization are identified and met.

Business Process Review

• Recommends, develops and oversees improvements/changes to the pension administrative processes to meet current and future needs, as well as requirements for internal control and audits, and alignment with new system.

• Gathers and documents operational processes and requirements to ensure all aspects are well understood and articulated.

Expert advice:

• Provides expert advice and guidance to the Manager, Pension Plans on all matters associated with business analysis, technology recommendations and implementation strategies to ensure a standardized approach that aligns all initiatives with the University’s vision and direction. Participates in process improvement initiatives to foster creativity and innovation.

• Provides advice on matters related to pension plans in support of the collective bargaining to ensure feasibility within the pension system.

• Contributes expertise towards strategic planning related to future pension needs and the continuous improvement of implementation processes.

Pension Plan Administration:

• Provides support to the pension team in operational and administrative activities during the data gathering, implementation, testing and go live periods while identifying business opportunities.

Communications:

• Implements mass communication plan in regard to the implementation of a Web-based employee planner and the associated case management tool to all members and stakeholders.

• Develops customer inquiry process, and escalation and resolution approach during implementation and after go-live.

What you will bring:

• University degree in business administration, actuarial, accounting or related field or a combination of education and relevant experience.

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in pension administration.

• A deep knowledge and understanding of define benefit pension plan structure, operation and governance

• Experience in configuring a pension administration or HRIS system

• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of, and competency in, project management processes including planning, time management, financial management, quality management, and risk management are considered an asset.

• Highly skilled with computerized financial systems and ability to do advanced work in spreadsheets and databases (pension administrative system and Excel).

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, in both official languages, at various levels of technical expertise, project management, presentation and negotiation skills.

• Incisive analytical thinking and attention to detail, and strong problem-solving abilities.

• Experience in developing and applying processes, guides and forms.

• Coaching abilities and resource development skills combined with exceptional collaboration with team members, stakeholders, and clients.

• Demonstrated knowledge of handling confidential and sensitive information.

• Ability to adjust priorities in a changing dynamic environment and work with minimal supervision, showing initiative and leadership.

• CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) and/or HRPA (Human Resources Professionals Association) certification are considered an asset.

• Bilingualism – French and English (written and spoken).

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Key Competencies at uOttawa:
Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa: 

Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.
Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.
Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.

The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact hrtalentmanagement@uottawa.ca to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Note: if this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more.

If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.