Job Posting

Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is inviting applications for the permanent, full-time position of Benefits & Pension Advisor with the Total Rewards division of Human Resources.

Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is committed to reflecting the community it serves and recognizing Diversity and Inclusion as one of the Municipality’s core values. We have an Employment Equity Policy and we welcome applications from African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Women in occupations or positions where they are underrepresented in the workforce, Indigenous/Aboriginal People, Persons with Disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ Persons. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify on their electronic application.

Reporting to the Manager, Benefits & Employee Services, the Benefits & Pension Advisor is responsible for delivering accurate and timely information and support regarding employee benefit plans, pensions and general employee inquiries. This role involves the administration of employee benefit programs, long-term disability claims, and leave processes, ensuring compliance with policies and legislative requirements. The Benefits & Pension Advisor acts as a key point of contact for employees at all organizational levels, maintaining confidentiality and delivering exceptional service.

This role also involves collaboration with HR colleagues, external service providers, and business units to ensure seamless and efficient HR service delivery. The Benefits & Pension Advisor may also be asked to play a role in corporate projects and initiatives where their knowledge and abilities are needed.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Employee Benefits Administration:

• Serves as the primary point of contact for employee inquiries about benefits and pension plans. Conducts benefit orientation sessions for new employees and facilitates the annual benefits re-enrollment process.
• Manages updates to HRIS systems for benefit changes, leave benefit / pension payments, and employee contributions.
• Processes long term disability claim forms, submitting all required documentation to a 3rd party benefit provider, corresponding with Health Specialist(s) and the insurance carrier.
• Calculates and communicates pension and benefit payments for employees on leave of absences.
• Prepares, reconciles, and validates employee data and payment allocations for distribution to 3rd party benefit and pension plan administrators.

Pension Administration:

• Submission and reconciliation of year-end data resulting in production of Pension Adjustments (PA) on T4s and Annual Pension Data Report for annual pension statement within legislative deadlines.
• Performs data reconciliation for annual T4 preparation regarding benefit and pension information.
• Coordinates communications to employees regarding bi-annual part-time pension enrollment and annual Defined Contribution Pension Contribution election option, processes information forms and updates corresponding records as required.
• Administers Senior Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) administration, reconciliation and remittances.
• Investigates and responds to requests from the HRM Pension Plan Office regarding employee records.

Leave and Retirement Management:

• Communicates with employees regarding any outstanding benefit or pension plan contribution amounts, options for repayment, and consequence of non-payment.
• Assesses employee pre-retirement leave eligibility and other retirement related benefits and provides calculation to employee and Payroll Operations
• Administers, tracks and audits payments for benefits and pension for leave of absences.
• Informs employees about the process and impacts of their group benefits, pension and other entitlements while on leave of absence.

Policy Guidance and Compliance:

• Provides HR policy interpretation to employees and managers on request, escalates to subject matter experts (SME) in other HR divisions as required.
• Provides interpretation of HR policies and contract language related to benefits, pension and leaves to other HR colleagues, managers and employees.
• Conduct audits of benefit and pension data to ensure accuracy and compliance with internal and external standards.
• Identifies process deficiencies or improvement opportunities and makes recommendations for process change.

Communication and Reporting:

• Identifies gaps in HR knowledge base tool and communication material and makes recommendations for updates.
• Records and tracks all pertinent service request information through the appropriate tracking system or other database tool as required.
• Prepares various departmental documents including: letters, correspondence, forms and other documents; maintains copies of documents; generates system reports; maintains and retrieves archived records as required.
• Participate in design and delivery of communications regarding employee benefit plans.
• Provides expertise to support the HR Service Representative in responding to more complex inquiries related to HR services.
• May perform other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:

• Two-year Diploma in Business Administration or Human Resources Administration.
• Minimum three (3) years' recent related Human Resources experience, preferably with a focus on benefits and pension administration.
• Minimum two (2) years’ experience in customer service in a fast paced and demanding environment.
• Previous experience with an HR information system, preferably SAP HR.
• CPHR designation is an asset.
• CEBS designation is an asset.
• Three to five years pension administration experience considered an asset.
• Familiarity with pension plan annual filing requirements/procedures and applicable forms considered an asset.

Technical/Job Specific Knowledge and Abilities:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information to individuals who are unfamiliar with the subject matter.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, while maintaining high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Highly organized with ability to prioritize duties during periods of high volume and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding content of service call requests and personal information.
• Ability to work effectively within a team to deliver seamless service to internal and external clients.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, and Visio).

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must clearly demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Security Clearance Requirements: Applicants may be required to complete an employment security screening check.

Please note: Testing may be conducted as a component of the selection process to assess technical and job specific knowledge. Candidates, who are selected for testing, may be tested in a group setting, scheduled at the employer’s discretion.

COMPETENCIES: Analytical Thinking; Communication; Customer Service; Teamwork and Cooperation; Organization and Planning; Organizational Awareness; Valuing Diversity; Values & Ethics

WORK STATUS: One (1) permanent full-time

HOURS OF WORK: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm, 35 hours per week. Flex options to work outside of these hours and hybrid may be available.

SALARY: Non-Union Level 5 - $66,830 - $86,490. Salary will be determined based on relevant experience and qualifications related to the specified pay band and job. Placement above the midpoint of the pay band is typically reserved for candidates who significantly exceed the minimum qualifications, such as those with exceptional experience, specialized skills, or demonstrated achievements relevant to the role. This ensures fair and consistent compensation practices across the organization.

WORK LOCATION: 8th floor Purdy's Wharf Tower II (1969 Upper Water St, Halifax). Work location can be changed according to operational requirements.

CLOSING DATE: Applications will be received up to 11:59pm on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

Please note: We thank all applicants for their interest in this position. Only those applicants selected for interview/testing will be contacted.

To ensure a fair and equitable hiring process, candidates are expected to complete all parts of the recruitment process, including assessments, assignments, and interviews independently and without the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or other forms of external assistance. The use of AI to complete any component of the hiring process is not permitted and may result in disqualification from consideration.

During the recruitment process, applicants have the right to request an accommodation. Applicants invited to participate in an assessment process (such as interview or testing) and who require an accommodation, should discuss their needs with the Talent Acquisition Advisor when invited to the assessment process. For more information on our accommodation process please click on the link: Accommodations | Hiring | Employment | Halifax

(position # 72281578)