Benefits & Programs Specialist

Job description

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, which manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Benefits & Programs Specialist based in Canada.** As a Benefits & Programs Specialist, you will support the administration, implementation, and continuous improvement of employee benefits programs across Canada and the United States. You will play a key role in ensuring benefits services are delivered accurately, efficiently, and in compliance with applicable regulations and organizational policies. Working closely with plan administrators, external vendors, HR teams, and legal experts, you will help maintain high-quality benefits operations and resolve complex eligibility and enrollment issues. You will contribute to annual enrollment activities, health and welfare audits, regulatory updates, and benefits plan implementations. Through data analysis, performance monitoring, and Lean methodologies, you will identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve service delivery. This fully remote opportunity is ideal for a detail-oriented HR professional who combines strong analytical skills with a commitment to employee experience, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration. ### Accountabilities - Coordinate daily benefits operations across Canada and the United States, collaborating with plan administrators to ensure accurate, timely, and high-quality service delivery. - Manage relationships with benefits administrators and external vendors, monitoring service performance, handling escalations, and ensuring compliance with established processes and service standards. - Monitor applicable benefits regulations and requirements, identify compliance gaps, and communicate emerging risks or regulatory changes to leadership. - Coordinate annual health and welfare audits, prepare and report audit findings, track outstanding risks, and support the development and implementation of mitigation plans. - Support annual benefits enrollment and regulatory compliance activities by maintaining accurate communications, system documentation, and administrative records. - Coordinate annual updates to health and welfare handbooks, working with subject matter experts and legal teams to ensure information remains accurate and compliant. - Analyze and resolve benefits, eligibility, enrollment, and related administrative issues, responding to inquiries promptly and following established resolution and escalation procedures. - Support benefits plan changes and new implementations by coordinating testing, validating system configurations, and verifying outcomes before and after implementation. - Oversee benefits and eligibility administration to ensure system rules governing eligibility, enrollment, payroll deductions, and related processes are applied correctly. - Maintain Lean performance boards, monitor workloads and key performance indicators, analyze operational trends, and identify opportunities to improve service quality and efficiency. - Develop, implement, and maintain standardized procedures to promote consistency, reduce errors, and improve the effectiveness of benefits administration. - Process daily and weekly leave reports to support accurate payroll processing and ensure relevant employee leave information is properly maintained. - Conduct regulatory, legal, and business research to support informed decision-making, assess operational risks, and recommend practical solutions. - Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to coordinate project activities, manage small to medium-sized workstreams, and deliver benefits-related initiatives on time. ## Requirements - Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related business discipline from an accredited university or college, or a high school diploma/GED combined with at least 5 years of experience in Human Resources or benefits administration. - Professional proficiency in both written and spoken Canadian French and English, with the ability to communicate clearly with employees, vendors, administrators, and internal stakeholders. - Knowledge of employee benefits programs, including common benefit offerings, administration practices, industry standards, products, and methodologies. - Experience conducting regulatory, legal, or business research, with the ability to interpret requirements, evaluate information critically, and identify potential compliance gaps. - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience with data reconciliation, performance metrics, trend analysis, and the assessment of data quality and accuracy. - Ability to identify issues, challenge assumptions, and develop practical solutions when problems fall outside established procedures or standard operating parameters. - Familiarity with Lean methodologies and continuous improvement practices, with the ability to identify inefficiencies, standardize workflows, and improve operational performance. - Demonstrated project coordination or project management experience, including the ability to manage small to medium-sized workstreams, coordinate stakeholders, and meet deadlines. - Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear documentation, concise recommendations, benefits communications, and reports that support decision-making. - Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, particularly when managing benefits administration, regulatory documentation, audits, eligibility records, and payroll-related reports. - Ability to collaborate effectively across HR, legal, vendor, and other cross-functional teams while building productive working relationships. - A proactive, service-oriented mindset, with the ability to manage competing priorities, handle escalations professionally, and maintain a strong focus on accuracy, compliance, and employee experience. ## Benefits - **Remote work:** Fully remote position, providing flexibility to work remotely within the applicable employment arrangements. - **Full-time employment:** A full-time opportunity supporting benefits programs across Canada and the United States. - **Professional development:** Exposure to cross-border benefits administration, regulatory compliance, HR operations, and employee benefits program management. - **Continuous improvement:** Opportunities to apply Lean methodologies, analyze performance data, and contribute to meaningful improvements in service delivery and operational efficiency. - **Cross-functional collaboration:** The opportunity to work with benefits administrators, vendors, HR professionals, legal teams, and other stakeholders. - **Meaningful impact:** Contribute to the effective delivery of employee benefits programs and help improve the quality, consistency, and reliability of HR services. - **Compensation and additional benefits:** Salary, healthcare coverage, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits have not been specified in the available job description and should be confirmed during the recruitment process.