Benefits Team Lead

The salary range for this position is $80,000 to $95,000. Final compensation will be determined based on relevant skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, eligible employees may be entitled to other elements of total compensation, which may include group benefits, employer RRSP contributions, & discretionary bonus or incentive programs, where applicable to the role. We are committed to offering competitive compensation & comply with all applicable pay transparency legislation. Further details regarding our total rewards program will be shared by the Talent Acquisition team during the hiring process. Canadian work experience is not a requirement for this role. Please note that artificial intelligence–based tools may be used at certain stages of the recruitment & applicant screening process.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Total Rewards, the Benefits Team Lead is responsible for overseeing the daily administration, service delivery, and associate experience related to the organization's benefits programs. This role combines people leadership, benefits administration expertise, and operational management to ensure accurate, compliant, and employee-focused delivery of benefits and disability programs.

Now, if you were to come on board as one of our Benefits Team Lead, we’d ask you to do the following for us:

• Team Leadership & Service Delivery
  • Provide leadership, coaching, and development support to a team of Benefits Administrators to ensure consistent service excellence and operational effectiveness.
  • Act as the primary escalation point for complex benefits inquiries and issues, providing support and resolution.
  • Monitor workload distribution, service levels, and team performance to ensure timely and accurate administration.
  • Identify opportunities to enhance processes, service delivery, and the overall associate experience.
• Associate Benefits & Disability Administration
  • Serve as the primary liaison with Sun Life on routine administration, escalations, and approvals.
  • Manage benefit extension requests and complex eligibility situations.
  • Provide support and guidance to associates regarding benefit programs, eligibility, and coverage.
  • Oversee associate benefits administration, including enrollments, life event changes, leaves of absence, and terminations.
  • Administer premium calculations and associated communications for associates on a leave of absence.
  • Coordinate Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) claim administration, serving as a liaison between associates, leaders, and Sun Life.
  • Review and administer benefit class changes to ensure alignment with eligibility requirements.
  • Manage life insurance claims and provide support to surviving family members during the claims process.
  • Support legal requests, investigations, and other sensitive associate matters requiring benefits expertise.
  • Oversee complex disability cases, including the management of LTD claims extending beyond two years.
• Program Administration & Compliance
  • Lead the review, evaluation, and optimization of benefits administration processes to improve efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and service delivery
  • Utilize data, performance metrics, and service-level results to recommend and prioritize continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Maintain benefits premium rates and ensure timely implementation of plan changes.
  • Oversee the maintenance of plan documents, policies, procedures, and benefits booklets to ensure accuracy and compliance.
  • Develop and coordinate benefits communications, announcements, and educational materials to support associate understanding and engagement.
  • Maintain onboarding resources and benefits-related communications for new hires.
  • Lead dependent eligibility audits and associated associate communications.
  • Administer age-maximum benefit terminations and related associate communications.
  • Manage benefit continuation, expiry, and termination processes for associates on leaves of absence.

Think you have what it takes to be our Benefits Team Lead? We’re committed to hiring the best talent for the role. Here’s how we’ll know you’ll be successful in the role:

• Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Business Administration, Commerce, or a related field.
• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), Group Benefits Associate (GBA), Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP), or equivalent designation is considered an asset.
• Minimum 5-7 years of progressive experience in employee benefits administration, disability management, or total rewards.
• Minimum 1-3 years of experience leading, coaching, or overseeing the work of a benefits or HR administration team.
• Proven experience administering complex group benefits programs, including enrollments, life event changes, leaves of absence, terminations, and benefit eligibility.
• Experience developing and maintaining benefits procedures, process documentation, communications, and educational materials.
• Experience managing audits, premium administration, arrears collection, and benefits continuation processes.
• Strong knowledge of Canadian group benefits programs, including health, dental, life insurance, disability, and leave-related benefits.
• Understanding of service delivery metrics, operational controls, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Fluency in French considered an asset (not required)
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Exceptional customer service and associate experience mindset.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex benefits information clearly and compassionately.
• Strong relationship management skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with associates, leaders, vendors, and external partners.
• High level of discretion and ability to manage confidential and sensitive information.