Senior Specialist, Pension Data

THE ROLE Reporting to the Manager, Member Data, this is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced data specialist to join a team of high performing professionals to make a great impact.  You will be involved in a variety of data activities within Pension Services. Your role will include acting as a team lead to reconcile membership pension data and reporting key measures to stakeholders. The role also includes supporting the transactions and payroll team and interacting with the Client Experience team as a subject matter expert. UPP is uniquely positioned in its flexibility to build an internal foundation from the ground up. We approach this build thoughtfully and methodically, with a careful focus on building a strong base, operational efficiency and excellent member and employer experience. We are creating a digitally enabled service experience for our members. This role is based in downtown Toronto under a hybrid work policy, allowing employees the flexibility to work remotely and in-office (approximately two days per week in-office). This posting is for an existing vacancy. SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES Service Delivery Deliver best-in-class service to our members, participating employers and universities. Provide accurate and timely reporting to all stakeholders regarding general and specific provisions of the benefit and pension plans. Act as a primary contact for queries regarding member data, contribution data captures, and connecting with client Experience Team. Recommend improvements to increase data accuracy. Help guide and mentor junior team members on initiatives and projects. Exhibit an ability to listen, negotiate and communicate goals; share knowledge, experience, and responsibility with the team to achieve the highest standards of professionalism. Pension Data and Insights Monitor employer transactions, including the collection, recording and reconciliation of contributions and data. Prepare and/or coordinate statutory reporting requirements, such as annual member statements, pension adjustments, and quarterly pension adjustment reversals. Participate in data projects related to pension administration valuations and membership reconciliations. Develop data quality control measures and indexes. Devise methods to monitor data for discrepancies and inaccuracies. Create visualizations, dashboards, and reports. Analyze large datasets to identify trends, patterns, and actionable insights. Remain current on pension benefit trends, practices and procedures, and evaluate and recommend adjustments. Support the pension data governance framework by helping document and maintain data standards, business rules, data lineage, ownership, control points, and evidence required to manage pension data from employer intake through administration, reporting, and member servicing. Lead or support root-cause analysis for recurring pension data quality issues, coordinate remediation plans with internal teams and participating employers, and track issues, decisions, risks, and outcomes through to closure. Develop and monitor operational data quality indicators, dashboards, thresholds, and exception reporting to identify emerging risks, support prioritization, and provide clear evidence for leadership decision-making. Partner with Pension Operations, Employer Experience, Member Experience, Technology, Legal, Privacy, and Compliance teams to ensure pension data practices support plan administration requirements, regulatory obligations, privacy expectations, and a strong member and employer experience. Other projects and activities, as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Completed college diploma or university degree with 5+ years of strong data analytics experience. 5+ years of experience in pension plan administration. Strong ability to self-diagnose member data issues correctly. Experience reading and interpreting pension plan texts and translating provisions would be an asset. Experience working with pension data governance practices, including data stewardship, data quality controls, issue management, reconciliation evidence, process documentation, and audit-ready record keeping. Strong understanding of how pension data supports member calculations, employer reporting, actuarial valuation inputs, statutory reporting, risk monitoring, and operational service outcomes. Ability to translate complex data issues into clear business impacts, recommended actions, and escalation points for operational teams and senior leadership. CEBS or PPAC would be an asset. Strong oral and written communication skills and an ability to communicate complex information clearly and at a level appropriate for employers and senior leadership. Professional, client-focused approach to colleagues and assignments. Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things. Ability to organize, set priorities and work independently. ATTRIBUTES A passion for delivering a great pension experience from enrollment to retirement, with a proven ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships. Good analytical skills to ensure data accuracy. High emotional intelligence. Self-motivated, flexible, and adaptable to changing priorities and new challenges. Logical and detail oriented. Strong commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. Ownership mindset. Governance mindset with the discipline to document decisions, maintain controls, identify risks early, and support continuous improvement in pension data operations. Strong conflict resolution skills to manage complaints and escalations from members and employers. Excellent judgment and clear and precise communication skills, including a high degree of diplomacy and confidentiality with the ability to adapt communication style to the audience.