Total Rewards Specialist

Summit Search Group; Canada; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Summit Search Group is seeking a Compensation and Benefits Specialist to join its Total Rewards team in Canada. This role focuses on compensation benchmarking, benefits coordination, and pension administration within a national context.

You will collaborate with HR, payroll, vendors, and internal partners to ensure accurate data, compliant policies, and timely program delivery, while delivering exceptional employee experience.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of compensation, benefits, and pension programs in a Canadian context.
• Ability to interpret HR policies and benefit plan documents.
• High accuracy and attention to detail with data and financial information.
• Excellent communication with a service-oriented approach to employee inquiries.
• Discretion handling sensitive information and confidentiality.
• Proficient in Excel (formulas, pivot tables, lookups); HRIS knowledge is a plus (Workday).
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Collaborative across HR, payroll, and external vendors.

Responsibilities

• Support salary benchmarking using external market data.
• Assist with compensation reviews and annual salary planning.
• Evaluate job descriptions for internal equity and grading.
• Maintain compensation databases and survey submissions.
• Answer employee benefits inquiries and coordinate enrollment.
• Collaborate with vendors and internal teams on benefit claims.
• Support disability and leave management and compliance.
• Assist employees with pension and retirement plan information.
• Process pension contributions and changes and support year-end reporting.

Skills

Compensation practices

Benefits administration

Pension programs

Excel

HRIS systems

Data analysis

Communication skills

Discretion / confidentiality

Bilingual (French & English)

Education

HR/Business Administration degree

2+ years compensation/benefits experience

Tools

Workday

Job description

Our client, a large Canadian organization with national operations, is seeking a Compensation & Benefits Specialist to join their Total Rewards team. This full-time role is ideal for someone who is highly analytical, passionate about employee experience, and enjoys collaborating across HR functions to support compensation, benefits, and pension initiatives.

As part of a high-performing and service-oriented HR team, you will work closely with internal partners, vendors, and external stakeholders to deliver programs that attract and retain talent.

Responsibilities:

Compensation & Job Evaluation

• Support salary benchmarking using external market data
• Assist with compensation reviews and annual salary planning
• Evaluate job descriptions to support internal equity and consistent grading
• Maintain compensation-related databases and survey submissions

Group Benefits & Leaves

• Act as a resource for employees with benefits-related inquiries
• Collaborate with vendors and internal teams to resolve benefit claims and issues
• Coordinate enrollment and communication during benefits renewal periods
• Support disability and leave management, ensuring smooth administration and compliance

Pension & Retirement Plans

• Assist employees in understanding and accessing pension and retirement plans
• Ensure timely and accurate processing of contributions and changes
• Collaborate with third-party administrators and internal payroll for reconciliations and audits
• Support preparation for year-end reporting and pension compliance documentation

Required Skills and Knowledge:

• Strong understanding of compensation practices, benefits administration, and pension programs in a Canadian context
• Ability to interpret and apply HR policies, benefit plan documents, and related legislation
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail when working with data and financial information
• Excellent communication skills with a service-oriented approach to employee inquiries
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain confidentiality
• Skilled in Excel (formulas, pivot tables, lookups); experience with HRIS platforms is a plus
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively across HR, payroll, and external vendors

Education and Experience:

• Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• 2+ years of experience in compensation, benefits, or pension administration
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and familiarity with HRIS systems (Workday is an asset)
• CEBS, CHRP, or CCP designation (or working toward certification) is considered a strong asset
• Excellent attention to detail and comfort working with numbers and data
• Strong interpersonal skills with a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset
• Bilingual (French & English) – considered an asset

Summit Search Group is a fair and equitable search firm. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process.