Associate Director, Pension Legal & Plan Administration (12 month contract)

Why join us?

Are you looking to join a dynamic pension plan that embodies the strong values of its 600,000 members and is an industry leading global investor?

If so, we would love to tell you our story.

At OMERS we put our people first and are proud to embrace the diversity of thought and leadership that comes from having locations in Toronto, London, New York, Singapore, Sydney and other major cities across North America and Europe.

Our culture is truly one of a kind. We get stuff done, and have fun doing it! We take great pride in contributing to the communities where we live with an ever-constant eye to the global investment markets.

We are looking for an individual with pension legal experience to join our Pension Legal and Plan Administration (PLPA) team in Toronto as an Associate Director reporting to the Vice President of the PLPA.

As a member of the PLPA team, you are joining a dedicated team of experts with deep pension expertise providing support and solutions on a variety of issues that require a legal review, including plan design, case escalations, complex plan administration matters, and broader pension initiatives.

The successful candidate will interact with internal and external stakeholders and will always uphold and demonstrate the OMERS vision and core mission.

As an Associate Director, PLPA, you will be a subject-matter expert that brings a legal lens to PLPA projects. The successful candidate is expected to have an advanced understanding of defined benefit pension fundamentals, which will be required to support and deliver documentation of key legal reviews and recommendations to the team.

By acting as a valued consultant to the PLPA (and across the OMERS Pensions and Legal teams), you will play a key role in facilitating innovation in administration to meet the evolving needs and expectations of our members, employers and other stakeholders.

We believe that time together in the office is important for OMERS and Oxford, the strength of our employees, and the work we do for our pension members.

Our flexible hybrid work guideline requires teams to come to the office a minimum of 3+ days per week.

As a member of this team, you will be responsible for :

Documenting the development of recommendations on a broad range of pension issues of varying complexity and working with the team to articulate the impact of recommended solutions to business units.

Independently leading high-quality research and policy analysis, including interpreting legislation, regulations, plan provisions and data.

Providing advice and assistance on the interpretation and application of legal requirements in the context of drafting policies and procedures.

Supporting the process of monitoring and assessing the potential impact on OMERS of legislative and regulatory reforms, developments in the Canadian pension industry (including among the major Ontario pension plans), and establishing recommendations (as needed) to address these developments.

Providing assistance in the preparation of pension materials of varying complexity including plan amendments, policies / guidelines, pension communication materials and other OMERS plan documents.

Providing leadership in the development of thoughtful knowledge management systems and record keeping for the PLPA.

Reviewing and assisting in the development of clear and well-written reports and presentations for Boards, senior leadership and other audiences that tell a story and recommends practical member-centric / employer-centric solutions.

To succeed in this role, you :

Are qualified to practice law in Ontario

Have at least 4 years of experience in a pension legal group in Canada (either law firm or consulting firm)

Possess deep knowledge in pension law (including related Income Tax Act provisions)

Demonstrate knowledge of pension plan administration, plan design, pensions communications, and policydevelopment

Beneficial Substantive Qualifications :

Public sector experience and, in particular, exposure to public sector pension plans

Knowledge and experience in conducting legal and compliance reviews of different areas of plan administration and plan communications

Research and knowledge management experience

Technical, Interpersonal and People Skills :

Excellent written and oral communication skills with a focus on attention to detail

Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team

Outstanding analytical thinking skills with the ability to evaluate complex situations and synthesize relevant information

High integrity and discretion to ensure the confidentiality of sensitive and privileged information.

Adaptable in changing work environments

Ability to project manage and develop solutions to complex cases and process improvements

Our story :

Founded in 1962, OMERS is one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans, with $128.6 CAD billion in net assets as of December 31, 2023.

OMERS is a jointly-sponsored pension plan, with more than 1,000 participating employers ranging from large cities to local agencies, and over half a million active, deferred and retired members.

OMERS members include union and non-union employees of municipalities, school boards, local boards, transit systems, electrical utilities, emergency services and children’s aid societies across Ontario.

Contributions to the Plan are funded equally by members and employers. OMERS teams work in Toronto, London, New York, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Singapore, Sydney and other major cities across North America and Europe serving members and employers and originating and managing a diversified portfolio of high-quality investments in public markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate.

OMERS is committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities in which we live and work. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to a barrier-free recruitment and selection process.

At OMERS inclusion and diversity means belonging. How we create a sense of belonging is through our employees and our vast network of Employee Resource Groups.

Whether you are passionate about gender, pride, or visible minorities, we have groups that are focused on making a difference in all of our lives.