Benefits and Pension Membership Specialist

The Alberta Teachers’ Association invites applications for the position of

Benefits and Pension Membership Specialist

Permanent Full-Time Position
Work Location: Barnett House (11010 142 Street NW), Edmonton

As the professional organization of Alberta teachers, the ATA promotes and advances public education, supports teachers’ professional practice and serves as the advocate for its members. The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) is proud to retain our status as one of  Alberta’s Top 85 Employers for consecutive years.

We offer

• A 35-hour work week, a minimum of three weeks of paid vacation, plus multiple other day-off categories to support your work/life balance
• A competitive starting annual salary of $75,187 to a maximum of $94,621
• A full range of 100% employer-paid benefits for you and your eligible family members;
• Free on-site parking, onsite gym, outdoor patio, cafeteria, library, and multifaith/quiet spaces

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Associate Coordinator, Teacher Employment Services, the Benefits and Pension Membership Specialist provides a high level of client services administrative support in handling grievances and arbitration cases, collective bargaining and issues related to benefits, disability management and pensions. Specifically, this position is responsible for:

• Providing administrative support with grievance arbitration procedures including the management of timelines, issuing standard correspondence for routine grievances and drafting correspondence for the approval of senior staff in the case of unique grievances, coordinating files and providing working file research material to legal counsel, liaising with several stakeholders including council and members.
• Handling correspondence and answering telephone calls from members about benefits, and disability management.
• Keeping files on cases involving extended-disability benefits and helping members to prepare appeals.
• Providing administrative support for retirement initiatives that the Association undertakes.
• Contacting subgroups to schedule workshops for retiring members.
• Annually updating content, contacting workshop presenters for material and preparing binders for distribution at Pre-Retirement workshops.
• Updating retirement-related documents and presentations annually to reflect changes in legislation.
• Drafting and preparing case reports for the Teacher Employment & Membership Support (Collective Bargaining) addendum to Provincial Executive Council (PEC).
• Coordinating changes to the frames of reference of local teacher welfare committees and informing bargaining units of changes once they have been approved.
• Updating collective agreements by consolidating information, ensuring that all items from memoranda of agreement (and no other items) are included and proofreading the final version.
• Providing administrative support to staff involved in negotiating central table agreements.
• Providing clause search summaries to staff as required for bargaining.
• Preparing the Collective Bargaining portion of the Association Annual Report for publication.
• Administering the Collective Bargaining Education Program by handling logistics, taking registrations, issuing certificates, preparing and overseeing the production of reports, and maintaining statistics.
• Providing routine information to members on such issues as government-sponsored plans, death benefits and retirement options.
• Updating department material as new information/premium increases become available and providing same to staff officers.
• Serving as administrative secretary to the Benefits, Insurance and Pension Committee by making meeting arrangements, drafting agendas, writing minutes, maintaining records, preparing documents and drafting addenda for meetings of Provincial Executive Council.

Qualifications:

• A certificate or diploma in a related field (Human Resources, Labour Relations, Ability Management, Pension Administration)
• Obtained or in process of completion of a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist designation,
• Three (3) years of administrative or case management experience in a professional setting. Equivalencies with education may be considered.
• Experience with grievance arbitration management and administration
• Experience dealing with benefit administration including disability management, and pension
• Experience working in a unionized and/or member-driven environment
• Experience with records-management theory and application is an asset.
• Knowledge of member databases is an asset.
• Knowledge of pension legislation and policies is preferred
• Competence using Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong critical-thinking, problem-solving and organizational skills.
• Strong customer-service, communications and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to multitask, prioritize work, manage shifting priorities and cope with simultaneous demands.
• The ability to maintain a calm and professional demeanor during periods of high stress.

How to apply

Applications can be emailed to Careers@ata.ab.ca by 4:00 pm on May 13, 2025.

As an employer, the ATA aims to reflect and respond to the diversity of our membership, staff and the public.  To help us better serve our members across the province, diverse applicants or candidates who speak more than one language are encouraged to identify these assets in their employment application.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association thanks all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.