U.S. Pension Payroll Paymaster and Compliance Director
At a glance
Director-level Payroll role at Lifeworks. Westwood · full-time · $120,000–$135,000 base.
hrroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Run pension payroll for multiple defined benefit plans, covering scheduled and one-off payments such as annuities, lump sums and death benefits
- Check benefit amounts against plan rules, then coordinate payment timing with trustees, custodians and client finance teams
- Guide plan sponsors through payroll cycles and issues, and support their audits, reporting needs and operational reviews
- Keep tax reporting, required distributions and SOC 1 controls on track while reconciling payroll outputs with participant and trust records
- Resolve complex cases such as QDROs and beneficiary payments, document procedures, and improve processing efficiency
What you bring
- At least five years in pension administration, payroll or retirement operations
- Hands-on responsibility for defined benefit pension payroll and benefit payments
- Strong working knowledge of ERISA, IRS rules, pension compliance, 1099-R reporting and tax withholding
- Experience handling audit support and balancing multiple clients, deadlines and competing priorities
Who this fits
This director-level role suits an experienced pension payroll specialist who can manage several client plans, resolve complex payment cases and maintain accurate controls. You’ll work directly with plan sponsors and coordinate with trustees, custodians, actuaries and internal teams. The role is based in Westwood, with office, virtual or hybrid work options. The stated annual salary range is $120,000 to $135,000.
From the employer
TELUS Health is empowering every person to live their healthiest life. Guided by our vision, we are leveraging the power of our leading edge technology and focusing on the uniqueness of each individual to create the future of health. As a global-leading health and well-being provider – encompassing physical, mental and financial health – TELUS Health is improving health outcomes for consumers, patients, healthcare professionals, employers and employees.
Join our team and what we’ll accomplish togetherTELUS Health Retirement and Benefit Solutions (RBS) administer pension and benefits plans for a wide range of client organizations across Canada and the United States. There are approximately nine million members in the plans we manage. We have been developing and providing fully automated administration services for nearly 30 years since our Ariel administration platform was first introduced to the market. Our primary mission is to support our clients in every aspect of the design and delivery of the compensation, benefits, pension, and health management programs they maintain.
We serve a wide range of clients, including corporations, businesses, government organizations, and multi-employer entities. Our Global Operations and Delivery teams are dedicated to leveraging broad expertise and Operations discipline to deliver administration services that meet or exceed client expectations, while optimizing resources and minimizing risk.
We are seeking an experienced Health and Welfare benefits compliance specialist to join our U.S. Benefits Administration Compliance team. The Regulatory Compliance Specialist plays a critical role in ensuring that TELUS Health's administration of client’s health and welfare plans, voluntary benefits, and retiree medical programs remain fully compliant with federal and state regulatory requirements.
We are seeking an experienced Pension Paymaster to join our Third-party Administrator (TPA) team. In this role, you will manage end-to-end pension payroll administration across multiple client defined benefit (DB) plans, ensuring accurate, timely, and fully compliant benefit disbursements.
You will serve as a trusted partner to plan sponsors while maintaining rigorous internal controls and audit readiness in a fiduciary-sensitive environment.
Key Responsibilities
Multi-Client Pension Payroll Administration
Administer and process pension payroll for multiple DB plans with varying provisions and payment schedules
Execute recurring and non-recurring payments, including monthly annuities, lump sums, death benefits, and retroactive adjustments
Validate benefit calculations and payment outputs in accordance with plan documents and client-specific requirements
Coordinate funding and disbursement timing with trustees, custodians, and client finance teams
Manage payroll calendars, cutoffs, and service-level agreements (SLAs) across all assigned clients
Client Service & Relationship Management
Serve as a primary contact for plan sponsors on pension payroll matters
Communicate proactively regarding payroll cycles, issues, and regulatory updates
Support client audits, reporting requests, and operational reviews
Partner effectively with client stakeholders, actuaries, and internal administration teams
Compliance & Regulatory Oversight
Ensure full compliance with ERISA, IRS regulations, and plan provisions across all assigned clients
Oversee accurate Form 1099-R processing, tax reporting, and withholding (federal and multi-state)
Administer Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and other regulatory-driven payments
Support Form 5500 preparation and annual pension audit processes
Audit, Controls & Risk Management
Execute and maintain SOC 1 control activities related to pension payroll processing
Support internal and external audits, including control testing and comprehensive documentation
Perform detailed reconciliations between participant data, payroll outputs, and trust/custodial accounts
Identify, escalate, and remediate processing errors, overpayments, and control gaps
Ensure strict adherence to TPA policies, procedures, and client-specific control requirements
Exception Handling & Complex Cases
Manage complex transactions, including QDROs, beneficiary payments, and death processing
Research and resolve discrepancies across systems, plan provisions, and historical data
Coordinate corrections and reprocessing in compliance with IRS and plan guidelines
Systems & Process Improvement
Utilize pension administration and payroll systems to support multi-client processing
Document and enhance standard operating procedures (SOPs) and controls
Identify opportunities for automation, scalability, and process efficiency in a high-volume environment
Required Qualifications
5–10+ years of experience in pension administration, payroll, or retirement operations
Direct, hands-on experience with defined benefit pension payroll and disbursements
Experience in a TPA or multi-client environment (strongly preferred)
Strong knowledge of ERISA, IRS regulations, and pension compliance requirements
Demonstrated experience with 1099-R reporting, tax withholding, and audit support
Proven ability to manage multiple clients, competing deadlines, and priorities simultaneously
Preferred Qualifications
Experience supporting SOC 1 audits and control environments
Familiarity with pension administration platforms (e.g., PeopleSoft Pension, proprietary TPA systems)
Professional certifications such as CPP (Certified Payroll Professional), CEBS, or equivalent
Experience collaborating with trust/custodial partners and plan actuaries
Core Competencies
Exceptional client-facing communication and relationship management skills
Meticulous attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in a multi-plan environment
Advanced reconciliation and analytical capabilities
Strong ability to manage risk, prioritize workload, and meet tight deadlines
Process-oriented mindset with a focus on scalability, controls, and continuous improvement
Salary Range: $120,000 - $135,000 USD Annual
Actual total compensation will be determined based on factors such as knowledge, skills, performance and experience. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, even if the posted salary range doesn't match your expectations. We're open to discussing competitive compensation packages tailored to your experience level and expertise.
TELUS offers rewarding benefits, which may vary per job function, such as:
⦁ Comprehensive total rewards package highlighting competitive salary and bonus structures, minimum 3 weeks of vacation, and flexible benefits plan to meet the needs of you and your family
⦁ Flexibility to work in-office, virtually or a combination of both
⦁ Generous company matched pension
⦁ Opportunity to give back to communities in which we work, live and serve
⦁ Career growth and learning & development opportunities to develop your skills
⦁ And much more…
Job Type: This is for a current vacancy
A bit about us
We’re a people-focused, customer-first, purpose-driven team who works together every day to innovate and do good. We improve lives through our technology solutions and foster a culture of innovation that empowers team members to solve complex problems and create remarkable human outcomes in a digital world.
TELUS Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer that aims to foster an inclusive culture that embraces diversity. It is our policy to hire without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship status, sex, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status.We offer accommodation for applicants with disabilities, as required, during the recruitment process.
By applying to this role, you understand and agree that your information will be shared with the TELUS Group of Companies’ Talent Acquisition team(s) and/or any leader(s) who will be part of the selection process.