Senior Compensation & Benefits Specialist (St. Thomas)

Drive your Career!

We love our cars, but it’s the people behind them who make them what they are. To market, sell, and service great cars, we need great people. That’s why at Volkswagen Group Canada, we are passionate about our cars and our brand and foster this same passion and drive in our people. We know that the right people in the right positions can do incredible things, and we love making that happen.

Our mission has started. Volkswagen Group’s largest cell factory in St. Thomas will carry out all battery activities – from processing raw materials to developing a unified Volkswagen battery to managing the European and North American gigafactories. Headquartered in Salzgitter, Germany, we are experiencing the transformation of mobility up close. Our goal is to contribute a positive impact to our global society, the environment and the economy. To reach these goals we need your POWER!

We are looking for a Senior Compensation and Benefits Specialist based out of the St. Thomas, Ontario office.

To achieve these ambitious goals, we are seeking a dedicated Senior Compensation and Benefits Specialist to support the ramp-up of our North American operations. In this role, you will collaborate closely with the HR team in St. Thomas, PowerCo SE team members in Germany, and colleagues from Volkswagen Group Canada in Ajax, ON. Reporting to the Manager of Total Rewards and Organizational Design, you will contribute to the design, development, and communication of compensation and benefits programs.

This is a temporary flex hybrid model, requiring 2 days in the St. Thomas office.

General Responsibilities

• Taking the lead in the development and implementation of Compensation, Benefits and Pension programs at PowerCo, including collaborating with business leaders at PowerCo Canada, PowerCo Germany, VGCA, service providers. Establishing and overseeing contracts, policies and relevant processes, and ensuring the smooth Ramp-up of these programs.
• Ensuring that all Compensation, Benefits and Pension programs are compliant with Canadian regulations, empowering PowerCo’s Strategy and are cost-effectiv.
• Collaborate on data needs with HRBP’s, including HR Operations, payroll & finance
• Benefits and Pension Plans:
• Recommend strategic direction for benefit plans, including health, welfare, retirement (DC plans, RSPs), and other employee benefits.
• Ensure compliance with CPP, EI, and provincial health regulations.
• Manage vendor relationships, negotiate fees, and oversee benefit program administration and budget (welfare plans, retirement, vehicle programs, etc.).
• Lead the annual benefits design process, benchmarking against market standards to ensure competitiveness.
• Develop new benefit plans with external providers, and oversee annual enrollment for employees and retirees.
• Gain hands-on experience shaping benefits and compensation in a startup-like environment.
• Serve as main point contact for PowerCo employees, ensure that communication on existing plans is understandable and accessible
• Administer Defined Contribution (DC) pension plans and Registered Savings Plans (RSPs), ensuring proper plan management and compliance.
• Provide strategic input into retirement plan design and ensure competitiveness.
  
  

Compensation

• Partner with external provider and also with Total Rewards team on compensation and benefits benchmarking and market research, including evaluating plans, market practices, and recommending adjustments
• Analyze compensation policies in relation to Canadian wage laws and market trends.
• Administer salary reviews, annual bonus programs, and special salary adjustments, including the timeline, communication, training, data management, analysis and reporting. Partnering with Finance and leaders on budget planning and management, partnering with HRBPs in providing guidance and support to leaders and managers communicating changes
• Play a key role in shaping compensation structures, including Pay Philosophy to support PowerCo Canada's growth.
• Managing compensation packages for new PowerCo hires that ensure competitive pay and equal treatment.
  
  

Desired Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Sociology or related area and/or equivalent work experience
• 5+ years relevant direct compensation experience.
• Experience in HR demonstrating the ability to deal with confidential material in a manner demonstrating sound judgment.
• Experience in interpretation and statistical analysis of market data.
• Very good communication and stakeholder management skills
• Project Management experience would be considered as an asset
• High level of discretion in dealing with highly confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to plan, schedule, and deliver both long and short-term projects with consideration to stakeholders and adherence to strict deadlines.
• Highly skilled with Excel and MS Office programs.
• Experience with HR SAP, SuccessFactors is considered an asset
• Ability to manage and scale projects
• Strong written, verbal and relationship building skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple priorities and deadlines
• German language knowledge is considered an asset
• What you’ll get in return:
• A flexible and collaborative team dynamic
• Opportunities for development
• Opportunities to participate in exciting company events that give back to the community.
• Competitive employer paid benefits and overall compensation package
• Knowledge of SAP Concur expense Tool and SAP finance accounting system
• And much more!
• Please note that we appreciate the interest of all candidates, however only those under consideration will be contacted.
  
  

Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, family status, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, or local laws.

Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities including during the application process. If you require an accommodation because of a disability, we will work with you to determine what reasonable accommodation may be available to meet your needs whether it be as an applicant or an employee. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance. If you are selected for an interview and require an accommodation, you are encouraged to advise the Recruiter who will consult with you to determine an appropriate and reasonable accommodation.