Senior Communications Specialist, Pension Communications

at  University Pension Plan

ABOUT UPP

UPP is the first pension plan of its kind in Ontario’s university sector, proudly serving over 40,000 members across four universities and fourteen sector organizations. Our purpose is to bring greater retirement peace of mind to the university sector by investing with integrity and serving members with care. As a sector-wide plan designed for growth, our doors are open to all Ontario universities.
Together, we’re a team of progressive thinkers and agile doers operating within a fast-paced culture of collaboration and respect. We believe in bringing smart and capable people together to create, solve and grow with a clear shared vision and values of integrity, inclusivity, ingenuity, and impact.
Our culture is intentionally welcoming and purposefully rooted in equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation (EDIR). We believe diverse teams, perspectives, and lived experiences contribute to better decisions and a better workplace.
As a long-term investor, we recognize that environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors support risk management and value creation. As stated in our Responsible Investing Policy, we are committed to incorporating ESG considerations into our investment management activities and we collaborate with other industry participants in the promotion of a sustainable economy and society.
Join us in building a bright future for our members, our organization, and each other.

OUR COMPANY BACKGROUND & CULTURE

UPP is a ground-breaking jointly sponsored pension plan tailored by and for Ontario’s university sector. Today, we manage $11.7 billion in pension assets and proudly serve over 40,000 working and retired members across four universities and 12 university-sector affiliated organizations. Our commitment is to protect the security and sustainability of our members’ pensions while delivering service excellence to our members and employers. UPP is a sector-wide plan designed for growth - our doors are open to all Ontario universities.
Our people are the heart of our organization. Together, we are creating a purpose-driven and inclusive workplace focused on a culture of teamwork, collaboration, and respect — for one another and the world around us. We’re looking for passionate individuals seeking a rewarding career and opportunities to build and shape an exciting new organization with a clear mission, and who share our core values of integrity, inclusivity, ingenuity, and impact.

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES:

The Communications Specialist will engage and inform UPP’s existing membership and prospective members by undertaking the accountabilities listed below.

Content development

• Create engaging content for all platforms, including presentations, social media posts, newsletters, booklets and other pension communications.
• Identify, track, and manage opportunities for UPP to communicate with members so that member needs are accounted for and so UPP is proactive in member communications.
• Take an audience-focused approach and use innovative strategies and tactics to support the business and team objectives.
• Write short communications appropriate for social media posts and longer, in-depth material for membership newsletters and other member-facing materials.
• Use plain, member-friendly language to distill complex pension-related information into content that is easy to read and understandable.
• Review and edit content for accuracy, style, readability, and adherence to UPP’s brand guidelines.
• Advise on and implement best practices for content across all platforms.
• Develop content so that the tone is appropriate for the target audience.

Project planning and coordination

• Assist the Associate Director with the development of comprehensive communication plans and strategies to support organizational objectives.
• Demonstrate strong project planning and coordination skills, managing resources and timelines effectively.
• Oversee the end-to-end development of projects, from creating comprehensive communication plans to developing content and collaborating with creative and digital teams to ensure high-quality and successful delivery.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate effective communication and collaboration.
• Coordinate multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with strategic goals.
• Serve as a liaison between the Communications team and other departments, ensuring consistent messaging and information flow.
• Operate independently and collaboratively while maintaining a high level of productivity and accountability.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum 3+ years of experience in creating written content, preferably within the context of a large, multi-stakeholder organization such as a university, membership association, union, pension plan, or financial institution.
• Post-secondary education in communications, marketing, or a related field, or relevant experience.
• Knowledge of best practices related to communications and knowledge translation.
• Proven ability to distill nuanced and complex topics into accessible and digestible content
• Proven ability to develop materials that develop and strengthen relationships with audiences.
• Ability to work with strict deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage projects independently.
• Able to provide advice to enhance understanding of content.
• Strong proofreading capabilities.
• Written and verbal fluency in French is considered an asset.
• Experience in developing and executing comprehensive communication plans.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while also thriving in a collaborative team environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience in leveraging digital and social media platforms for effective communication.
• Familiarity with the pension or financial services industry is an asset.
• Strong analytical skills to assess the effectiveness of communication strategies and make data-driven decisions.

Reporting to the Associate Director, Pension Communications, the Senior Communications Specialist, Pension Communications will be responsible for developing compelling, audience-focused content for UPP’s plan members. The ideal candidate will have strong written communication skills and the ability to build trust and relationships with a variety of external audiences. This role requires the ability to distill complex messages into easy-to-understand content suitable for our diverse audience, including university professors and employees, faculty associations, staff unions, sector associations, participating employer administrators and prospective members.
This individual will ensure that the UPP brand is woven into all facets of communications with plan members, ensuring that communications are well-written and adhere to our brand guidelines. They must have a strong grasp of written communication tactics to be able to tailor content for the desired purpose and audience.
The ideal candidate will manage multiple priorities, work independently, and foster strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders while maintaining consistency and alignment with UPP’s brand guidelines.
This role is based in downtown Toronto under a hybrid work policy, allowing employees the flexibility to work remotely and in-office (approximately two days per week in-office).