Senior Specialist, US Retirement

Foods you love. Brands you trust. And a career that empowers you to grow. At Nestlé USA, we’re all working towards the same goal – to delight and deliver for our consumers. With a rich portfolio of beloved brands, including DiGiorno, Toll House, and Coffee mate, in 97% of U.S. households, we have a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to be there for every moment in our consumers’ lives. Joining Nestlé means becoming part of an inclusive workplace that inspires innovation, encourages strategic thinking and creativity, and celebrates your achievements. No matter where you work within the organization, you are empowered to challenge the status quo, embrace risk-taking, and pioneer new ideas. Our supportive and collaborative environment encourages bold ambitions and continuous learning so that everyone can grow and thrive. This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship. POSITION SUMMARY In this role, you will manage a range of operational activities that support the accuracy, compliance, and overall effectiveness of our defined benefit pension plans. You will serve as the initial escalation for HR partners and Vendors, responding to inquiries, resolving routine to moderately complex issues, and ensuring timely, compliant execution of plan processes. Working both independently and collaboratively, you will support operations, identify and troubleshoot issues, and actively contribute to process improvements and operational enhancements. JOB DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES Owns data quality for assigned pension processes, leading ongoing data reviews, preventative HRIS audits, and investigation of daily import errors to resolve issues and prevent recurrence. Serves as Tier 2 escalation point for pension mailbox and retiree payroll matters to ensure accurate outcomes and guide appropriate resolution paths for complex issues. Accountable for execution of assigned pension controls and compliance activities (examples: TERP termination, QPSA communications) to identify issues or risks and partnering with stakeholders. Owns resolution of escalated cases from Vendor, including resolving calculation or plan questions, death escalations (with Savings) and overpayment/over-limit cases. Performs and validates Hours and Pay calculations and process system updates as required by Plan requirements. Acts as the point of contact for key processes which include legal requests (subpoenas), year-end activities (W2s, annualized local values, international transfers). Participate in UAT testing, process reviews/documentation, and project support leveraging operational expertise to influence changes and reduce risk. Collaborate with colleagues on calls and cross-functional initiatives. Identifies, documents, and implements improvements within assigned pension processes to enhance efficiency and accuracy. Collaborate on special projects and other pension activities as required. EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. EXPERIENCE & SKILLS REQUIREMENTS Experience 5+ years of professional experience in retirement plan administration, benefits, HR, or related field. Competencies Experience with defined benefit pension administration, calculations & plan document interpretation and exposure to HRIS/Payroll or other data-intensive systems. Proficiency with Excel for trend analysis, reconciliations, and exception reporting, including vlookups, formulas, and pivot tables. Demonstrated experience improving a business process using data (e.g., reducing error rates, cycle time, or manual touchpoints). Hands-on experience performing root-cause analysis and implementing corrective/preventive actions. Ability to interpret technical specifications or data interface documentation and validate business rules against real data. Ability to work independently and as part of a team; commitment to confidentiality. Skills & Capabilities Process improvement mindset. Data analytics orientation & ability to review and manipulate large datasets. Control design & risk awareness to proactively identify control gaps. Ability to collaborate and knowledge sharing. Customer service orientation and adaptability to change. Operational Influence as it relates to building alignment across cross-functional partners & Vendors. Technical fluency as it relates to data mapping, integration rules, calculation and file specs etc. Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and deliver results in a dynamic environment. Preferred Qualifications SAP/SuccessFactors experience preferred. Experience designing or operating business controls (SOX/internal control environment, audit readiness, or data quality controls). Familiarity with ERISA, IRS, and DOL regulations. Experience with complex pension or payroll issues. Experience with user acceptance testing or implementing new HRIS/pension systems. Experience with ServiceNow or other applicable case management system. #LI-JM13