Retirement Benefits Counselor

Agency
Dept of State Treasurer
Division
Retirement Division
Job Classification Title
Program Coordinator III (S)
Position Number
60009126
Grade
NC12
About Us
Our mission is to preserve, protect and sustain the state’s pension and healthcare plans, generate investment returns in excess of comparable public pensions, properly account for and report on all funds that are deposited, invested, and disbursed through the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer, assure the financially sound issuance of debt for state and local governments, maintain the state’s “AAA” bond rating, and provide exemplary service across all divisions of the Department.
Description of Work
The primary purpose of this position is to assist active & retired state and local government employees, beneficiaries, employers and agencies with retirement and benefit inquiries by counseling and educating them on benefit programs administered by the Retirement Systems Division and with explaining statute details and legislative interpretations. This section receives phone calls and e-mails from employees and employers from all around the state regarding all the different retirement systems and responds to a variety of calls and e-mails from simple, moderately complex to very complex questions. These Counseling Center Counselors are trained as subject matter experts regarding all matters retirement and are equipped to handle even the most complex situations that require additional research and follow up, with an awareness toward customer service.
Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences
*The anticipated hiring rate for this position is up to $56,865, based on available funding and internal equity considerations.*
Description of Work
Explains and applies interpretations of laws, codes, AG opinions and procedural guides related to the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System, Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, former Law Enforcement Officer’s Retirement System, Separate Insurance Benefits Plan for Law Enforcement Officers, Register of Deeds’ Supplemental Pension Fund and the Disability Income Plan of North Carolina, Legislative Retirement System, Legislative Retirement Fund, Consolidated Judicial Retirement System, National Guard Pension Fund, and the Supplemental Retirement Income Plan.
Assesses individual member situations while applying current statute regulations and communicating the appropriate decision to involved parties; scope includes over 900,000 active, inactive, and retired members, and over 1,500 employers.
Provides technical assistance to agencies and HR professionals in regards to the various retirement systems such as procedural matters, reporting requirements and supplies information to administrative and personnel officials of all agencies covered under the variety of retirement plans.
Researches complicated benefit provisions regarding statutory and regulatory changes since these changes are cumulative in effect resulting in the date an event occurs may cause the answer to be different than if the event had happened at an earlier or later date
Must pass and complete the mandatory 8-week new hire training class followed by on-going quarterly refresher trainings and assessments, quarterly knowledge assessments and on-going training classes as assigned by the Learning and Development department and as requested by leadership, a 3-day Customer Service Quality Phone Interaction Skills training and pass on-going weekly quality assessments from randomly pulled call recordings.
Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences
Qualified applicants must possess, and application must clearly reflect work experience that demonstrates the following:
Knowledge of retirement, insurance benefits, financial planning, and customer service principles, practices, and processes.
Ability to troubleshoot and resolve login errors and diagnose system issues to implement effective solutions.
Skill in using Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.
Management Preferences:
Two years’ experience in interpreting and communicating employee benefits effectively.
Two years’ experience working in a call center environment.
Inquiries and applications will be kept strictly confidential.
Salary Range - $47,703.00-$83,479.00
Position is Subject to FLSA Overtime
This position may be assigned additional job functions as needed. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice based on business conditions or as required by the agency to fulfill its mission.
Minimum Education and Experience
Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through either years of education, years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See oshr.nc.gov/experience-guide for details.
The minimum Education and Experience is a bachelor’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution and two (2) years of experience related to the area of assignment; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
Important: This posting closes at 11:59:59 PM the night BEFORE the End Date above.
If you have student loans, becoming a state employee includes eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Visit https://studentaid.gov/ to learn more.
This position currently qualifies for a hybrid telework option with routine office and remote workdays. The NC Department of State Treasurer trusts our employees to be self-motivated and successful in hybrid/remote roles. Telework options are subject to change at the discretion of management.
NC State Health Benefits:
The State of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NC Flex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees.
Visit the website for State Benefits
Supplemental and Contact Information
The North Carolina Department of State Treasurer (DST) is an Equal Opportunity Employer that embraces an Employment First philosophy, which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws, and Executive Orders. We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job. For more information about DST: NCTreasurer | NC Treasurer.
DST uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals. Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position.
Application Process
Be sure to complete the application in its entirety. Resumes will not be accepted in place of completing this application.
Information should be provided in the appropriate areas, to include the following: Education, including high school and all degrees obtained, Work Experience, and Certificates & Licenses. It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive candidate information.
Answers to Supplemental Questions are not a substitute for providing all relevant information within the body of your application. To receive credit for the supplemental questions, you must provide supporting information within the "Work Experience" section of the application to support your answers.
Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check.
Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account. Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for qualified applicants. The hiring process may take several weeks.
Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. Transcripts and degree evaluations may be uploaded with your application. The State of North Carolina/Office of State Human Resources uses the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as a referral resource for applicants who need to have their credentials certified as equivalent.
For a list of organizations that perform this specialized service, please visit the NACES membership website at