Job Opportunities in United States

What you will be doing:
Under general direction from the Retirement and Benefits Specialist 3 (Processing Manager), the Retirement and Benefits Specialist 2 (Benefit Analyst independently provides retirement file certification, counseling, and seminars for members and employers, for the following plans: Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), National Guard/Naval Militia Retirement System (NGNMRS), Unlicensed Vessel Personnel Annuity Retirement Plan (UVPARP), Judicial Retirement System (JRS), Elected Public Official Retirement System (EPORS), Supplemental Benefits Annuity Plan (SBS-AP), Deferred Compensation Plan (DCP), and the Defined Contribution Plans.

This position and its counterpart are also responsible for the annual Post Retirement Pension Adjustment (PRPA) process, from calculating the percent change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), through running the necessary queries and both doing all of the required manual adjustments and certifying said adjustments. The certifying team creates and conducts the Division’s annual PRPA training. Other duties include providing counseling and assistance to other Specialist 2's on special projects as assigned and to conduct testing for new processes and systems as a subject-matter expert (SME).

Our organization, mission, and culture:
The Division of Retirement and Benefits administers State of Alaska and political subdivision retirement and benefit plans so that customers experience excellent, accurate, and timely service; and members understand the value of, and effectively manage, their retirement and health benefits.

The benefits of joining our team:
The Counseling/Benefit Education Team is committed to providing a supportive and collaborative work environment where all team members' contributions are welcomed and valued. The team highly values a healthy work/life balance, and works to ensure that team members have access to needed resources. Leadership works to cultivate talent from within and provide team members with the tools needed to advance and develop their knowledge base and skill set.

The working environment you can expect:
This position is located in the heart of downtown Juneau at the State Office Building on the 6th floor. Ideal applicants will be customer service oriented and have the ability to prioritize responsibilities to best suit the needs of the division. Applicants are expected to engage in a team environment with staff, upper management as well as other internal and external vendors.

Who we are looking for:
To be successful in the position, the ideal candidate will possess the following knowledge, skills, abilities and experience:

• Working knowledge and interpretation of the statutes, regulations, health and life insurance contracts, plan documents, and bargaining unit agreements that govern the assigned work.
• Ability to counsel employees, retirees, employers, union officials, and others on retirement and/or benefits matters.
• Ability to organize, evaluate, and present information clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, organize workflow, and meet performance measures.
• Ability to use PC/ Business application systems to input and retrieve information.
• Ability to lead the work of others, and to provide training.

Special Note:
No specific certifications or registrations required. Employee must hold a valid Alaska driver's license and be physically capable of traveling and transporting the required materials for field visits to locations across the state.

Minimum Qualifications

Additional Required Information

At time of interview, please provide the following:

• List of three (3) professional references, including current daytime phone numbers.
• Copies of your two (2) most recent performance evaluations.
• College transcripts (if using education to meet the minimum qualifications).

Specific Requirements:

• Must be proficient in public speaking.
• Must be able to travel up to a week at a time as needed.
• Must be able to work directly with members and employers.

Please read the below information carefully. This applies to your application submission.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS
For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions. Be specific in your answers and tell us how you acquired the relevant experience. Please use complete sentences and proof-read your submissions when answering the supplemental questions. Your responses will be considered a writing sample and will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment process.

EDUCATION
To verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competencies, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required with each application. (Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts). Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview; if not, transcripts will be required before employment.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY
This recruitment is open to Alaska Residents only. Applicants must meet Alaska Residency Requirements in order to be considered for employment at this time.

WORK EXPERIENCE
Applications will be reviewed to determine if minimum qualifications are met. Therefore, all work experiences the applicant is using to meet minimum qualifications for this position must be documented in the application package. Please include the employer’s name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether the employment was full or part-time. Applicants who submit packages that do not provide sufficient information to demonstrate minimum qualifications are met may not advance in the selection process.

NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

MULTIPLE VACANCIES
This recruitment may be used for more than one (1) vacancy. The applicant pool acquired during this recruitment may be used for future vacancies for up to ninety (90) days after this recruitment closes. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply to each recruitment notice to ensure consideration for all vacancies.

EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

NOTICE
If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure your email address is correct on your application and that the spam filter will permit email from the ‘govermentjobs.com’ domains. For information on allowing emails from the ‘governmentjobs.com’ domains, visit the Lost Password Help page located at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/Online Application/User/Reset Password.

WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are located in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to: recruitment.services@alaska.gov.

For applicant password assistance, please visit:
https://www.governmentjobs.com/Online Application/User/Reset Password

Contact Information

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits

• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
  • The following employee groups are under Alaska Care Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
    • AVTEC
    • Confidential
    • Correctional Officers
    • Marine Engineers
    • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
    • Supervisory
    • Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
    • Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
  • The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
    • General Government
    • Labor, Trades and Crafts
    • Public Safety Employees Association
    • Masters, Mates & Pilots
• Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

• Group-based insurance premiums for
  • Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
  • Long-term and short-term disability
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
  • Supplemental Survivor Benefits
• Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve (12) paid holidays a year