Benefit Processor Associate or Benefit Processor

Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)•Austin, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

In the Pension Services Division, we cultivate connection with our more than 2 million valued members by striving for excellence through counseling and administering benefits for retirees, active members, and employers. It is our goal to ensure our members have personalized service for pension benefits every day. Joining our fast-paced team you’ll have the opportunity to create meaningful experiences by learning the ins and outs of our business alongside a committed and collaborative community. Through coaching and mentorship, you’ll gain the skills you need to achieve your career goals at TRS while earning member trust and making a positive impact in their lives. We offer a competitive compensation package with benefits, a retirement pension, and work/life balance in a dynamic environment. If you have the skill set and the passion to serve our members, we encourage you to apply! Benefit Processor Associates process routine requests as they work in an on-the-job training environment building skills to a Benefit Processors level. Benefit Processors are responsible for providing customer service, reviewing TRS member records, processing requests and providing technical assistance. They work with the Benefit Processing team, Pension Services staff, and other agency employees. This role requires working onsite in the office four to five business days per week. This Vacancy will be filled at one of two levels (Benefit Processor Associate or Benefit Processor). Candidates with TRS experience may qualify for the Benefit Processor level. Selected applicants will be offered the position that most closely matches their education and experience.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
One (1) year of full-time experience in banking, accounting, claims processing, benefit processing, or a customer service-related position involving interpreting, applying, and communicating complex laws, regulations, and policies or related experience. (Benefit Processor Associate)
Three (3) years of full-time directly related, progressively responsible experience in banking, accounting, claims processing, benefit processing, or a customer service-related position involving interpreting, applying, and communicating complex laws, regulations, and policies or related experience. (Benefit Processor)
One (1) year of full-time experience in TRS Pension Services or a TRS position requiring the interpretation and application of agency laws, rules, policies, and processes. (Benefit Processor)
Experience may be concurrent.
Planning, organizing, and prioritizing work assignments to manage a high-volume workload in a fast-paced and changing environment, and completing detailed work with a high degree of accuracy.
Reviewing documentation; properly applying complex laws, regulations, rules, and policies; and making decisions based on sound judgment.
Using a computer in a Windows environment with Microsoft Office word processing, spreadsheet, and other business software, and performing data entry at a moderate speed with a high degree of accuracy.
Effectively communicating detailed and technical information.
Providing quality customer service.
Establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with co-workers, agency staff, and external contacts.
Work effectively in a professional team environment.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Experience reviewing government, legal, or financial documents.
Experience processing retirement benefits claims.
TRS benefit programs.
TRS benefit programs, laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and systems related to assigned functions. (Benefit Processor)
General office procedures and basic customer service principles.

Responsibilities

Actively participates in the TRS Benefit Processing training program.
Performs research and analysis of member records to ensure accuracy and completeness of information and to determine eligibility for one or more types of benefit or service, such as service credit purchase, retirement estimates, service retirement, disability retirement, death benefits, refunds, or account maintenances.
Verifies member’s name, address, and other demographic information.
Reviews the member account to determine amount of creditable service and/or eligibility for routine refund, retirement, and reinstatement of withdrawn service.
Updates or corrects demographic information.
Updates member service information.
Communicates with members, school districts, alternate payees, attorneys, executors, and other interested parties to verify or obtain member information and to provide information regarding complex agency laws, regulations, procedures, and processes.
Utilizes TRS systems to retrieve and research member data. (Benefit Processor)
Reviews documents for authenticity and accuracy and processes requests relating to assigned benefit program(s).
May process lump sum refunds of member contributions including accounts involving Optional Retirement Program (ORP), Partial Lump Sum Option (PLSO), and/or Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs).
May prepare cost statements for purchase of TRS service based on withdrawn service, military service, unreported service, and out of state service.
May verify the legitimacy of beneficiary designations and finalizes payments for death claims for members/retirees, including those with specialized issues such as QDROs.
May process retirement estimates.
May process retirement estimates with specialized issues such as QDROs. (Benefit Processor)
May finalize applications for retirement and authorizes entry onto the annuity payroll.
May process retirement applications, including those with specialized issues such as QDROs.
May review Power of Attorney documents. (Benefit Processor)
Utilizes TRS system to process benefit requests. (Benefit Processor)
Reviews and validates the work of other Benefit Processors for accuracy, completeness, and correct application of routine laws, policies, and procedures. (Benefit Processor)
Assists in training and providing technical assistance to team members on Benefit Processing related laws, regulation, policies, procedures, and processes. (Benefit Processor)
Assists in analyzing and recommending changes to departmental procedures and systems. (Benefit Processor)