Benefits Specialist - Retirement Plans Administration

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

About The Position

Are you searching for meaningful work on a total rewards team? Do you like contributing to transformational work and projects? If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL! We are seeking a Benefits Specialist to support APL’s health and welfare plans, with a concentrated focus on APL's 403(b) and 401(a) retirement plans. As a member of APL's Talent Services team, you'll contribute to our core purpose to build community, ignite talent and partner to enable defining innovations. As a Benefits Specialist-Retirement Plans Administration you will… Own the end-to-end participant experience and support across all retirement plan matters, exercising independent judgment to interpret plan provisions, resolve complex issues, and drive continuous improvement in processes and vendor performance. Advise participants on contributions, withdrawals, rollovers, and related transactions; partner with the record-keeper to execute transactions and resolve recordkeeping discrepancies. Lead the Military Make Up Contribution, Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), and Small Account Cash Out programs, including targeted communications to affected employees and retirees. Provide strategic oversight of the pension communications lifecycle; developing content, securing approvals, and scheduling/delivering educational seminars. In partnership with the Retirement Plans Administrator, direct the production of on demand “how to” self help videos and proactively brief internal stakeholders on upcoming communications. Provide leadership support on mandated compliance testing and audits, exercising judgment in issue resolution and documentation. Contribute to the preparation of Form 5500 filings, schedules, and related IRS forms, delivering draft work products for managerial review and certification. Co-lead the bi-weekly process to review pension contribution calculations and vendor remittance process. Serve as a co-lead for the administration of the Quarterly Loan Default process. In conjunction with Retirement Plans Manager and Retirement Plans Administrator, maintain Pension Inbox and respond to inquiries that funnel through this channel. Counsel staff members approaching retirement about the impact to their retirement plans. Facilitate and produce educational sessions on the Laboratory’s retirement plans, in person or via Zoom. As part of rotational team, facilitate new staff orientation. Serve as a point of contact for new hire questions related to health and welfare benefits. Provide customer service support to staff on the pension plans, pre-retirement meetings and to retirees on pension and health & welfare plans via phone and email. Resolve or raise issues to staff benefits team members.

Requirements

Posses a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources or related field or equivalent professional experience, plus 2 or more years of experience in retirement plan administration or health and welfare benefits. In lieu of degree, 5+ years of relevant experience in retirement plans and/or health & welfare benefits areas
Have superior customer service, teamwork and interpersonal skills
Possess strong problem-solving skills with demonstrated proactive initiative in tackling issues
Have demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills
Have exceptional organizational skills, ability to meet deadlines and attention to detail
Have the ability to conduct difficult conversations with staff and supervisors on sensitive topics
Hold U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status, as required to access APL facilities and networks, subject to applicable laws

Nice To Haves

Possess a Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or related field
Have formal benefits training such as CEBS or ASPPA courses or workshops
Have obtained, or is willing to obtain, Certified Plan Sponsor Professional (CPSP) designation from Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA)

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end participant experience and support across all retirement plan matters, exercising independent judgment to interpret plan provisions, resolve complex issues, and drive continuous improvement in processes and vendor performance.
Advise participants on contributions, withdrawals, rollovers, and related transactions; partner with the record-keeper to execute transactions and resolve recordkeeping discrepancies.
Lead the Military Make Up Contribution, Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), and Small Account Cash Out programs, including targeted communications to affected employees and retirees.
Provide strategic oversight of the pension communications lifecycle; developing content, securing approvals, and scheduling/delivering educational seminars.
In partnership with the Retirement Plans Administrator, direct the production of on demand “how to” self help videos and proactively brief internal stakeholders on upcoming communications.
Provide leadership support on mandated compliance testing and audits, exercising judgment in issue resolution and documentation.
Contribute to the preparation of Form 5500 filings, schedules, and related IRS forms, delivering draft work products for managerial review and certification.
Co-lead the bi-weekly process to review pension contribution calculations and vendor remittance process.
Serve as a co-lead for the administration of the Quarterly Loan Default process.
In conjunction with Retirement Plans Manager and Retirement Plans Administrator, maintain Pension Inbox and respond to inquiries that funnel through this channel.
Counsel staff members approaching retirement about the impact to their retirement plans.
Facilitate and produce educational sessions on the Laboratory’s retirement plans, in person or via Zoom.
As part of rotational team, facilitate new staff orientation.
Serve as a point of contact for new hire questions related to health and welfare benefits.
Provide customer service support to staff on the pension plans, pre-retirement meetings and to retirees on pension and health & welfare plans via phone and email.
Resolve or raise issues to staff benefits team members.