Retirement Specialist 3 - Death & Disability

State of Washington•Thurston County – Tumwater, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role is for an experienced, dependable, and energetic Retirement Specialist (RS) interested in advancing their career by learning about the Death and Disability Unit at DRS. The ideal candidate is a natural leader who can mentor and guide others in responding to unique customer inquiries or needs, and a strategic planner interested in being part of a dynamic leadership team. This recruitment is open to permanent DRS team members only. In-person interviews will be scheduled in Tumwater. The start date for this role will be October 1, 2026.

Requirements

Two (2) years of experience as a Retirement Specialist at the Department of Retirement Systems. Time in RS training program counts towards the two-year requirement.
Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel (version 2016 or newer).
Demonstrated ability to use multiple computer applications simultaneously.
Demonstrated proficiency in Customer Focus competency.
Demonstrated proficiency in Leading Others competency.
Demonstrated proficiency in Analysis competency.
Demonstrated proficiency in Communication competency.
Demonstrated proficiency in Judgment competency.
Demonstrated proficiency in Teaching and Training competency.
Demonstrated proficiency in Meeting the Needs of Others competency.
Demonstrated proficiency in Learning and Growth competency.

Nice To Haves

Team members who will meet the two-year requirement by October 1, 2026, will be considered and are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Serve as team lead to a group of Retirement Specialists.
Mentor and coach the team to ensure they are supporting members and employers in a timely and informed manner.
Act as a resource for members, employers, and team members regarding the retirement systems and plans administered by DRS.
Serve as a content expert advising on questions and issues related to death and disability accounts.
Monitor work queues, develop schedules and strategies to manage workflow, and assign work to team members.
Observe team performance and provide feedback to the team leader for use in performance evaluations.
Perform in-depth research and analysis in preparing summaries and recommendations on issues of administrative policy and procedure.
Work directly with Disability Applications for consultation, estimates, and Disability reviews.
Review disability applications and supporting disability documentation, and make an initial disability recommendation.
Calculate retirement benefit estimates for members based on requirements of Disability Retirements and Death benefits written in Statutes.
Work on annual processes like COLA processing, Adjusted Minimum Benefit processing, and medical reimbursements.
Calculate medical premium reimbursement payments to survivors of members who passed in the line of duty.
Develop new processes to overcome challenges on complex accounts.