11/30/1999 09515

DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION, SERS

DEFINITION: This is responsible administrative and managerial work in the direction of the Bureau of Benefit Administration in the State Employees' Retirement System.

The employee in this class is responsible for directing a professional, technical, and clerical staff engaged in performing a variety of services related to the administration of a large scale and complex retirement program for state employees. The employee in this class plans, organizes, and directs the work of retirement processing, disability eligibility determination, purchase of service, refund processing, death benefit payments, money adjustments, and document research and processing. The employee also plays a significant role in policy and regulation development and introduction of legislative changes related to the administration of the retirement program. Broad supervision is exercised over a large number of professional, technical, and clerical personnel. Work is performed with considerable independence with a broad framework of existing laws and policies. Work is performed under the general direction of the Assistant Executive Director who reviews work through conferences and evaluation of reports.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Plans, organizes, and directs the work of professional, technical and clerical personnel performing major staff services related to the administration of a complex retirement program in the areas of membership administration and benefit determination.

Directs the analysis of the Bureau program, including program output, program effectiveness, program improvement and new program requirements.

Plans and assigns work to subordinate division directors and bureau secretary, determines objectives and performance standards, evaluates employee performance, and evaluates and recommends training needs of subordinates.

Develops and presents policy recommendations in areas of membership administration and benefit determination for submission to the Assistant Executive Director, Executive Director and the Retirement Board.

Participates in the development of recommendations for legislative changes.

Prepares and coordinates documentation for submission to regulatory agencies substantiating requests to change the agency rules and regulations to include coordination of the rules and regulation changes from draft to implementation and presentation before the State Retirement Board, regulatory agencies' Directors/Boards, legislative committees, and possible public hearings as required by law.

Represents the agency on behalf of the Executive Director and Assistant Executive Director in administrative hearings, Commonwealth Court hearings, legislative hearings and other forms of public presentations as an expert witness on membership administration and benefit determination under the State Employees' Retirement System.

Provides technical assistance to the attorneys of the Office of General Counsel, Office of Attorney General and other private attorneys working either on behalf or in coordination with the State Employees' Retirement System in relationship to the areas of membership administration and benefit determination.

Assists in the determination and preparation of the technical strategies utilized by the agency's legal staff in both administrative hearings and Commonwealth Court cases.

Consults with the actuary to secure written documentation of computation formulas used in processing members benefits.

Revises and implements methods of computation to comply with interpretations and recommends.

Participates in the preparation of the administrative budget as it relates to the Bureau of Benefit Administration.

Participates in the review of automated systems and setting of bureau systems priorities through coordination with the Director, Management Information Systems Division and the Assistant Executive Director.

Prepares or directs the preparation of correspondence for the signature of the Executive Director or Assistant Executive Director on unusual or complex retirement problems or in response to letters sent by the Governor, Legislature, various retirement associations, or members of the system.

Represents the Retirement System at various engagements, speaking on the operations of the system and the benefits and services provided to the members.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the State Employees' Retirement law.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of supervision, human resources development and public administration.

Knowledge of modern management techniques including the adaptation of manual systems to automated systems.

Ability to exercise judgement and discretion in applying and interpreting legislation, board policy, agency policy, actuary, and legal opinions.

Ability to write and speak effectively.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: Two years as a SERS Benefit Policy Administrator or two years as Chief of Field Operations, SERS or five years as a SERS Regional Manager or six years as a Retirement Administrator;

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Four years of management experience including one year of supervisory experience over professional and/or technical staff in a public employees' retirement system; and a bachelor's degree in Public or Business Administration or a related area;

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Any equivalent combination of experience and training including one year of supervisory experience over professional and/or technical staff.

A Master degree in social or behavioral sciences or a related field may be substituted for two years of the required experience.