JOB TITLE: PSERS RETIREMENT REPRESENTATIVE TRAINEE

JOB CODE: 21895

SERIES NATURE OF WORK: The Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) Retirement Representative job series describes work in explaining, counseling, and facilitating the employee benefits program of PSERS with members and school districts throughout the Commonwealth.

DEFINITION: This is trainee work involving various aspects of the employee benefits program in PSERS.

An employee in this job participates in a twelve-month formal and on-the-job training program designed to develop an understanding and competence in estimate preparation and calculation and involves explaining, counseling, and facilitating benefit information to all members, annuitants, and school personnel throughout the Commonwealth in accordance with PSERS’ Retirement Code and related policies and procedures. A significant component of the work involves responding to a high volume of telephone inquiries and requests from members regarding all aspects of their retirement accounts and benefits in a call center environment. Work may include traveling throughout the state for job training and to educate and counsel individuals and groups concerning retirement benefits. Work is performed under the direction of a supervisor who assigns work, provides guidance and direction, and reviews work in progress, as well as completed work, for quality, professional development, expected progress, and adherence to established standards, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (Note: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.):

• Participates in formal and on-the-job training to develop the knowledge and skills needed to determine benefit entitlement available to members and to counsel members regarding available options.

• Assists within the call center and regional offices in educating and counseling members or employers and responds to a high volume of inquiries from members and annuitants or employers regarding a variety of retirement questions or issues related to their accounts or benefits.

• Observes and participates in conducting individual and group benefit counseling sessions, pre-retirement planning workshops, employer reporting training sessions, and school district in-service training sessions.

• Observes and practices benefit counseling with members to explain estimated retirement benefits, retirement options, death and survivor benefits, beneficiary requirements, taxability of pension, and other benefit issues.

• Aids in explaining the tax liability of pension benefits.

• Helps members complete retirement applications and other retirement documents and reviews documents for accuracy and completeness.

• Provides support in the scheduling and coordinating of all individual counseling, group counseling, pre-retirement planning, and employer training sessions;

determines training and counseling locations and dates; and prepares related notifications for employers and members.

• Participates in providing training and related technical guidance to school district personnel regarding retirement system procedures, reporting requirements, enrollment eligibility, benefit options, and implementation of legislative changes.

• Assists in the calculation of a variety of retirement benefit estimates in preparation for counseling, including normal, early, multiple service, disability, divorce, special options, and frozen annuities.

• Assists in the research, review, and resolution of members’ retirement account issues prior to member retirement.

• Receives training in interpreting and applying the benefit provisions of the PSERS’ Retirement Code and all applicable policies and procedures.

• Travels to and from scheduled counseling sessions, seminars, conferences, training programs, and workshops.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the use and functionality of Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word applications.

• Ability to use arithmetic, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division and mathematical formulas, such as calculating ratios and percentages.

• Ability to analyze and interpret rules, regulations, policies, procedures, legislation, and directives.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

• Ability to read and interpret written information and numerical data.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities):

• Four years of staff support experience assisting with human resources administration, financial management, or public relations work in a pension or retirement system or a related occupational area;

or

• A bachelor's degree in communications, human resources, business administration, business management, psychology, labor relations, or a related area;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training.