Benefits Counselor I

Summary of Job Responsibilities

PERA's Member Services Division provides the administration and related member services of PERA's defined benefit program. The Benefits Counselor prepares and presents information regarding the PERA defined benefit retirement plan, PERA's healthcare plans, and other PERA information to members in virtual, phone, or in-person individual counseling sessions. This position is also responsible for verifying, calculating, and auditing member account information for processing benefits according to legal and regulatory compliance standards. This position will be stationed at our Westminster location with part of the onboarding training being at our Denver office.

Ideal Candidate Statement

The ideal candidate has the ability to learn, navigate, and adhere to extensive, complex, and evolving procedures governing all benefit services processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance while meeting or exceeding established efficiency standards. This candidate is highly detail-oriented, ensuring accuracy in all aspects of work while maintaining efficiency, and uses sound judgement in decision making. They are able to prepare comprehensive reports and present account information in a clear, organized, and meaningful manner to support informed decision making for PERA members. The benefits counselor demonstrates a strong presence, quickly establishing rapport and trust while maintaining a consistently professional, positive, and engaged demeanor while representing the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Employees are held accountable for all duties of the job. Individuals must be able to perform these duties with or without reasonable accommodations.

• Conveys member specific and general PERA information in a professional, clear, concise, and compelling manner to members of diverse social, economic, and educational backgrounds

• Motivates members to actively plan for retirement while ensuring they understand and utilize the resources available via PERA's public facing website and member portal to help establish and achieve their financial goals

• Works individually and in partnership with others to develop, arrange, deliver, and promote general and specialized retirement education materials for members and benefit recipients.

• Utilizes adult learning theories and behavioral finance principles, to deliver impactful and effective counseling sessions

• Serve as a primary resource for complex inquiries and issues related to: PERA benefits, retirement plans, insurance programs, retirement readiness, and financial security.

• Determines benefit program eligibility through member data-driven decision making and ensures compliance with state and federal regulatory frameworks governing PERA

• Explains complex PERA specific calculations, such as the Highest Average Salary (HAS), service credit purchase break even/recovery cost, and service credit available in a clear and concise manner

• Proactively investigates and resolves member account related issues while adhering to federal and/or state statute, PERA Rules, internal procedures, and escalating as needed

• Responsible for accurate data entry, information retrieval, and outgoing correspondence

• Consistently achieves or exceeds defined performance benchmarks, and division-level service metrics as set forth by management

• Operates with a strong sense of ownership, urgency and accountability to meet assigned deadlines and member expectations

• Demonstrates dependability by maintaining regular and prompt attendance in the workplace and at meeting locations

• Embraces a growth mindset by taking on projects, cross-functional initiatives, and other duties as assigned to support organizational objectives

• Engages in continuous training and educational opportunities for ongoing professional development and enhanced personal skills

• Supports management decisions and change efforts among teammates, other divisions, members, employers, and other stakeholders

• Performs other duties as assigned

Job Qualifications

• A combination of education and experience equivalent to 2 years of benefit administration; a bachelor's degree is preferred

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to learn, interpret, and clearly communicate state statutes, rules, and procedures in a manner easily understood by persons not familiar with the subject

• High level of professionalism and ability to handle sensitive information confidentially

• Detail-oriented with an aptitude for math

• Ability to prioritize, organize, and work with minimal supervision

• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport and build trust quickly in initial interactions

• Capable of working successfully both independently and within a team-focused environment

• Knowledge of databases, personal computer applications, and related business software

• Ability to travel as necessary within the Denver Metro area

• Professional business demeanor

Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Standard office environment with frequent telephone communication, computer operation, and other office productivity machinery, such as a copy and printer machine.

• Occasional moving and positioning supplies in excess of 20 pounds

• All employees are expected to present themselves in a professional manner in alignment with the financial services industry

• Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time

• Ability to operate standard PC equipment

• Ability to manage frequent deadlines and tight schedules

Hybrid Work Option

• Opportunity to work from home up to two days per week. Eligibility dependent upon factors detailed in PERA's Work from Home Policy.