Retirement and Benefits Technician 2 PCN 028129

About the Department

What You Will Be Doing

Working in the Member Education Center, the Technician II will be providing assistance and excellent customer service to members with inquiries on the telephone and by email. You will provide responses to routine questions regarding retirement and health benefits, determine retirement eligibility based on statutes and regulations, prepare standard forms and letters to request membership and claimed service information, and explain retirement benefit calculations and entitlements.

Our Organization, Mission, and Culture

The Department of Administration's Division of Retirement and Benefits administers State of Alaska and political subdivision retirement and benefit plans. We achieve organizational excellence by focusing on the customer to deliver exceptional services using effective and efficient processes.

This position represents the Division by being the first point of contact for members calling into the Member Education Center. You would be an integral member of the retirement and benefits operations team, assisting members with inquiries on the telephone and by email. We are seeking an individual who has excellent interpersonal skills; has a commitment to professional and respectful customer service; and who can adapt to a dynamic, changing work environment.

The Benefits of Joining Our Team

The individual hired will help provide an excellent experience for employees and retirees who seek to understand the benefits available to them and benefits they are entitled to. This position offers the opportunity to gain valuable retirement and benefits experience that will help you advance your career in the Division.

The Working Environment You Can Expect 

This position is in the State Office Building in downtown Juneau, with a view of the Gastineau Channel.

Who We Are Looking For
The ideal candidate will possess some or all of the following position-specific competencies in addition to the minimum qualifications listed below:

Position Duties

Six months of experience as a Retirement and Benefits Technician 1 with the State of Alaska or the equivalent elsewhere.
 
OR
 
Six months of entry-level technical experience that required applying basic knowledge of a retirement program, benefits program, human resources policy, or labor relations guidelines, or in preparing, receiving, reviewing and processing health, life, or disability insurance claims or payments, or processing budgetary or financial documents.
 
"Processing," means responsibility for performing basic calculations, the accuracy of the information, and its compliance with policy and guidelines.
 
The experience is equivalent to Human Resource Technician 1, Administrative Assistant 1, Insurance Licensing Examiner 1, PFD Technician 2, Eligibility Technician 1, and Accounting Technician 1 with the State of Alaska or the equivalent elsewhere.
 
OR
 
One year of advanced clerical experience in an office environment where the work supported the efforts of technical or professional staff, and required some application of guidelines and policies to meet assigned responsibilities.
 
"Application of guidelines or policy," means that written direction or accepted theory, from which deviation is not a common option, dictates the nature and process of the work.
 
Experience is equivalent to Office Assistant 2, Office Assistant 3, Office Assistant 4, Accounting Clerk, Secretary, and Statistical Clerk with the State of Alaska or the equivalent elsewhere. 
 
OR
 
One year of post-secondary education (32 semester hours or 48 quarter hours from an accredited college or university equals one year) in any field.

Minimum Qualifications

Please read the below information carefully. This applies to your application submission.

THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY

Please be sure to check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

At time of interview, please be prepared to provide:

1. Copies of the last two (2) performance evaluations, or two (2) letters of reference from a supervisor,

2. Copies (not originals) of official college/university transcripts (only if using post-secondary education as part of your application package to meet minimum qualifications),

3. A list of at least three (3) professional and/or academic references, including the following required contact information:

            a. Reference Name

            b. Reference relationship (ex: Supervisor, former supervisor, high-school math teacher, accounting professor, co-worker, etc…)

            c. Reference email(s)

             d. Reference phone number(s).

EDUCATION
To verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competencies, you must fill in the Education section of the application  If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed  Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required with each application  (Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts)  Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview; if not, transcripts will be required before employment.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION
 Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

WORK EXPERIENCE
 If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.

NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

APPLICATION NOTICE
 You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or via hardcopy application. If you accessed this recruitment bulletin through a job search portal such as AlaskaJobs or any other database, you MUST use a Workplace Alaska online or hardcopy application to successfully apply. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska "How to Apply" webpage, found here: http://doa.alaska.gov/dop/workplace/help/. 

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

NOTICE

If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure your email address is correct on your application and that the spam filter will permit email from the ‘govermentjobs.com’ domains. For information on allowing emails from the ‘governmentjobs.com’ domains, visit the Lost Password Help page located at https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword. 

WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE

Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are located in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to [email protected]. 

For applicant password assistance please visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword. 

Other Qualifications

Erin Russell
Eligibility Manager
(907) 465-4495
[email protected] 

Benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits

• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
  • The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State:   See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
    • AVTEC
    • Confidential
    • Correctional Officers
    • Marine Engineers
    • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
    • Supervisory
    • Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
    • Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
  • The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts.  Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
    • General Government
    • Labor, Trades and Crafts
    • Public Safety Employees Association
    • Masters, Mates & Pilots
• Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

• Group-based insurance premiums for
  • Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
  • Long-term and short-term disability
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
  • Supplemental Survivor Benefits
• Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note:  The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve (12) paid holidays a year

Agency Information

EmployerState of AlaskaAddress PO Box 110201

Juneau, Alaska, 99811 Phone(800) 587-0430 (Statewide toll-free number)
(907) 465-4095 (Juneau and out-of-state callers)Website http://workplace.alaska.gov/