Senior Pension Processor
8 days ago
Chicago
Job DescriptionDescription: SEIU Healthcare IL Benefit Funds is a dynamic benefits administration organization committed to providing the highest quality health and retirement benefits in the most financially responsible manner, while always acting in the best interest of the union members. The Fund serves over 20,000 union workers in the Nursing Home, Home Care, Child Care, and Personal Assistant industries with the delivery of health and pension benefits. Our employees epitomize the Fund’s core values of quality service, interdependence, effectiveness, and accountability, and forge an alliance with one another to carry out our shared mission and common agreements for those we serve. Position Summary: • The Pension Processor, Senior Level analyzes and calculates various pension benefits by applying the appropriate tax rules under the IRS, the federally governed rules under ERISA, and rules and regulations of the plan. May perform administrative duties including communicating with members, responding to pension benefits inquiries, and obtaining notarized documents in completion of the pensioner files. In addition, this position will prepare, balance and complete the monthly benefit check run and fully reconcile the final payment amounts., • This position will need to effectively communicate internally with the Contribution and Eligibility department, Finance department, Member Service department to understand and execute the interdepartmental workflows; and externally with employers, the union, members, and potentially with the Fund’s professional vendors., • The Senior Pension Processor must have a comprehensive working knowledge of the Pension Department operations and of its functions and works toward continuous process improvement. Key Duties and Responsibilities: • Review pensioner applications and supporting documents to determine benefit eligibility and completeness of information provided; follow-up with members to complete the application process if needed, • Independently provide customer service by responding to and documenting telephone and/or written inquiries, including more difficult or complex inquiries from retirees and pensioners, • Calculate and communicate the final estimated amounts to members, • Request necessary documentation and information from unions, employers and the Social Security Administration to expedite processing, some of which may be in a backup role, • Analyze credited service history for various scenarios including applicable pension calculations for members applying for disability pension benefits and attaining retirement age (i.e. 65 and 73) - Required Beginning Dates (RBDs), • Record and enter member status into the tracking system to track progress of member files such as pensioner completed, incomplete, denials, disabled, pended, RBDs, vested benefit future payment, complete payments, and beneficiaries, • Provide requested data for the Fund actuary and auditor on pension calculation, lump sums, and death claims under leadership oversight, • Assist with and/or lead special projects assigned by management, • Process Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs) with support from Fund Counsel, • Reconcile monthly additions and deletions in the monthly pensioner check run; evaluate and analyze variances and balance final payment amounts with interdepartmental reports to accounting department, • Review, analyze, and resolve outstanding checks and recover overpayments, • Provide outreach campaigns to educate members and employers on the concepts of retirement benefits and financial wellbeing and market pension plans to increase participation by the union and more employers, • Act as the Pension Technology Liaison for the benefit administration system, including organizing weekly meetings, maintaining the open items list, following up with vendor consultants on projects and scope of work orders, and raising system concerns, • Recommends process improvements and updates to complete assigned work within expected quality and deadlines, • Attend and participate in various meetings, including monthly All Staff meetings, department meetings, training sessions, task force or committee meetings, and other meetings as deemed appropriate to share, discuss, and solution for question or error trends, as well as identify potential process improvements, • Create agendas and facilitate various meetings using the Purpose, Outcome and Process (POP) Model thorough notes must be kept for each meeting, • Back-up all duties of lower-level Pension Processors and the Pension Clerk as needed Privacy and Security Responsibilities: This position requires employee to handle Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and potentially Protected Health Information (PHI) for our members. You will be responsible and accountable for maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all PII and PHI. Report any suspected identity or HIPAA violation or breach to our HIPAA Privacy and Security Officer. Requirements: Education Requirements: · High School diploma or GED equivalent · An Associate Degree or higher in Business Administration, Human Resources, Finance or similar field is preferred Job Requirements: · Minimum five (5) years’ experience processing pension and/or retiree benefit claims · Consistently meet established performance standards for processing quality and production assessments · Ability to type 35 words per minute accurately · Experience with desktop computers, laptop computers, printers, copiers, scanners, fax, and other office equipment · Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) · Excellent written and verbal communication skills · Excellent interpersonal skills at all levels of business, including effectively communicating with peers, leads, managers, executives, and external partners · Strong analytical and mathematical skills · Must be well organized and detail oriented with demonstrated effective time-management · Must have the ability to work independently and within a team environment · Strong accountability, with the ability to manage up laterally and work cooperatively · Ability to meet deadlines · Exercise clear and concise judgment · Ability and willingness to assist in special projects and handle multiple tasks Preferred Skills: · Taft-Hartley experience · Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) certification · Experience using multi-languages in a professional capacity is a plus (English, Spanish and/or Polish) · Knowledge of the Fund’s benefit administration system · Experience with project management software, such as Smartsheet · Experience working in a remote environment with laptop provided · Experience with virtual conference software (Teams and Zoom) · Internal and external awareness of social movements, labor movements, and political issues that impact the work and the organization Career Development & Continuing Education Opportunities: Yes Benefits: SEIU Healthcare IL Benefit Funds offers comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental and vision coverage) for employees and eligible dependents, including no employee premium option for employee only; competitive compensation; generous holidays and PTO policies; and a pension retirement plan. Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: SEIU Healthcare IL Benefit Funds is an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. The SEIU Healthcare IL Benefit Funds vision is to create a more just and equitable society that fosters a lifetime of quality healthcare and financial security for all. We hope that our social justice values and the responsibility we take to operate a socially conscious organization aligns with your professional desire to contribute and serve with purpose.