HR Specialist (Benefits), GS-0201-13

Duties:

As a Human Resources Specialist (Benefits) at the full performance level, you will;

• Serve as the Office of Inspector General's principal technical authority responsible for administering and overseeing the agency's comprehensive employee benefits program for Civil Service and Foreign Service employees located domestically and overseas.
• Serve as the agency's principal functional administrator and technical authority for the Office of Personnel Management's Online Retirement Application (ORA), ensuring retirement applications are initiated, validated, adjudicated, routed, and completed in accordance with OPM requirements, agency procedures, and payroll provider processing standards.
• Plan, develop, administer, evaluate, and continually improve agency-wide employee benefits programs to ensure compliance with statutory, regulatory, and policy requirements.
• Administer and provide authoritative guidance and liaise with internal and external entities concerning: Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), CSRS Offset, Foreign Service Pension System (FSPS), Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System (FSRDS), Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAFEDS), Federal Long-Term Care Insurance (when applicable), Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Leave administration, Workers' Compensation (OWCP/FECA), Survivor benefits, Military service credit, Deposits and redeposits, Retirement service computation, Employee entitlement programs and Post-retirement benefits.
• Plan and coordinate annual and recurring employee benefits events, including Benefits Open Season campaigns, retirement seminars, benefits expos, and informational sessions in collaboration with OPM, FEHB carriers, FEGLI providers, occupational health providers, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) representatives, and other Federal and private-sector benefits partners.
• Establish internal operating procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs), desk guides, workflow documentation, quality assurance procedures, and internal controls governing employee benefits administration.
• Provide comprehensive retirement counseling to employees throughout every stage of Federal employment, from initial appointment through retirement and post-retirement.
• Prepare and certify highly complex retirement estimates involving Mixed retirement systems, Foreign Service conversion, Intermittent service, Temporary service, Military retirement, Law enforcement retirement, Dual retirement eligibility, Breaks in service and Service computation adjustments.
• Research and resolve disputed retirement determinations requiring extensive legal and regulatory interpretation.
• Serve as the principal advisor regarding Foreign Service (FS) employee benefits and retirement administration in collaboration with the Foreign Service team.
• Advise FS employees and management concerning Time-in-Class Expirations (TIC), retirement, and Foreign Service pension calculations in collaboration with the Foreign Service team.
• Develop agency implementing guidance ensuring compliance while supporting mission requirements. Ensure agency policy remain aligned with Government-wide requirements and recognized human capital best practices.
• Perform internal control reviews to identify organizational risks affecting employee benefits administration.