Retirement Program Specialist

Salary : $58,177.60 - $77,875.20 Annually
Location : 2223 E. Wellington Ave. Suite #100 Santa Ana, CA
Job Type: Extra-Help
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 0862GE-1225-157(O)
Department: OCERS
Opening Date: 12/10/2025
Closing Date: 12/16/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

CAREER DESCRIPTION
RETIREMENT PROGRAM SPECIALIST - EXTRA HELP

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

This recruitment will be open from December 10, 2025, thru December 16, 2025.

Only former OCERS employees are eligible to apply.

This is a Temporary/Extra Help position (this is NOT a permanent position).
WHO WE ARE

Established in 1945, the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) provides retirement, death, disability, and cost-of-living benefits to retirees of the County of Orange and certain County districts. Serving approximately 55,000 members, OCERS is governed by a ten-member Board of Retirement that is responsible for managing a $26 billion dollar fund. For more information about OCERS, please click here.
Mission

OCERS' mission is to provide secure retirement and disability benefits with the highest standards of excellence.
Vision

OCERS' vision is to be a trusted partner providing premier pension administration, distinguished by consistent, quality member experiences and prudent financial stewardship.
Values

• Open and Transparent
• Commitment to Superior Service
• Engaged and Dedicated Workforce
• Reliable and Accurate
• Secure and Sustainable

THE OPPORTUNITY

Under general supervision, the Retirement Program Specialist - Extra Help performs technical work in connection with the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS), interpreting statutes, regulations, and policies for retirement members and beneficiaries. The incumbent will counsel and calculate benefits for members or beneficiaries on benefit options, service retirement, disability, and death benefits, deferral of benefits, withdrawal, and reciprocal provisions. Additionally, the incumbent will utilize OCERS' pension and imaging software to access data pertaining to retired and active member accounts as well as identify problems and errors, gather and analyze data and reports containing confidential information and perform other related work as assigned. The incumbent will interact with County departments, governmental and special district representatives on issues involving member eligibility, retirement, and reciprocity. The incumbent will also demonstrate strict confidentiality, professionalism, integrity, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The Retirement Program Specialist - Extra Help will be expected to perform with a high degree of independence and possess knowledge of the County's legal policies and procedures.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will possess the ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with peers, supervisors, managers, government officials and the public. In addition, the candidate must be able to work independently and possess excellent oral and written communication skills, as well as the ability to think logically and organize thoughts and priorities to accomplish tasks in an efficient and timely manner. The individual must be comfortable acting in a leadership role and must be highly organized, detail oriented and able to handle multiple competing tasks and deadlines. The ideal candidate will also possess intermediate to advanced computer skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Access. The candidate must exhibit demonstrated experience in all the key competencies noted below:
Customer Service

• Interact in a professional and courteous manner with a variety of individuals at all organizational levels
• Anticipate and meet customer needs
• Establish productive relationships with internal and external customers

Technical Skills

• Perform complex calculations using the MS Office Suite
• Detail oriented with a high level of accuracy
• Ability to work independently

Communication Skills

• Value and participate in a free flow of information with others for the sake of a common goal
• Ability to keep self and others informed while demonstrating courtesy and respect at all times
• Clearly communicate policies, regulations and guidelines
• Ability to present complex and technical information to diverse groups of individuals

Analytical Skills

• Ability to interpret policies, regulations and guidelines
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality
• Ability to exercise critical thinking skills when auditing member payroll and benefit records

Highly Desirable Qualifications

• Quality assurance /audit experience
• Experience in County Employees Retirement Law (CERL) organizations, performing complex retirement benefit calculations, final average salary calculations, Service Purchase Contract calculations, Non-Service Credit Purchases (NSCPs) or Retirement Benefit Counseling to members
• Ability to interpret MOUs/employment contracts as applied to benefits administration and reciprocity

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Four years of experience which demonstrates the application of those knowledges and abilities listed as minimum qualifications; two years of which must be technical level experience in a retirement, insurance, or government benefit program, or in a personnel system which involves retirement benefit experience.
College level education or training directly related to such work may be substituted for up to one year of the required experience at the rate of three semester units equaling one month experience and one hour of training equaling one hour of experience.
College level education beyond the bachelor degree which is directly related to the position may be substituted for up to an additional year of required experience at the rate of three semester units equaling one month of experience. Certification as an Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) may be substituted for up to an additional year of the required experience.
Please click to view the minimum qualifications and education substitution criteria.
PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Physical and Mental Requirements

• Ability to speak, hear, and communicate clearly and understandably in English in person, in front of a group, and over the telephone
• Manual dexterity sufficient to use hands, arms and shoulders repetitively to operate a telephone, keyboard, to write, file, staple, and use a calculator
• Mental stamina to interact professionally with peers, members and Participating Employers
• Vision sufficient to read fine print and a computer monitor
• Independent body mobility, agility, and stamina to stand, walk, stoop, bend, twist and operate standard office environment
• Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time
• Body strength sufficient to lift up to 10 pounds and carry files

Environmental Conditions

The ability to interact with a wide range of individuals including supervisors, managers and Participating Employers in a variety of situations. Will be required to facilitate informational seminars and work in an office environment with changing deadlines and competing priorities.
RECRUITMENT PROCESS

OCERS Human Resource Department screens all application and supplemental information materials to identify qualified candidates. Applications submitted without completed supplemental information form will be disqualified from further consideration. After screening, candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All candidates will be notified via email of their status in the process.
HOW TO APPLY

Only on-line applications with the completed supplemental questions and a resume attached to the application will be accepted. E-mail is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct e-mail address is on your application and only use one e-mail account. Your application should highlight all of the areas in which you have developed expertise, matching your professional experience with the specific qualifications listed above. It is recommended that you record or print your confirmation page, as this verifies receipt of your on-line application. You may apply on-line at OCERS website: For specific information pertaining to this recruitment please contact John Nguyen at jtnguyen@ocers.org. Do not submit resumes to this email address as they will not be considered in lieu of the required application process.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
EMAIL NOTIFICATION

Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account. NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply. Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

EEO INFORMATION
OCERS, as an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays--we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System
Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
Click for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.
01

Thank you for your interest in the Retirement Program Specialist Extra Help position. You are required to provide full and complete responses to the supplemental questions. Your completed response to these supplemental questions will be evaluated to determine your qualifications and must be completed properly in order to be given full consideration for the next phase in the selection process. Incomplete information will result in a lower rating. Supplemental questions are designed to help you present your qualifications for this position and will be rated based on the information that you provide. Please provide concise, descriptive and detailed information and highlight all of the areas in which you have developed expertise, matching your professional experience with the specific qualifications and abilities for each question. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing the supplemental questions. By selecting yes below, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this application requirement.

• Yes
• No

02

By selecting yes below, you acknowledge that you have read and meet the minimum qualifications for the Retirement Program Specialist Extra Help, which includes four years of experience in the knowledge and abilities as listed in the job bulletin. Two years must be technical level experience in a retirement, insurance, or government benefit program or in a personnel system which involves retirement benefit experience. College level education or training related to such work may be substituted for up to one year of the required experience at the rate of three semester units equaling one month experience and one hour of training equaling one hour of experience. College level education beyond a bachelor degree, which is directly related to the position, may be substituted for up to an additional year of required experience at the rate of three semester units equaling one month of experience. Certification as an Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) may be substituted for up to an additional year of the required experience.

• Yes
• No

03

Please indicate "Yes" or "No" to confirm whether you are a former OCERS employee.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

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