Benefits Counseling Support Assistant

STRS Ohio, STRS

STRS Ohio is seeking a Benefits Counseling Support Assistant, to join the Member Benefits/Member Services Counseling team.

Established in 1920 and serving Ohio's educators, STRS Ohio is one of the nation's largest retirement systems, serving over 500,000 active, inactive, and retired public-school teachers, and university faculty members, managing approximately $96.9 billion as of June 30, 2024, in assets and paying more than $7 billion in benefits annually.

STRS Ohio provides a competitive pay, and a comprehensive benefits package including on-site parking, educational assistance, subsidized medical insurance, fully paid dental and life insurance, vacation and sick leave, retirement benefits and on-site fitness center. At STRS Ohio, you can experience rewarding work in a professional, business casual work environment. We welcome, celebrate, and promote respect for everyone. We are continually seeking bright and talented individuals to join our team.

Compensation:

$22.69/hr. or commensurate with education and experience

Work Schedule:

8:00am-5:00pm Monday through Friday (Onsite)

General Summary:

Under the direction of the trainer/auditor, Benefits Counseling-supervisor, Counselor Support, perform support functions for the counseling department including receptionist duties, packing field counseling materials, processing of email attachments, assigning counselor work, answering telephone inquiries and preparing workflow items. Work with counselors to provide accurate and timely service to members.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Provide administrative support to the counseling department to include, but not limited to: Ensuring appropriate coverage at the counseling receptionist desk, greeting members as they arrive for scheduled appointments, responding to basic inquiries regarding benefits and services in accordance with 3307 R.C. and State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio) administrative rules, accepting member forms and reviewing for completeness and tracking and assigning walk in appointments.
• Accountable for the indexing and sorting of counseling documents and attachments sent to the ContactUs mailbox for importing into the STRS Ohio pension processing system.
• Prepare materials for counselor use during field travel and unpack upon return.
• Maintain the daily counseling schedule with time off requests, assigned sessions, requested appointments, schedule changes and member education meetings to ensure appropriate staffing levels.
• Prepare the counseling daily workload by assigning appointments, meetings, and phone duty for counselors in addition to notifying staff of any changes to the schedule including same day/next day appointments.

The above list of duties is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by persons assigned to this classification. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties performed by the persons so classified, nor is it intended to limit or modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of associates under supervision.

Summary of Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Three years' customer service experience required.
• Good organizational skills and a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail required.
• Proven ability to operate Microsoft Office programs and standard office equipment required.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment while meeting deadlines with minimal direct supervision required.
• Ability to lift and move parcels of up to 50 pounds required.
• Excellent work record of attendance, punctuality and the ability to maintain a flexible work schedule to meet business needs. Occasional evening, weekend and non-regular work hours may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Statement

State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of applicants or employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin (ancestry), military status, disability, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, or caregiver status, in making employment-related decisions about an individual.

ADA Statement

STRS Ohio is committed to ensuring access, inclusion, and reasonable accommodations across all its services, activities, programs, and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

Posting Drug-Free Workplace Statement

The State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio) is a drug-free workplace. The use of recreational marijuana and non-medical cannabis is strictly prohibited.

Pre-Employment Drug Testing

All final candidates tentatively selected for employment will be required to undergo a urinalysis drug screening prior to appointment. This screening includes testing for illegal substances, including marijuana. A positive test result will disqualify the applicant from employment unless valid medical documentation is provided for legally prescribed medications or a physician's recommendation for medical marijuana.

Pre-Employment Background Investigation

The final candidate selected for this position will be subject to a criminal background check. STRS Ohio will conduct an individualized assessment of any prior criminal convictions before making a determination regarding employment eligibility.