Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits)

This position is located in the Bureau of Human Resources, Office of Retirement. The Office of Retirement (HR/RET) administers the Foreign Service retirement system for 18,000 annuitants and 15,000 active duty participants from the Department of State and all foreign affairs agencies in the U .S. Government. Major duties: Provides technical advice and counseling to employees and management regarding retirement eligibility, benefits entitlements, health and life insurance, and applicable retirement policies and regulations. Analyzes and resolves employee benefits and retirement issues, including coverage discrepancies, eligibility determinations, and pay-related inconsistencies. Conducts comprehensive analyses of Foreign Service and Civil Service retirement cases to ensure accurate benefits determinations, regulatory compliance, and timely processing. Evaluates retirement program procedures, identifies deficiencies and inconsistencies, and recommends corrective actions to improve program effectiveness and compliance. Develops and delivers retirement benefits training, presentations, and informational materials to employees, management, and other federal agencies. At the GS-9 level, the incumbent performs essentially the same duties as outlined above however, the scope and complexity of assignments are of less responsibility and independence and receives closer than normal supervision than the GS-11 level.