HR SPECIALIST (EMPLOYEE BENEFITS)

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Office of Retirement, Bureau of Personnel and Training (PERT/RET).

RET administers the Foreign Service retirement system for the Department of State and all foreign affairs agencies in the U.S. Government.

RET also helps the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) administer the Civil Service retirement system for Department of State employees and administers the Foreign Service retirement fund.

For more information about this Bureau, visit: PERT Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience in developing and reviewing policies, and interpreting laws and regulations.

Experience managing projects and providing advice and counsel to senior leadership Experience designing, coordinating, and facilitating training programs.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 position. Major Duties:

• Serves as the Department's foremost technical authority and policy adviser on the administration of Foreign Service retirement systems, interpreting and applying laws, Executive Orders, Comptroller General Decisions, and Department regulations.
• Serves as the principal liaison and point of contact between the Department and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on all matters related to Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) programs.
• Develops methods and procedures that align with the regulations (Foreign Service Act and FAM) to implement new initiatives as disseminated via Benefit Administration Letters.
• Leads the development and delivery of retirement benefits training programs for Department staff, including specialized tradecraft courses.
• Provides advisory services to administrative officials and employees at Foreign Service posts worldwide to address unprecedented retirement cases.