BENEFITS SPECIALIST - 72002484

Requisition No: 841113 

Agency: Management Services

Working Title: BENEFITS SPECIALIST - 72002484

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 72002484 

Salary:  $35,361.61 

Posting Closing Date: 01/02/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Benefits Specialist

Division of Retirement Calculations/Special Operations

State of Florida Department of Management Services

This position is located in Tallahassee, FL

Position Overview and Responsibilities:

As a Benefits Specialist you will audit and reconcile retirement data to ensure data integrity and accurately calculate disability retirement benefits. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Determine disability effective dates based on analysis of plan membership, Florida Retirement System (FRS) service credit vesting requirements, doctors’ reports, and other required documentation. 
• Provide customer service by phone, email, or personal interviews with members and agencies. Compose complete, accurate, and grammatically correct correspondence, in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations
• Complete report or assigned projects in a timely manner.  May serve on committees and in workgroups to improve or maintain bureau or division wide administration of the retirement system.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of effective verbal and written communication.
• Knowledge of basic arithmetic.  Ability to review data for accuracy, identify errors, and take corrective action. 
• Ability to collect, analyze, and verify data relating to insurance or retirement benefits. 
• Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures relating to insurance or retirement benefits. 
• Ability to train others. 
• Ability to organize data into logical format.
• Ability to utilize problem-solving techniques. 
• Ability to work independently. 
• Ability to perform basic arithmetical calculations.  Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments. 
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others. 
• Ability to use a personal computer. 
• Ability to navigate the computer network.  Knowledge of word processing.
• Ability to use various software applications.
• Accountability, Communication, Empowerment, Flexibility, Integrity, Respect, Teamwork.

Minimum Qualifications:
Two years of professional experience in the area of insurance, retirement or social security, administration, call center, customer service, fiscal work, statistics, or personnel. A postsecondary degree may be used as an alternative for years of experience on a year-for-year basis.

Our Organization and Mission:
Under the direction of Governor Ron DeSantis, Secretary Pedro Allende and DMS’ Executive Leadership Team, the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) is a customer-oriented agency with a broad portfolio that includes the efficient use and management of real estate, procurement, human resources, group insurance, retirement, telecommunications, fleet, and federal property assistance programs used throughout Florida’s state government. It is against this backdrop that DMS strives to demonstrate its motto, “We serve those who serve Florida.”

Division of Retirement:

The mission of the Division of Retirement (division) is to deliver a high quality, innovative, and cost-effective retirement system. The division currently has 225 full-time retirement staff and manages a FY 2024-25 operating budget of $48,864,720. The division administers the Florida Retirement System (FRS) Pension Plan, currently the fourth largest state retirement system in the US with more than 2.7 million active, retired, and terminated vested and non-vested members and $187.2 billion in assets. The division pays out $12.9 billion a year in retiree benefits and maintains the service history, vesting and membership status records, and collects nearly $5.5 billion annually in employer and employee contributions from more than 1,000 employers for all FRS members. 

Special Notes:
DMS is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. We recognize the extensive training, experience, and transferrable skills that veterans and individuals with disabilities bring to the workforce.  Veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact our recruiter for guidance and answers to questions through the following provided email addresses:
DMS.Ability@dms.fl.gov
DMS.Veterans@dms.fl.gov
An individual with a disability is qualified if he or she satisfies the skills, experience, and other job related requirements for a position and can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the DMS Human Resources (HR) Office at (850) 488-2707. DMS requests applicants notify HR in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.
Successful completion of background screening will be required for this position.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.