Job Posting
This position receives telephone inquiries from members, annuitants, and others regarding TRS benefits and services. The incumbent is expected to respond to a large volume of inquiries with accuracy while maintaining quality service.
Education Requirements:
An Associate degree in math, statistics, accounting or education, or the equivalent knowledge and work experience is required.
Experience:
Requires one year of work experience in a customer service environment. Above average mathematical and oral communication skills are required. Knowledge of personal computers and or public pension benefits is a plus.
Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:
This position responds to telephone inquiries concerning retirement, survivor, disability and insurance benefits, as well as various other benefits and services. In addition, this position responds to members’ requests for forms and may calculate benefit estimates and refer difficult inquiries to the appropriate staff.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
This position must become familiar with the articles of the Illinois Pension Code that apply to the Teachers’ Retirement System. In addition, this position will perform manual and computerized calculations to provide members with benefit estimates. The incumbent must also have a thorough knowledge of the System’s structure in order to make the appropriate referrals. Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills are essential. The incumbent is required to provide courteous, accurate, and prompt service, and present a professional and positive image of the System.
Selection Criteria:
Analytical Skills:
Analyzes information and reviews problems thoroughly; determines the nature and relationship of situations.
Communication Skills:
Demonstrates effective oral and written communication skills. This includes the ability to organize ideas and speak effectively on the phone as well as the ability to demonstrate good listening skills including the ability to receive, attend to, interpret and respond to verbal messages and non-verbal cues when conversing with others. In addition, the position requires the ability to explain specified documents in a clear, concise and well-structured manner.
Computational Skills:
The ability to select the appropriate calculation (or formula) to solve a specific problem; and, the ability to accurately derive an answer by using mathematical calculations.
Dependability:
The ability to maintain an excellent attendance record and a consistently high quality of work. This requires adhering strictly to the assigned work schedule and maintaining a cooperative and flexible attitude in working with other team members and a positive and professional attitude in dealing with TRS members.
Interpersonal Skills:
Interacts with others in a positive, open, and cooperative manner.
Job Knowledge and Experience:
Has completed specified amount of time previously performing essential duties of the job and/or has completed specified degrees, coursework or training programs to perform the job. Possesses a body of information or level of understanding necessary to complete assigned responsibilities.
Job Description
Purpose:
Under the supervision of the Call Center Manager, the Member Services Representative is accountable for receiving inquiries by telephone from members, annuitants and others regarding TRS benefits. The incumbent is expected to accurately respond to a large volume of inquiries while maintaining quality service. In addition, the incumbent is required to maintain basic knowledge of the Illinois Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act and calculate reciprocal retirement benefit estimates for at least one reciprocal system.
Nature and Scope:
The incumbent will respond to telephone inquiries regarding technical questions concerning eligibility, retirement, survivor and disability benefits, Web access, Social Security issues, pension stability and insurance benefits. In addition, this position conducts personalized retirement interviews; makes address changes and documents records that need research. The incumbent must provide accurate information to TRS contributing members, annuitants and staff regarding provisions of the Illinois Pension Code and the Illinois Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act. In addition, the incumbent is required to maintain an understanding and the ability to explain various statements produced by TRS, Central Management Services or the Illinois Comptroller’s Office. A comprehensive knowledge of the benefits available through the Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) and the State of Illinois group insurance plan is required. The incumbent must maintain a working knowledge of the various TRS forms used for processing benefits (MIBDs, retirement applications, optional service forms, refund applications, single-sum applications and health insurance forms).
Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills are required. The incumbent is required to provide courteous, accurate, and prompt service, and present a professional and positive image of the System when interacting with members, co-workers and external contacts.
The greatest challenge of this position is to grasp a large amount of information quickly and precisely. This position must be able to provide accurate information via the phone or by mail, analyze requests and determine when it is appropriate to route the call to the Call Center Manager.
Principal Accountabilities:
- Correctly log into the Call Center phone system and be available to receive telephone inquiries regarding TRS benefits.
- Respond, analyze or recommend solutions to inquiries in accordance with statutory requirements, rules and procedures. Document the calls and actions into the STAR system.
- Initiate requests for income verification letters, specialized forms and complex issues requiring Call Center Manager resolution, according to the established procedures in an accurate and timely manner.
- Initiate various claims such as age retirement annuities, single-sum retirements, death, refunds and disability claims.
- Accurately schedule appointments for both the Springfield and Lisle offices according to approved procedures.
- Provide web assistance to members enrolling in the TRS Member Account Access and help members when problems occur with their accounts.
- Retrieve and input the necessary data to calculate age annuity, reversionary and single-sum benefit estimates in STAR.
- Develop satisfactory knowledge of one reciprocal retirement system. Apply the skill set to research, analyze and generate accurate reciprocal retirement estimates in STAR using the verified service credit of the chosen system.
- Perform voice-mail call backs, as assigned.
- Suggest and participate in implementing initiatives to improve customer service and call center effectiveness.
- Perform other duties as required or assigned.