STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Connecticut Careers Trainee (Administrative & Residual) (40 Hour)

Target Class: Retirement and Benefits Officer

Recruitment #240401-2292AR-001

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Introduction


The State of Connecticut, Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) is currently seeking dynamic, passionate individuals who are eager to contribute their expertise within the Retirement Services Division (RSD) as a Connecticut Careers Trainee (Administrative and Residual) with a target class of Retirement and Benefits Officer. Join our team and embark on a rewarding career that offers growth, superlative benefits, and a culture that encourages work/life balance.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
  • Work for a Forbes top company - ‘Forbes’:  State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023
  • Comprehensive health and dental insurance, providing you with peace of mind and access to quality healthcare
  • Robust pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings to secure your financial future
  • Generous paid time off, including vacation days, sick leave, personal days, and 13 holidays per calendar year
  • We are an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, which means you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service.
  • A culture that recognizes the importance of work/life balance and offers alternate work schedules and telecommuting options
  • Opportunities to invest in your professional growth and development with training programs, tuition reimbursement, and opportunities for advancement within the State of Connecticut
  • Connecticut is a strong community with a lot to offer in entertainment, food and shopping, recreation in our beautiful state parks and forests, diverse culture, and rich history. Learn more about all Connecticut has to offer.
POSITION HIGHLIGHTS
  • Full-Time, 40 hours per week
  • Monday through Friday
  • Location: 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106
  • Hybrid (office/telework) may be available
Salary Note*: Eligibility for promotion to the target classification of Retirement and Benefits Officer is earned upon successful completion of the training program. 
  • Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree will serve a two (2) year training program.
  • Candidates with a Master’s degree may be eligible for a shorter training period.
  • The salary for an employee who completes any of the above minimum requirements after initial appointment to the Connecticut Careers Trainee job class will be adjusted commensurate with the schedule above and effective the pay period following the date the Master’s degree has been conferred or the pay period following the date the appropriate number of credits as indicated have been earned. 
  • For current state employees compensation will be in accordance with guidelines for computing salary adjustments set forth by the Department of Administrative Services, Determining Salary Upon Change in Class Manual.

  Salary Plan  Annual Salary 
Bachelor's degree and/or qualifying experience  AR 15, Step 1  $53,061
 Master's degree  AR 15, Step 2  $54,979

THIS JOB IS FOR YOU IF
  • You have strong attention to detail, sensitivity, and ability to work in a high-volume environment to contribute to the smooth and efficient processing of multiple business areas.   
  • You’re looking to apply your analytical and problem-solving skills to interpret rules and create clarity.
  • You value fiscal accountability and want to be a reliable steward of State resources.
  • You want to do work that matters and want to build a better Connecticut with the Office of the State Comptroller, promoting economic growth, advocating for fiscal control, and championing policies that lower costs.
DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO
  • Receive all necessary on-the-job training to prepare to qualify for the target class of Retirement and Benefits Officer;
  • Provide customer service to retirement plan members, either via email, by phone, or in person;
  • Advise members about pensions, disability benefits, retiree health benefits, and account settlements; 
  • Monitor members’ enrollments, with a primary focus on placing members in the proper retirement plan;
  • Review and audit all transactions relating to enrollment, contributions to the plan, and members’ eligibility to receive pensions;
  • Monitor payments and ensure their timely processing and reconciliation;
  • Prepare and analyze eligibility files, queries, and reports in multiple database systems; 
  • Create ad-hoc reports for data analysis;
  • Act as a liaison to external stakeholders; 
  • Attend benefit meetings; 
  • Interpret Connecticut statutes and regulations as they pertain to retirement benefit administration;
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
ABOUT US
The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) is an agency whose mission is to provide accounting and financial services, administer employee and retiree benefits, develop accounting policy and exercise accounting oversight, and prepare financial reports for the state, federal and municipal governments, and the public. 

We are located in the State Office Building at 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT. This state-of-the-art building offers free garage parking, an on-site cafeteria, and ergonomic workspaces.

The Retirement Services division provides oversight and management of the state pension plans serving more than 40,000 state retirees, performing a comprehensive package of services including retirement counseling, processing retirement applications from state agencies, investigating and implementing mandated revisions to pension plans, and developing new products based on retirement conditions and trends. Retirement Services administers retirement benefits for members of the State Employees Retirement System (SERS), as well benefits for other retirement plans that cover state and municipal employees: the Alternate Retirement Program (ARP), the Municipal Employees Retirement System (MERS), the Judges, Family Support Magistrates and Compensation Commissioners Retirement System, the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement System, the States Attorneys Retirement System, and the Public Defenders Retirement System.

Selection Plan

For assistance in applying, please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page

APPLYING FOR THE POSITION
  • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e. Executive, Judicial or Legislative) to the other.
  • To be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications listed in the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date of the job opening, unless otherwise specified. You must specify your qualifications on your application. 
  • Ensure that your application is complete before submitting it. To comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut no longer requests resumes during the initial application process. Once your application is submitted into the JobAps system, you cannot make revisions.
  • To receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. For institutions located outside of the U.S., you must provide documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service specializing in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the specified deadline. Late applications will not be considered. Candidates may request a rare and documented exception for events that incapacitate them during the entire duration of the job posting period by providing a legally recognized justification to accommodate such an exception. Requests may be made to osc.hr@ct.gov.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER APPLYING
  • Applicants will receive correspondence via email and are also encouraged to monitor their Personal Status Board daily for status updates, notices, and tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • Some postings may require additional referral questions (RQs). You will receive an email with these questions after the posting’s closing date. Check your email and Personal Status Board for notifications, including your spam or junk folders. 
  • You may be required to submit additional documentation supporting your qualifications at any point during the recruitment process. The documentation may include a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, or licensure, at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • Candidates who have been selected for employment with the Office of the State Comptroller are subject to a detailed background investigation, including a fingerprint-supported state and federal criminal history record check along with reference checks, subject to the provisions of Section 31-51i and conducted in accordance with Section 29-17a of the Connecticut General Statutes. Selection for employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the background investigation.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, but your application may be considered for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
  • Candidates offered a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
CONNECT WITH US
  • Due to the high volume of applications, we cannot confirm receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. 
  • If you have any questions about this recruitment, please contact Morgan Roane at osc.hr@ct.gov or 860-702-3340.  
  • Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn to stay updated on our career opportunities and news.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for mastering the skills necessary to satisfactorily complete the training program for a professional position.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • In a department or institution receives training in introductory governmental work for development of skills and knowledge in field of public administration in order to qualify for advancement into agency professional positions;
  • Performs a variety of increasingly difficult duties as skills are acquired during course of training period;
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Oral and written communication skills;
  • Ability to
    • acquire knowledge and skills required for the target classification;
    • understand, evaluate and solve problems by exercising judgement and logic;
    • read, interpret and understand written material;
    • perform basic arithmetical computations;
    • interpret charts, graphs and tables;
    • learn and reason;
    • establish and maintain cooperative relations with superiors, associates and general public;
    • utilize computer software.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must be able to meet the experience and training requirements of the designated job class at the completion of the development program.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, business administration, or computer science.
  • Academic or professional experience in analyzing and interpreting business financial documents.
  • Academic or professional experience communicating with stakeholders, including verbal and written communication to a diverse population.
  • Internship or work experience in a financial function including accounting, budgeting, reconciling, or reporting. 
  • Experience collecting, aggregating, and analyzing data sets for the purpose of composing reports. 
  • Experience creating financial reports using Microsoft Excel.

Conclusion

INCOMPLETE APPLICATION PACKAGES AND THOSE RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE INDICATED ABOVE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities. If you require accommodations under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact Morgan Roane at osc.hr@ct.gov or 860-702-3340.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.




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