Benefits Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. FRTIB-25-DE-013-12640730 Department Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
Salary $99,200.00 to $128,956.00 Grade 12 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/19/2024 Close Date 1/9/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) is looking for a highly qualified and motivated individual to serve as a Benefits Specialist.

This Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA) may be used to fill other Benefits Specialist, GS-0301-12 positions within the FRTIB in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Duties

This vacancy is also being announced concurrently with vacancy announcement FRTIB-25-MP-013-12640731 under merit promotion procedures. NOTE: Applicants must apply separately for each announcement in order to be considered.

The major duties of the position are:

  • Receives escalated inquires that TSP participants, beneficiaries, and third parties have sent to the FRTIB via a variety of communication channels including emails, letters, phone calls, and social media.
  • Reviews exception processing and appeal requests forwarded by recordkeeper and retirement plan participants, gathers pertinent case data and facts to present recommendations to FRTIB management. Memorializes precedent decisions for recordkeeper's future use in deciding exception processing requests.
  • Escalates priority cases to recordkeeper for urgent attention and initiates root causes analysis. Maintains internal log of priority escalated cases to track and report recordkeeper resolution status and root cause analysis results to FRTIB stakeholders.
  • Analyzes escalated inquires to determine level of priority, logs the escalated inquiries into the recordkeeper's case management system to create an escalated case, and monitors the recordkeeper's workflow tasks to ensure the recordkeeper's resolution outcomes are accurate, complete, timely and responsive to issues raised, and are consistent with TSP rules and regulations and Agency policies, procedures, and objectives.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship is required.

All qualification requirements must be met by 01/09/2025. Your application package will not receive consideration if it is missing any of the required documents under the "Required Documents" tab.

Probationary Period. One-year probationary period may be required.

Selective Service. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

Background Suitability Investigation. Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background investigation and the granting of a federal suitability or security clearance. If selected, you may be offered tentative employment until the background investigation has been fully adjudicated.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position applicants must meet the Specialized Experience as described below.

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year of full-time specialized work experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the next lower level, GS-11, in the federal government. Specialized experience is defined as:(1) Ability to research, compile, and analyze retirement plan participant information and data from a variety of sources; and (2) draw conclusions, summarize results, and make appropriate recommendations; and (3) In-depth knowledge of retirement plan recordkeeping case management systems, or retirement plan contact center service processes, or retirement plan loan, or withdrawal, or death benefit transaction processes.

*Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Education

Education may not be substituted for experience for this series and grade combination.

Additional information

The FRTIB offers wonderful benefits and work/life-balance flexibilities to help empower and reflect respect for our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes paid time off*, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the federal retirement system. We offer, as applicable, flexible work hours, telework, annual and sick leave, transit and childcare subsidies, free and confidential employee assistance and occupational health referral services, free on-site fitness center, and off-site fitness membership reimbursement.

Further benefits and flexibility details are located here: FRTIB Employee Benefits.

The FRTIB offices are conveniently located within a few blocks of the Union Station metro station. In addition, private parking is available in the building at the posted daily and monthly rates.

Relocation expenses are not authorized for this position; however, other recruitment incentives may be authorized.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

To preview the occupational questionnaire, click on the following link https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12640730.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
Teamwork - Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
Customer Service- Works with clients and customers to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.

For Delegated Exam referral lists, Category Rating procedures will be used to rate and rank candidates. The category assignment is a measurement of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Qualified candidates will be ranked into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified or Qualified.

Best Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most requirements of the position.

Well Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and meets most requirements of the position.

Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not possess the relevant competencies to a substantive degree.

If you are found Best Qualified for this vacancy your application may be referred to the selecting official for further review.

Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

The Category Rating process does not add veterans' preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher).

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to HumanResourcesDivision@FRTIB.GOV.
Additional information on how to file a complaint can be found here. (link to webpage)

Required Documents

Veterans' Preference. If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit supporting documentation as described in the "Required Documents" section. Visit the Feds Hire Vets website for more information regarding veterans' preference.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). The ICTAP provides eligible displaced federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility, you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and you are found Well Qualified for this vacancy. Well Qualified means you must meet all the minimum qualification standards listed above and be assessed and assigned the rating of at least Well Qualified to receive special selection priority. Well Qualified is further defined as possessing the Basic Qualifications and meeting the specialized experience noted above.

You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition website.

Please be advised, the following documents are required even if you are already a current federal employee or employee of the FRTIB:

1. Resume (please include on your resume the experience you wish to be considered for the review of your qualifications, the dates of employment with month, day and year, and hours worked per week). Resumes that do not contain all of the necessary information to determine qualifications may be marked as insufficient and applicants may not receive consideration for this position. Your latest resume submission is the one that will be used to determine your qualifications.

2. Responses to the occupational questionnaire.

3. You must submit supporting documents verifying your selection priority eligibility or any preference eligibility along with your application package. Omitting these documents may result in no preference being adjudicated for you. These documents may include, but are not limited to:

  • Veteran's documentation. All veterans must submit a DD-214, Member Copy 4. If you are currently on active duty, you must submit an official statement of service from your command or other official documentation that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
  • Preference eligible documentation. If claiming 10-point preference you must submit the final VA letter including percentage (please do not include letter from VA noting specific private medical information), as well as the DD-214 Member Copy 4. The SF-15 will be requested if selected.
  • ICTAP documentation. RIF separation notice along with your last performance rating or appraisal.

How to Apply

You must apply through the USAJOBS online job application system. It is your responsibility to ensure the complete application package is submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/09/2025 to receive consideration. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.

For details on applying through USAJOBS, please locate the "Apply" section at: USAJOBS Help Center | How to

FRTIB will only consider the last copy of the document uploaded/faxed when determining your eligibility and qualifications. For example, if you upload/fax two or more resumes only the last resume uploaded/faxed and submitted will be considered.

Note to applicants: To expedite the application review, please ONLY submit the documentation that is requested in the announcement. Do not submit:

  • Diplomas of any type (NOTE: A diploma certifies completion of a course of study. A transcript is record of courses taken and grades achieved.)
  • Letters of recommendation, reference, or congratulations, etc.
  • Any documents with a picture of the applicant
  • Awards documentation, including SF-50's for awards
  • Performance appraisals (only ICTAP eligible applicants need to submit their latest performance appraisal)
  • Evaluations of any type
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Agency contact information

HR Operations
Address
Office of Participant Experience
Office of Participant Experience
77 K Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. If your final rating places you among the top candidates, your application will be referred to the selecting official for further review. If your name is referred to the selecting official, you may be contacted directly by the office for a possible interview. You may also check the status of your application through your USAJOBS profile.

When the entire vacancy announcement process has been completed you will receive notice via email (or by mail if no email address was provided during the application process). Please allow at least 4-6 weeks after the vacancy has closed to inquire about the status of your application.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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