Mead School District
Retirement and Benefits Specialist
Mead School District, Mead, Washington, United States, 99021
January 6, 2026
Retirement and Benefits Specialist 8 hours per day
12-Month position – 260 days per year
JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Retirement and Benefits Specialist performs complex duties in the administration of employee retirement and benefits programs.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Manage and schedule employee benefits enrollment meeting with employees regarding initial benefits and retirement enrollment and/or qualifying event changes.
Conduct individual and/or group retirement/benefits training.
Maintain in-depth knowledge and expertise in employee benefits services, make recommendations on pending legislative actions regarding benefits, conduct benefits research, respond to benefits issues, and answer benefits queries.
Administer the input of benefit enrollments, retirement selections, and monthly payroll deductions; maintain and track Self-pay, Flexible Spending, and Affordable Care Act eligible employees.
Serve as a liaison between the Payroll and Human Resource Departments regarding employee benefits.
Review and assist in reconciling monthly SEBB invoices, promptly following up with the HCA on discrepancies for resolution.
Maintain employee information on state retirement and benefit tracking systems.
Assist in reconciling monthly retirement information to DRS.
Produce routine reports for submittal to third-party administrators, and state and federal government agencies.
Answer a wide variety of questions regarding employee benefits, best practices, and procedures.
Troubleshoot and resolve a variety of employee benefit administration systems issues;
Coordinate the Annual Open Enrollment Process and assist District employees with SEBB online enrollment.
Investigate and assist in resolving employee concerns and complaints regarding benefit coverage.
Meet with third-party administrators and representatives as needed to ensure proper administration of plans.
Research and track substitute and temporary employee hours to verify eligibility for benefits.
Maintain and share a variety of materials and online resources to assist employees to manage their employee benefits.
Coordinate vendor booths for the District's annual “Welcome Back” meeting.
Research and verify records to determine eligibility for retirement benefits, reviews, and audit forms and reports.
Document and update processes and procedures for efficient and effective workflow.
Respond to Social Security questionnaires and employment verifications.
Assist with employee leave requests and tracking.
Adjust employee pay assignments and benefit deductions as appropriate due to the employee’s leave status, including arranging for personal payment of benefit premiums if necessary.
Assist in processing all short and long-term disability claims and coordinate with Payroll and external insurance companies to ensure the appropriate payment of paid time off and disability leave benefits.
Maintain awareness of changing Federal and State regulations and legislation, District policy and procedures, and negotiated contractual agreements with numerous bargaining groups that may affect employee benefits.
Create, update, and maintain confidential medical files to document benefit-related actions, and assist with other filing as needed.
Assist and cross-train with other employees in the department.
Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
AA Degree (Human Resource, Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration) required or equivalent education and/or work experience. Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Previous Experience in benefit administration, retirement systems, accounting, human resources, or related field.
Prior school district experience preferred.
High level of attention to detail, initiative and the ability to complete work in an accurate and timely manner.
Proficient with a variety of computer applications, including Microsoft Office, and other web-based programs.
Ability to identify routine problems and propose feasible solutions, make improvements, or take corrective action.
Ability to prioritize work and multitask effectively.
Must be team-oriented but also able to work independently.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to work well under pressure and to meet deadlines.
Ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
High level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations and documentation.
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services and demonstrated ability to work in a positive manner with staff and patrons.
Demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize workload and work under pressure in an environment with multiple, simultaneous tasks.
Knowledge of state and federal HR laws preferred.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY: As outlined by the Policies and Procedures of Mead School District. Mead policies and Procedures can be accessed online at https://www.mead354.org/about-us/board-of-directors/board-policies.
The salary range for the position is: Min $30.08– Max $ 37.16 Salary placement will be at step 1 on the appropriate scale for the position. Previous relevant experience may result in higher step placement within the posted range.
A typical work year consists of 260 days which includes 13 paid holidays. Each employee shall accumulate twelve (12) days of sick leave per year. A maximum of three (3) days of annual leave are provided for all employees based on the employee’s scheduled employment hours per day to be used for an absence during work hours. Unused Annual Leave is cashed out every July. Full-Time Employees working year-round (260 days) shall accumulate up to 25 Days (200 hours) of vacation annually. Up to 40 hours may be cashed out annually in July if the balance is above 240 hours. Balances over 280 hours as of July 1 will be forfeited prior to the new year’s accrual.
Employees anticipated to work more than 630 hours per year will be eligible for Benefits through the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) Standard benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability. Positions anticipated to work 70 hours or more per month for at least 5 months over a 12-month period are eligible for Retirement through the State Department of Retirement Services.
35053488
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Retirement and Benefits Specialist 8 hours per day
12-Month position – 260 days per year
JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Retirement and Benefits Specialist performs complex duties in the administration of employee retirement and benefits programs.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Manage and schedule employee benefits enrollment meeting with employees regarding initial benefits and retirement enrollment and/or qualifying event changes.
Conduct individual and/or group retirement/benefits training.
Maintain in-depth knowledge and expertise in employee benefits services, make recommendations on pending legislative actions regarding benefits, conduct benefits research, respond to benefits issues, and answer benefits queries.
Administer the input of benefit enrollments, retirement selections, and monthly payroll deductions; maintain and track Self-pay, Flexible Spending, and Affordable Care Act eligible employees.
Serve as a liaison between the Payroll and Human Resource Departments regarding employee benefits.
Review and assist in reconciling monthly SEBB invoices, promptly following up with the HCA on discrepancies for resolution.
Maintain employee information on state retirement and benefit tracking systems.
Assist in reconciling monthly retirement information to DRS.
Produce routine reports for submittal to third-party administrators, and state and federal government agencies.
Answer a wide variety of questions regarding employee benefits, best practices, and procedures.
Troubleshoot and resolve a variety of employee benefit administration systems issues;
Coordinate the Annual Open Enrollment Process and assist District employees with SEBB online enrollment.
Investigate and assist in resolving employee concerns and complaints regarding benefit coverage.
Meet with third-party administrators and representatives as needed to ensure proper administration of plans.
Research and track substitute and temporary employee hours to verify eligibility for benefits.
Maintain and share a variety of materials and online resources to assist employees to manage their employee benefits.
Coordinate vendor booths for the District's annual “Welcome Back” meeting.
Research and verify records to determine eligibility for retirement benefits, reviews, and audit forms and reports.
Document and update processes and procedures for efficient and effective workflow.
Respond to Social Security questionnaires and employment verifications.
Assist with employee leave requests and tracking.
Adjust employee pay assignments and benefit deductions as appropriate due to the employee’s leave status, including arranging for personal payment of benefit premiums if necessary.
Assist in processing all short and long-term disability claims and coordinate with Payroll and external insurance companies to ensure the appropriate payment of paid time off and disability leave benefits.
Maintain awareness of changing Federal and State regulations and legislation, District policy and procedures, and negotiated contractual agreements with numerous bargaining groups that may affect employee benefits.
Create, update, and maintain confidential medical files to document benefit-related actions, and assist with other filing as needed.
Assist and cross-train with other employees in the department.
Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
AA Degree (Human Resource, Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration) required or equivalent education and/or work experience. Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Previous Experience in benefit administration, retirement systems, accounting, human resources, or related field.
Prior school district experience preferred.
High level of attention to detail, initiative and the ability to complete work in an accurate and timely manner.
Proficient with a variety of computer applications, including Microsoft Office, and other web-based programs.
Ability to identify routine problems and propose feasible solutions, make improvements, or take corrective action.
Ability to prioritize work and multitask effectively.
Must be team-oriented but also able to work independently.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to work well under pressure and to meet deadlines.
Ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
High level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations and documentation.
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services and demonstrated ability to work in a positive manner with staff and patrons.
Demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize workload and work under pressure in an environment with multiple, simultaneous tasks.
Knowledge of state and federal HR laws preferred.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY: As outlined by the Policies and Procedures of Mead School District. Mead policies and Procedures can be accessed online at https://www.mead354.org/about-us/board-of-directors/board-policies.
The salary range for the position is: Min $30.08– Max $ 37.16 Salary placement will be at step 1 on the appropriate scale for the position. Previous relevant experience may result in higher step placement within the posted range.
A typical work year consists of 260 days which includes 13 paid holidays. Each employee shall accumulate twelve (12) days of sick leave per year. A maximum of three (3) days of annual leave are provided for all employees based on the employee’s scheduled employment hours per day to be used for an absence during work hours. Unused Annual Leave is cashed out every July. Full-Time Employees working year-round (260 days) shall accumulate up to 25 Days (200 hours) of vacation annually. Up to 40 hours may be cashed out annually in July if the balance is above 240 hours. Balances over 280 hours as of July 1 will be forfeited prior to the new year’s accrual.
Employees anticipated to work more than 630 hours per year will be eligible for Benefits through the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) Standard benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability. Positions anticipated to work 70 hours or more per month for at least 5 months over a 12-month period are eligible for Retirement through the State Department of Retirement Services.
35053488
#J-18808-Ljbffr