Retirement Services Manager (#rm0229)
$53.81-$65.41 Hourly / $9,326.92-$11,336.94 Monthly / $111,923.15-$136,043.29 Yearly

Under general direction, assists administrators of the San Joaquin County Employees’ Retirement System (SJCERA) with planning, directing, and organizing the work of the Retirement Services division; oversees benefits administration and customer service; ensures compliance with related laws and regulations; and performs related or other work as required in accordance with Rule 3, Section 3 of the Civil Service Rules.

An incumbent in this single position management class has responsibility for overseeing the Retirement Services division that provides compliant and effective delivery of retirement benefits for active, deferred, and retired SJCERA members and beneficiaries. The incumbent manages staff engaged in retirement benefits counseling and processing, assists with formulating and implements policy and procedure, and ensures adherence with applicable laws, regulations, statutes, and policies. This class is distinguished from Assistant Retirement Administrator in that the latter is responsible for policy-level decision making, oversees multiple divisions, and plays a major role in Board of Retirement operations wherein this class manages day-to-day activities of one division. This class is further distinguished from Retirement Services Supervisor in that the latter is a first-line supervisor responsible for overseeing a team of staff performing duties related to retirement benefits.

• Plans, directs, and manages the activities of the Retirement Services division; directly or through supervisory staff, selects, trains, motivates, and evaluates assigned personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; participates in employee development and discipline. 
• Ensures that statutes, and SJCERA and County policies are followed when processing new hires, terminations, refunds, deferments, reciprocity, benefit calculations, service credit purchases, and service and disability retirement benefits. 
• Remains knowledgeable of, interprets and applies, County Employees Retirement Law (CERL) of 1937, the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013, Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Family Code, and other statutes to ensure timely and accurate compliance as applicable to the work of the division. 
• Reviews and analyzes legislation, policies, procedures, and other administrative and regulatory requirements; determines their impact on benefit and payroll administration and related activities; recommends changes in operations as appropriate; assists in the development and implementation of changes to benefits, payroll systems and processes. 
• Assists in developing strategic and performance goals and objectives for the Retirement Services division; communicates goals and ensures staff is equipped with tools and resources to measure division performance and meet goals; keeps higher level staff apprised of progress toward meeting established goals. 
• Oversees and participates in the development of the Retirement Services division annual budget; participates in forecasting funds needed for division staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; monitors and approves expenditures; implements adjustments. 
• Develops and implements division procedures; researches, interprets, and carries out County policies and procedures; assists in developing and implementing policies to ensure compliance with legislation. 
• Serves as liaison to other departments and special districts regarding issues such as those that affect retirement contributions, service credit, and other technical retirement benefit matters; responds to requests for information from internal and external requestors. 
• Prepares comprehensive reports, summaries, and recommendations regarding benefit activities for presentation to management, the Board of Retirement, or other audiences; conducts or manages special projects. 
• May participate in the coordination and implementation of SJCERA’s member education program, including seminars, workshops, booklets, and written information. 
• Represents SJCERA on matters affecting retirement services; may serve on committees; makes presentations to a variety of audiences.

Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in accounting, public or business administration, finance, economics, or closely related field.

Principles, practices, methods and techniques of managing a defined benefit retirement division; principles and practices of public administration, personnel and office management and supervision; general provisions of the County Employees’ Retirement Law of 1937 and related laws and regulations; computerized data maintenance, benefit processing, reporting and documentation; modern office procedures, practices, and equipment, including computers and applicable software applications.

Assist with planning, organizing, managing, supervising, and directing the complex operational activities of a retirement benefit division; understand, interpret and apply complex legislation and regulations pertaining to public employee retirement; analyze policy issues and help develop goals and objectives; prepare and interpret various reports, records and other documents; operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet and database applications; adapt to changing technologies and learn the functionality of new equipment and systems; communicate efficiently and effectively, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships with Retirement Board members, County officials, external investment managers, County employees, the general public and others.

Mobility—frequent use of a computer and sitting for long periods; occasional walking, standing, pushing, pulling, bending; Lifting—frequently 5 pounds or less; occasionally 5 to 30 pounds; Visual—constant use of overall vision and reading/close-up work; moderate use of eye/hand coordination; occasional use of depth perception and peripheral vision; Hearing/Talking—frequent hearing of normal speech, hearing/talking on the telephone, talking in person; Emotional/Psychological—frequent decision making, concentration, and public contact; Special Requirements--may occasionally require working nights and weekends; may occasionally require travel; Environmental—constant work in an indoor office environment; occasional exposure to varied outdoor weather conditions.