Assistant Benefits Manager

Municipal Employees' Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Municipal Employees' Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago is seeking an embedded leader to serve as Assistant Benefits Manager. This role supervises Benefit Counselors, coordinates with the Benefits Manager, and ensures accurate processing of pension needs for Fund members before and after retirement.

The position demands deep knowledge of Illinois pension statutes, strong analytical ability, and excellence in customer service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required from an accredited college or university.
• 5–7 years of Illinois pension fund experience.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the laws governing the Fund and reciprocal funds.

Responsibilities

• Fields member calls, provides information, and initiates follow‑ups when research or calculations are needed.
• Responds to inquiries from reciprocal funds and delegates as needed.
• Meets with members in virtual or in‑person appointments and assists with filing annuity applications.
• Reviews staff-written responses for accuracy and attaches signatures upon approval.
• Composes letters for complex situations beyond templates.
• Coordinates monthly departmental deadlines and reviews pension calculations for retirees.
• Resolves discrepancies found by the Accounting Department and notifies affected members.
• Supervises exchanges with 11 Reciprocal Funds to calculate reciprocal benefits.
• Trains staff on Illinois Compiled Pension Statutes and supports staff with pension calculations.
• Collaborates on new computer systems and tests them for compliance; explains changes to staff.
• Meets with other managers to clarify law or Fund operations; reviews staff performance.

Skills

MS Word & Excel

Pension statutes knowledge

Staff supervision

Customer service

Analytical skills

Written & verbal communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Class Title: Assistant Benefits Manager

Reports to: Benefits Manager

Characteristics of the Class: Provides supervision to Benefit Counselors and collaborates with the Benefits Manager to ensure timely and accurate completion of all tasks related to meeting the pension needs of Fund members before and during retirement.

Contributes to the oversight, evaluation, and enhancement of the department’s processes and procedures. Undertakes special projects at the direction of the Benefits Manager.

Essential duties:

• Fields phone calls from members regarding a wide range of questions; provides information and explanations during the call and initiates follow‑up procedures in the Call Center when research or calculations are required. Resolves issues using courteous and effective customer service techniques.
• Responds to phone inquiries from staff at other reciprocal funds, addressing questions and requests; conducts appropriate follow‑up personally or delegates to staff when necessary.
• Meets with members through both virtual and in‑person appointments to provide requested information; initiates follow‑up in the Call Center when needed. Assists members with filing annuity applications as appropriate.
• Reviews written responses prepared by staff for accuracy and attaches signature upon approval.
• Composes response letters for unique or complex situations that cannot be addressed through existing form letters or templates.
• Coordinates monthly operational deadlines for department staff.
• Reviews pension calculations prepared by staff at the time of a member’s retirement and ensures that staff understand and correct any errors.
• Resolves discrepancies in new business identified by the Accounting Department and brought to the Benefits Department’s attention.
• Adjusts pension calculations found to be erroneous through internal audits and notify the affected member.
• Supervises the extensive exchange of written information with 11 other Reciprocal Funds in Illinois required to calculate reciprocal benefits for members.
• Serves as a resource for staff on matters related to the Illinois Compiled Pension Statutes, supporting them as they handle member calls, appointments, written inquiries, and pension calculations.
• Trains staff in accordance with the Illinois Compiled Pension Statutes.
• Collaborates with other office departments in the development of new computer programs and procedures that enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the Benefits Department; tests new systems to ensure compliance with statute, policy, and procedure; explains new systems and processes to department staff.
• Meets with other managers to clarify aspects of the law or Fund operations as needed.
• Reviews and evaluates staff under direct supervision, addressing and resolving performance issues. Assist auditors with resolving exceptions identified during the annual audit.
• Acts as proxy for the Benefits Department Manager in their absence, including attending meetings and representing the department.

Knowledge, Abilities & Skill:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Able to acquire a thorough understanding of the Illinois Compiled Pension Statutes and explain them to others with varying levels of knowledge
• Skilled in supervising and motivating staff, as well as building consensus across departments
• Knowledgeable in effective customer service principles and techniques
• Strong mathematical and analytical abilities, with excellent attention to detail
• Effective and tactful communicator, both verbally and in writing
• Capable of managing multiple projects and priorities while working under pressure

Training and Experience:

Requires a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. This position requires 5-7 years of relevant Illinois pension fund experience. It also requires comprehensive knowledge of the laws governing the Fund and other reciprocal funds.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to operate a computer extensively for five (5) or more hours per day.

Comprehensive Benefits:

The MEABF has a generous benefits package including MEABF pension and disability benefits, medical, dental and vision plans and an optional 457 savings plan.

MEABF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. MEABF does not discriminate due to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital or parental status, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship status, veteran or military status, age, disability, unemployment status, or any other legally protected basis. Qualified candidates of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply for any vacant positions.

Salary:

This position’s salary begins at $105,000 – DOQ.