Benefits Specialist - Customer Contact Center (Multiple Vacancies)

State of South Carolina; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13 paid holidays

Comprehensive insurance programs

Retirement plans and generous paid-lea

Job summary

The SC Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA) is the administrator and co‑trustee of retirement and insurance programs for over half a million active and retired public employees of the State of South Carolina and their dependents.

The PEBA Customer Contact Center serves as the primary point of contact for all telephone inquiries for the agency, with new employees starting training upon employment and progressing through on‑the‑job experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and professional customer service experience.
• Ability to multi-task in a contact center with multiple on‑line computer systems.
• Strong analytical skills, patience, professionalism, and clear communication.
• The effectiveness of the team requires commitment to a structured work schedule, cooperation and personal accountability.

Responsibilities

• Assist members, retirees, beneficiaries, and employers with questions related to enrollment, eligibility, service purchases, rollovers, refunds, retirement, death claims, and state policies and procedures.
• Interpret, apply, and explain state policies, procedures, regulations, and statutes to callers with various backgrounds in layman’s terms.
• Provide detailed documentation of contact with customers and prepare benefit estimates and written documents.
• Review and process enrollment documents to expedite access to benefits and support retirement and insurance programs.

Skills

Multi-tasking

Analytical skills

Patience

Clear communication

Professionalism

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Responsibilities

The SC Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA) is the administrator and co‑trustee of retirement and insurance programs for over half a million active and retired public employees of the State of South Carolina and their dependents.

The PEBA Customer Contact Center serves as the primary point of contact for all telephone inquiries for the agency. New employees begin training immediately upon employment and soon after begin assisting members with their retirement and insurance benefits. Employees progress gradually through continued training and on‑the‑job experience.

The Customer Contact Center has a unique career path plan which includes the opportunity to receive multiple salary increases as we develop you into a cross‑trained Benefits Manager in retirement and insurance.

• Retirement benefits – assist members, retirees, beneficiaries, and employers with questions related to enrollment, eligibility, service purchases, rollovers, refunds, retirement, death claims, and state policies and procedures. Interpret, apply, and explain state policies, procedures, regulations, and statutes to callers with various social and educational backgrounds in layman’s terms. Provide detailed documentation of contact with customers. Prepare benefit estimates and respond to customer requests for written and/or computer‑generated documents.
• Insurance benefits – assist employees, retirees, survivors, COBRA subscribers, dependents and employers with questions related to enrollment, benefit design, eligibility, claims, billing, terminations, and state policies and procedures. Interpret, apply, and explain state policies, procedures, regulations, and statutes to callers with various social and educational backgrounds in layman’s terms. Provide detailed documentation of contact with customers. Review and process enrollment documents for customers as needed to expedite customer access to benefits.

Minimum And Additional Requirements

A bachelor's degree and professional customer service experience.

The Customer Contact Center is an open workspace that requires the ability to work well within a team. While rewarding, serving customers in a contact center setting requires the ability to multi‑task while navigating multiple on‑line computer systems, strong analytical skills, patience, professionalism, and clear communication. The effectiveness of the team requires everyone’s commitment to a structured work schedule, cooperation, and personal accountability.

Preferred Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree and at least two years of professional customer service experience.

Additional Comments: In addition to 13 paid holidays, this position is eligible for comprehensive insurance programs, retirement plans, and a generous paid leave program.

Benefits For State Employees

The state of South Carolina offers eligible employees generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid vacation and sick leave. Plus, work‑life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.

Insurance Benefits

Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, which includes prescription coverage and wellness benefits. Other available insurance benefits include dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.

Retirement Benefits

State employees are also offered retirement plan options, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Additionally, eligible employees may elect to participate in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.

Workplace Benefits

State employees may also be eligible for other benefits, including tuition assistance; holiday, annual and sick leave; and discounts on purchases, travel and more.

Note:

The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time‑limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.

Starting salary: $40,086.