Public Benefits Intern: Data, Portal & SOPs

Southern Arkansas University; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 26,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work up to 1 day/week

Job summary

The Port Authority is offering an internship in the Employee Benefits division designed to develop hands-on skills in benefits administration, data management, and portal maintenance. The program emphasizes technology use, SOP updates, and cross-functional teamwork with personnel services.

The role supports the retirement division and benefits portal improvements, with a start date expected September/October 2026.

Qualifications

• Enrollment in a college or university at the time of the internship.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Interest in contributing to the success of the New York and New Jersey region.
• Interest in public service and/or transportation.
• Willingness to learn.

Responsibilities

• Support the retirement section of the division by updating processes and collateral material.
• Update the Retirement Portal for employees and retirees.
• Review and update SOPs for Benefits Division tasks.
• Audit and refresh benefits content on the employee portal to ensure accuracy.
• Suggest improvements to the employee portal for usability.
• Assist with onboarding documents (DocuSign) and case management (Salesforce).
• Handle data entry of benefits information in PeopleSoft.
• Manage system-related tasks: eligibility events, closing & clean-up, data entry.
• Audit retiree records in PeopleSoft for accuracy.
• Assist with benefits call center coverage and inform on benefit plans.
• Support the Benefits Manager and Supervisor with ad hoc initiatives.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

Enrollment in college/university

Tools

PeopleSoft

Job description

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The Port Authority offers exciting opportunities for students to gain knowledgeable and experience on professional assignments critical to supporting Port Authority employees. Assignments include hands-on projects to cultivate technical, writing, communication and team-building skills.The Employee Benefits division is seeking an intern to support the many projects that are critical to the department and agency.

Responsibilities:

• Support the retirement section of the division in making improvements to the current filing process by leveraging technology, including updating collateral material.
• Update the Retirement Portal, which will be a resource for current employees and retirees pertaining to retirement benefits and the like.
• Review and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of various tasks related to the Benefits Division.
• Review employee benefits related content on the employee portal (intranet) to ensure it is current.
• Make improvement recommendations to the employee portal to make it more user-friendly for employees.
• Support onboarding documentation (DocuSign) and case management (Salesforce).
• Handle data entry of employee benefits information in PeopleSoft.
• System Related Matters – handle eligibility events, closing & clean-up events in the system, and entry of various numbers, etc.
• Audit retiree and their dependent records in PeopleSoft (our ERP system) for accuracy and completeness.
• Assist in handling benefits call center shifts, providing information to employees and retirees about different benefit plans, as needed.
• Support the Benefits Manager and Supervisor with ad hoc initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Enrollment at a college or university at the time of the internship
• Experience with Microsoft apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, etc.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Interest in contributing to the success of the New York and New Jersey region.
• Interest in public service and/or transportation
• Willingness to learn

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in benefits administration
• Experience in a customer focused environment
• Knowledge of PeopleSoft or similar HR Systems
• Ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment
• Keen attention to detail and a self-starter
• The start date is expected to be in September/October 2026
• This internship will require 20-24 hours per week
• In accordance with Port Authority policy, this position permits interns to work remotely a maximum of one day per week. In person collaboration is essential to how the Port Authority conducts business and regular in-office days or team collaboration days may be required depending on business needs. Some internships may require interns to be fully in-person.

Selection Process

• Only applicants under consideration will be contacted
• If selected to move forward, the hiring team will reach out directly to schedule 1-2 interviews
• Different internships will have different timelines for interviews
• The hourly rate range is $18.61 to $31.22 (the exact rate will be determined by internship type and rising school year)
• Ability to opt in to the New York State and Local Retirement System