Serves as a Benefits Specialist at Headquarters, Marine Corps Community Services.   Develops information from a wide variety of sources to determine entitlement to medical, dental, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long term care (LTC) insurance, group retirement and 401(k) plans for employees and retirees.  Develops, coordinates, produces, and distributes communication for Nonappropriated Fund (NAF) employees in writing, verbally, through employee handbooks, meetings, and via the World Wide Web.  Monitors the Benefits websites (internet and intranet) to ensure benefits information is up to date.  Works with other Benefits Specialists and the Information Technology Branch to ensure appropriate materials are updated.  Works directly with the Behavioral Health company to monitor employee assistance plan (EAP) benefits plan utilization, and auditing plan utilization reports.  Coordinates on site EAP crisis support meetings as needed, and recommends additional resource opportunities.  Works directly with all benefit vendors to determine employee meeting topic selections, and serves as the liaison for USMC field commands to coordinate logistics of meeting preparation with all vendors.  Participates as Benefits representative at Headquarters hosted job fairs.

Serves as primary back up for the Senior Employee Benefits/Peoplesoft Specialist, to analyze and troubleshoot employee benefits and personnel/payroll problems as they arise.  Works directly with field HR and Payroll staffs, PeopleSoft Contractors and internal members of the HR team to complete work as required.  Responds to questions and resolves problems concerning all aspects of the Benefits People Connection system to include 401(k) and Pension issues.  Assures correct employee data is entered into People Connection.  May act as liaison between Human Resources and the Information Technology Staff to resolve issues pertaining to People Connection i.e., interfaces, program development.

Assists in assessment of the impact of new employee benefits programming, enhancements or modifications on the PeopleSoft system.  Makes recommendations to resolve issues as required.  Participates in development and implementation of new employee benefit programs to include development of PeopleSoft requirements.  May coordinate training needs and requirements with the People Connection Project Manager to ensure in house users are aware of program updates and modifications. 

May verify and process personnel/payroll information into People Connection from NAFI’s whose payroll is not processed through the automated payroll system.  Processes 401(k) reverse feed changes  and retirement refunds and annuities to include deferred annuities into People Connection.  Ensures retirement master records in People Connection are correct and updated appropriately.  Calculates all requests to buy back prior NAFI service for retirement purposes.  Verifies participant eligibility for various Human Resources programs.  Validates claims payments for medical, dental and life insurance.  Maintains all records pertaining to enrollment in medical, dental, life, retirement and 401(k) plans.  Computes and processes monthly HMO, and Standard Medical/Dental/Life Insurance bills and prepares invoices for employee benefits programs as required.  Computes, collects and summarizes statistical data in chart and narrative form using People Connection data.  Develops query reports as needed.  Responds to field requests for assistance using People Connection.   Maintains up to date Standard Operating Procedure manuals for all applicable tasks.

Performs other duties as may be assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field appropriate to the work of position AND three years of experience that demonstrates broad knowledge of employee benefits to include:  pension, 401(k), and insurance, OR an appropriate combination of education and experience that demonstrates possession of knowledge and skill equivalent to that gained in the above, OR appropriate experience that demonstrates that the applicant has acquired the knowledge, skills, and abilities equivalent to that gained in the above.  Skill to prepare and validate documents involving medical, dental, life insurance, and retirement claims.  Working knowledge of government procedures, regulations, precedents, and instructions related to employee benefits.  Skill to navigate in PeopleSoft personnel, payroll, and benefits system modules to conduct data inquires, work on deduction table setups, and query development.  Knowledge of accounting, and data processing principles and procedures.  Skill to type and use word processing and associated computer software such as Microsoft Word and Excel.  Familiarity with Navy Correspondence Manual procedures.  Skill to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences verbally and in writing.  Education above high school in a related field may be substituted for experience.