PENSIONS BENEFITS SPECIALIST 3
Career Family: PENSIONS BENEFITS SPECIALIST
Pensions Benefits Specialist 3 sits in the competitive class of New Jersey's state civil service, so reaching it runs through testing and an eligible list instead of a straight hire.
This is the senior rung of the Pensions Benefits Specialist series, the level you reach after Pensions Benefits Specialist 2. It lists a bachelor's degree as the baseline, with an experience-based path open to those who do not hold the degree. Pay on the FY 2027 schedule runs $76,287 to $111,856, and state payroll currently lists about 35 people in the title, most of them at Treasury.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. One agency employs it. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Who employs this title
Pensions Benefits Specialist 3 appears on the State payroll at one department, Department of Treasury.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Treasury | 35 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Pay ladder: Pensions Benefits Specialist series
- Pensions Benefits Specialist 1 — $58,222 – $84,763
- Pensions Benefits Specialist 2 — $66,592 – $97,354
- Pensions Benefits Specialist 3 — $76,287 – $111,856 (this title)
Its top salary lands around the 59th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY 2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 35 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $87,454. The agencies employing the most are:
- Treasury (35)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under the supervision of a Supervising Pensions Benefits Specialist or other supervisory official in the Division of Pensions and Benefits, Department of the Treasury, supervises subordinate Pensions Benefits Specialists and other technical staff in a unit of the Division, and independently performs duties of significant difficulty and complexity involving retirement, health benefits, or other employee benefit program, regulatory procedures, statures and/or legislation; supervises staff and work activities; prepares and signs official performance evaluations for subordinate staff; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
Provides advice and assistance to members, employers, beneficiaries, etc. on complex matters regarding the administration of the retirement or health benefit programs. Supervises the provision of assistance to participating employers and members regarding employee benefit support or employer reporting programs of the Division. Supervises the counseling of clients and provision of accurate information on the various retirement and health plans administered by the Division. Makes presentations before large groups of members, employers, and public officials on employee benefits and procedures. May establish and coordinate the field training programs; schedules and conducts courses and meetings. May design and produce training program materials to support existing programs or newly-created training programs. Instructs public employers on employee contribution reporting procedures. May supervise the pre-retirement and post-retirement seminar activities conducted both at the office and in the field. Supervises the review, verification, and processing of retirement and/or health benefits to members or beneficiaries. Supervises the review/audit of members' accounts and the processing of correcting transactions. Supervises the processing of cases which require adjustments to member accounts due to, but not limited to, enrollment date changes, court ordered decisions, negotiated settlements, change in legislation, birth date discrepancies, or calculations of worker's compensation reductions against the member's allowances. Supervises the processing of underpayments or overpayments of pension contributions, arrears, back deductions, life or health insurance, or loans; ensures that the amount due is secured and adjustments are made to members' accounts. Supervises the reconstruction, recalculation, and/or reactivation of accounts for members eligible to return to service or employment following withdrawal or retirement. Provides complex retirement, purchase, and loan estimates when necessary. Reviews the processing of Board of Trustee approved determinations. Assists bureau management in supervising the administration and implementation of legislation, rules, and regulations of the assigned bureau, in accordance with the governing statutes. May develop work programs and operating procedures of a bureau or its respective sections. Reviews the operations of the assigned unit and suggests changes in procedures to bureau management. Coordinates the work efforts between the unit and other operating units within the Division and provides recommendations to resolve problems when they arise. May supervise the field staff engaged in coordinating the employee contribution reporting procedures with employers of the State and political subdivisions. Consults with government officials to review mutual problem areas in the field of employee benefits. May supervise the preparation and revision of periodic supplements to the administration manual concerning changes in procedures for the guidance of public employers; supervises the preparation of booklets and other literature dealing with the benefits of the several retirement and health benefit programs and other periodic and supplementary bulletins. May supervise the development and implementation of mainframe and other computer system modifications to ensure that operational needs are met. Testifies as an expert witness in hearings before the Office of Administrative Law, Superior Court, commissions, or boards. Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees. Prepares work standards for employees and evaluates employees through performance assessment reviews. Assesses the training needs of the unit or bureau and offers suggestions to improve the skill levels of employees. Supervises the training of employees in the various retirement and health benefit plans and work duties assigned. May supervise the investigation of allegations concerning public employers providing inappropriate benefit incentives to employees. Reviews fieldwork problems with supervisory personnel and identifies solutions. Drafts correspondence of a complex nature. Performs complex mathematical computations with accuracy. Prepares statistical and financial reports and other studies related to the work of the bureau. Compiles accurate statistical information to include in monthly work reports. Supervises the maintenance of records and files. Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of the public employee retirement and health benefit programs in New Jersey. Knowledge of employee contribution reporting procedures. Knowledge of the methods used to collect and analyze data. Knowledge of investigative method and techniques. Knowledge of problem solving techniques. Knowledge of work planning and scheduling techniques. Ability to interpret laws, rules, and regulations, and apply them to specific situations. Ability to analyze problems and identify solutions. Ability to counsel clients and provide accurate information on the various retirement and health benefit plans administered by the Division. Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with associates, representatives from local and state agencies, members of the public, and others. Ability to organize assigned work and develop effective work methods. Ability to supervise assigned staff and plan, organize, and implement projects within the unit. Ability to review problems arising from field work and devise methods for their solution. Ability to prepare procedural, informational, and other bulletins on employee benefits. Ability to provide advice and assistance on retirement and health benefit matters. Ability to give presentations on retirement systems benefits, health benefits, contribution reporting, and other related matters before member, employer, and professional groups. Ability to testify as an expert witness in hearings before the Office of Administrative Law, Superior Court, commissions, or boards. Ability to prepare correspondence of a complex nature and to prepare and supervise the preparation of clear, accurate reports. Ability to perform complex, accurate mathematical computations. Ability to compile statistical information for reports. Ability to supervise the maintenance or records and files. Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. Seven (7) years of professional experience in the operation of retirement or health insurance programs. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and three (3) years of the above-mentioned professional experience. "Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions.