MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, supplemented by one (1) or more years of previous experience and/or training that includes general governmental accounting and/or auditing. Experience in Pension Administration a plus. Must have knowledge in the use of accounting software to include Microsoft Word and Excel. Knowledge and experience in Munis is preferred.

PURPOSE OF CLASSIFICATION

The purpose of this classification is to assist and coordinate accounting functions, maintain financial records, and administer the County’s Pension Plan or other assigned areas of responsibility. Assist Pension Manger to oversee the Administration of the Pension Plan. Records pension fund on the County’s general ledger. Assists as a liaison between employees, retirees, Pension Board, and outside vendors.

THE FOLLOWING DUTIES ARE NORMAL FOR THIS POSITION. THE OMISSION OF SPECIFIC STATEMENTS OF THE DUTIES DOES NOT EXCLUDE THEM FROM THE CLASSIFICATION IF THE WORK IS SIMILAR, RELATED, OR A LOGICAL ASSIGNMENT FOR THIS CLASSIFICATION, AS SUCH, OTHER DUTIES MAY BE REQUIRED AND ASSIGNED.

Perform retirement estimates, benefit calculations, maintain records, balance general ledger accounts and accounting schedules of Pension Plan fund, administer claims, conduct studies, and prepare reports of various administrative issues.
Collect, assemble, and calculate data for the determination of normal benefit payments, as well as optional forms of benefit payments; conduct retirement meetings for document execution; explain payment options to retirees and beneficiaries.
Collect data and calculate Lump Sum Distributions / Rollovers, Vested Termination, and Retirement benefits.
Performs benefit and return of contribution calculations for retiring and terminated participants and beneficiaries under the Pension Plan.
Prepares Clayton County Water Authority participants pension calculations, refunds and other administration items.
Process pension refunds for eligible employees, calculate interest earnings (as appropriate), and maintain electronic Refund database.
Assist with the process to authorize benefit payments from the Pension Plan.
Perform pension plan projects and programs involving various studies; prepare administrative reports, such as cost analysis, financial record analysis, policy/procedure review or policy revisions; complete special accounting projects as directed.
Maintain various forms, reports, correspondence, cash transaction reports, asset reports, asset listings, accounting guidelines, procedures, manuals, reference materials, or other documentation; review, complete, process, forward, or retain as appropriate or required.
Maintains a comprehensive, current knowledge of applicable law/regulations, and accounting standards; maintains an awareness of new trends and advances in the profession; reads professional literature; attends workshops and training sessions as appropriate.
Assist in developing and maintaining contacts with local pension plan administrators for purposes of peer review, surveys, and maintaining a current benefit database of other local governmental benefit plans.
Performs general accounting tasks, such as posting financial data, preparing journal entries, reconciling reports/statements, researching financial discrepancies, compiling/balancing reports, filing/distributing mandatory reports, balancing accounts/ledgers, or maintaining financial records. Resolves conflicts and inconsistencies in custodial bank statements and investment managers statements, completes accounting entries for custodial bank statements.
Assist with accounts reconciliation for the pension fund, including preparing and maintaining various schedules necessary for conducting the annual audit of the pension plan.
Records custodial statements on the general ledger; maintains and monitors the Pension general ledger fund on a regular basis.
Analyzes cost and other financial records; completes special accounting projects as directed.
Enters, retrieves, reviews, and modifies data; verifies accuracy of entered data, and makes corrections; utilizes word processing, spreadsheets, database, accounting/financial, cash management, asset allocation, or other software programs.
Assist with reviewing and third-party vendor contracts and renewals. Assist with vendor transitions, and reviews vendor invoices for payment processing.
Assist with the Request for Proposal (RFP) processes for the Pension and Deferred Compensation Plans.
Assists Finance Department programmers or other departmental programmers on development of pension systems. Maintains familiarity with outside vendors and their offerings in pension software and administration.
Assists with the completion of annual disability audit and state audits.
Reviews new material presented at the monthly New Employee Orientation; updates presentation periodically; presents in person at the orientation.
Assists Pension Manger with analysis of Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) paid to eligible retirees annually; update COLA data to custodian; update retiree database accordingly to reflect annual changes.
Prepare reports for Pension Board, i.e., Retiree benefit list for approval, financial reports, and special projects.
Assist Pension Manager to plan and organize all Pension Board meetings; assist with overseeing the preparation of meeting minutes.
Advise Custodian / Record-keeper of changes in monthly retirement benefits and other administrative matters.
Assist Pension Manager with retiree administration to the bank custodian, advise of changes in monthly retirement benefits and other administrative matters.
Assists with Deferred Compensation operations; coordinates with deferred compensation record-keeper; trust custodian, and the trustee. Communicates deferrals with record-keeper on bi-weekly basis. Resolves issues between participants and administrator or trustee.
Assist Pension Manager in maintaining various data bases; i.e., Retiree, Lump Sum, Pending Lump Sum, Prior Service, Bridged Service, COLA (Cost of Living Allowance) recipients, Qualified Domestic Relations Order recipients, etc.
Maintains databases needed to calculate benefits including employment status, compensation history, and length of service for the Pension Plan.
Communicates with supervisor, employees, retirees, other departments, Pension Board members, bank personnel, trustees, third party administrators, attorneys, auditors, vendors, government agencies, the public, outside organizations, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.
Provides customer service for Pension Plan and Deferred Compensation Plan; phone, email, mail, walk ins, etc.
Assists with supervisory functions to assigned staff, with the direction of, or the absence of the Pension Manager. Functions to include, but are not limited to supervising, directing, evaluating assigned staff workflow, addressing employee concerns and problems, directing work, counseling, discipling, and completing employee performance evaluations.
Gain and maintain in-depth knowledge of the Pension Plan document.
Assist in year-end processing and reporting of Plan functions; coordinating with actuary on Annual Valuation Report, as needed. Coordinate with the Clayton County Finance Department, Clayton County Water Authority, and actuary in resolving questions on annual data.
Monitor, prepare financial pension reports, and forecasts. Assist the Pension Manager in preparing the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). Prepare initial draft of Letter of Transmittal and Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the Pension Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), as well as work with auditors to complete the Pension ACFR.
Reconciles general ledger accounts for the pension fund. Prepares and maintains various schedules necessary for conducting the annual audit of the pension plan.
Proficient in using various Microsoft Office products, including word process, spreadsheets, and databases, as well as other accounting/financial software or other software programs required to perform job duties.
Maintain a comprehensive, current knowledge of applicable laws/regulations and accounting standards; maintain an awareness of new trends and advances in the profession; read professional literature; attend workshops and training sessions as appropriate. Obtain certification in the Georgia Association of Public Plan Trustees (GAPPT) within three years of employment.