Senior Account Specialist

Description

Experience GuideStone!

We are an innovative organization that invests in the spiritual, relational, financial, physical and professional development of our employees. We have a culture that values excellence, teamwork, humility, integrity, compassion and stewardship.

 

What We Offer You!

We offer employees a generous benefits package, flexible work schedules, the opportunity to be involved in community outreach and tuition reimbursement.

 

 

Job Summary

The basic purpose of this position is to provide exceptional customer service through personal contact with ministry partners and members using sound judgment analyzing, understanding and processing an extensive range of inquiries and transactions. Specialists must ensure compliance with IRS regulations and DOL requirements administering multiple plans such as 403(b) and 401(k) defined contributions, defined benefits, and approximately 400 plus variations of adoption agreements. The specialist in this position must understand the details of a complex recordkeeping system and the multiple software applications needed to maintain the integrity and personal and financial data for ministry partners and members.

 

What You'll Do

• Process financial transactions that potentially have a high financial impact and risk for members, ministry partners, and GuideStone, including loans, ACH, loan payoffs, tax calculations, in-service, hardships, termination, direct rollovers, transfers, exchanges, estimates, annuities and installments in accordance with plan provisions and IRS regulations. This includes transactions for prominent members and ministry partners.

• Analyze, research, and respond to an extensive range of member inquiries and requests while maintaining integrity of confidential financial and personal account data on a network of multiple software programs. Verify that all documentation requirements are met before processing transactions including reviewing legal documents such as divorce decrees, power of attorney forms and trust agreements to ensure proper authority exists before transacting business.

• Assist Customer Solutions with inbound call-taking and support ensuring a seamless customer experience. Communicate investment, legal, tax and plan information to all levels of inter-departmental personnel, plan ministry partners and members.

• Consult in person and over the phone with members concerning retirement benefit planning and education in order to meet member needs assisting them in finding a suitable retirement option including identifying and assessing potential tax consequences. Cross-sell products and encourage consolidation of external retirement plans into GuideStone.

• Promote member loyalty and retention by providing exceptional customer service by phone, mail and email through responding to requests, problems, and complaints, and taking ownership until resolution.

• Remain current with IRS regulations and DOL requirements to determine impact to existing retirement procedures and policy. Ensure compliance with internal governance principles and government regulations.

• Provide proactive policy and administration using sound judgment to identify complex member and technical issues, recommend solutions, clarify inconsistencies, and implement resolutions.

• Ensure quality control by performing verification audits of team members’ work, approving co-workers’ transactions and reviewing departmental standards.

• Responsible for monitoring and evaluating other team members.

• Mentor new employees in job responsibilities and other information.

• Act as an available and reliable resource for intra and inter department employees.

• Offer input on design and updates to computer applications including business systems and assist with testing efforts as needed.

 

What You'll Need

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

• Completion of Retirement Account Specialist training required.

• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), or Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), or similar certification preferred.

• Proficient PC skills in MS Office and all other applicable GuideStone applications.

• Ability to independently research and audit account transactions.

• Ability to execute complex corrections and adjustments (including manual calculations).

• Ability to apply the appropriate compliance requirements to various processes such as eligibility and contributions.

• Ability to offer feedback to Retirement Services Manager regarding employee development.

• Ability to work with limited supervision, displaying initiative and reliability while meeting deadlines.

• Ability to understand and interpret multiple plans documents, policies, procedures, legal requirements, and retirement plan concepts.

• Strong analytical skills and independent decision-making ability.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate with ministry partners and members.

• Good organizational and planning skills.

• Ability to maintain the highest standard of customer service, communicate in a professional manner under adverse circumstances, and resolve member complaints and issues.

• Ability to adapt to a changing environment and handle stress effectively.

• Ability to understand a daily valuation environment (i.e. calculating shares, dividends, capital gains, and earnings).

• Advanced knowledge of all types of employer-sponsored retirement plans, IRAs, and personal investments.

• Ability to complete tasks/projects and research as delegated by management.

• Knowledge of tax reporting concerning distributions, cash withdrawals, or loan defaults, as they apply.

• Ability to work comfortably and interact professionally with others in a team environment.

• Knowledge of GuideStone-specific employer-sponsored retirement plans, IRAs, and personal investments.

• Knowledge of broader employer-sponsored retirement plan industry.

• Knowledge of deferred compensation plans, Roth rules and self-directed accounts.

• Ability to independently process Qualified Domestic Relation Orders and Domestic Relation Orders.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to train effectively with good presentation skills.