Senior Employer Services Specialist

SENIOR EMPLOYER SERVICES SPECIALIST AGENCY PROMOTIONAL This recruitment is an agency promotional recruitment. ONLY current Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) employees may apply. Applications will be accepted from Monday, July 6, 2026 through Friday, July 10, 2026. THE OPPORTUNITY OCERS is seeking a Senior Employer Services Specialist to lead employer-facing payroll reporting activities, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant data submissions. This role serves as a primary liaison to participating employers, providing guidance on exception resolution, payroll discrepancies, and policy requirements, while representing OCERS in meetings and presentations. The position performs complex payroll and membership-related transactions, including compensation limit monitoring, reinstatements, and transmittal file review. This position may act as a lead and assist with planning and organizing special projects to meet division goals. WHO WE ARE Established in 1945, the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) provides retirement, death, disability and cost-of-living benefits to retirees of the County of Orange and certain County districts. Serving approximately 55,000 members, OCERS is governed by a ten-member Board of Retirement that is responsible for managing a $30 billion dollar fund. For more information about OCERS, please click here. Mission OCERS' mission is to provide secure retirement and disability benefits with the highest standards of excellence. Vision OCERS' vision is to be a trusted partner providing premier pension administration, distinguished by consistent, quality member experiences and prudent financial stewardship. Values • Open and Transparent • Commitment to Superior Service • Engaged and Dedicated Workforce • Reliable and Accurate • Secure and Sustainable CORE COMPETENCIES The most qualified candidates will have extensive experience in the key competencies noted below. Retirement Customer Service Expertise Demonstrated Experience: • Serves as a primary liaison to employers, providing clear payroll reporting guidance and maintaining strong working relationships • Communicates payroll and policy information clearly in one-on-one and group settings with a professional, customer-focused approach • Anticipates employer needs, proactively identifying areas of confusion or risk and providing guidance to support accurate reporting • Maintains a high level of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality when handling sensitive payroll and member data Analysis/Problem Resolution/Results Oriented Demonstrated Experience: • Analyzes complex payroll data, exception reports, and discrepancies, determining root causes and driving timely resolution in collaboration with employers • Applies critical thinking to interpret policies such as the Employer Data Policy and New Pay Item Policy, ensuring accurate and consistent application • Identifies opportunities for continuous improvement and integrates new approaches to solving problems • Works independently Technical/Computer/Office Skills Demonstrated Experience: • Utilizes retirement and payroll reporting systems, along with Microsoft Excel and other tools, to review transmittal files, analyze exception reports, and maintain accurate employer and member data • Applies advanced Excel and data analysis techniques to identify discrepancies, track payroll adjustments, and monitor key items such as compensation limits and reporting variances • Generates and interprets reports to support employer outreach, exception resolution, data quality improvement efforts, and compliance with OCERS reporting requirements • Demonstrates a willingness to learn and apply AI and emerging technologies to support payroll data analysis, exception resolution, reporting, and employer outreach activities. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Four years of experience which demonstrates the application of those knowledges and abilities listed as minimum qualifications; two years of which must be technical level experience in a retirement, insurance, or government benefit program, or in a personnel system which involves retirement benefit experience. College level education or training directly related to such work may be substituted for up to one year of the required experience at the rate of three semester units equaling one month experience and one hour of training equaling one hour of experience. College level education beyond the bachelor degree which is directly related to the position may be substituted for up to an additional year of required experience at the rate of three semester units equaling one month of experience. Certification as an Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) may be substituted for up to an additional year of the required experience. Please click here to view the minimum qualifications and education substitution criteria. THE IDEAL CANDIDATE The ideal candidate will possess intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook, with the ability to analyze payroll data, track discrepancies, and support employer reporting functions. They will demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employer payroll and HR contacts, internal staff, and stakeholders, while clearly communicating complex payroll and policy requirements. The successful candidate must think critically and organize priorities to manage multiple assignments, deadlines, and employer inquiries, ensuring timely resolution of payroll discrepancies and data issues. They must work independently, exercise sound judgment, and demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills, while also being comfortable acting in a leadership role, providing guidance to staff, and maintaining a high level of organization, accuracy, and attention to detail in a fast-paced environment. KNOWLEDGE OF • Employer payroll practices, retirement reporting requirements, and related personnel processes, including transmittal submissions, compensation limits, and exception resolution • Payroll and retirement data systems, database management concepts, and effective communication techniques for conveying technical information in one-on-one and group settings, as well as preparing clear written reports and guidance • Applicable federal and state laws and regulations impacting public retirement systems, including CERL, PEPRA, and OCERS policies related to payroll reporting and benefit administration ABILITY TO • Understand, interpret, and apply laws, policies, and reporting requirements related to public retirement systems, including CERL, PEPRA, and OCERS employer payroll reporting standards • Communicate clearly and effectively with employer payroll and HR contacts, internal staff, and stakeholders, including in situations requiring tact, problem resolution, and detailed explanation of payroll discrepancies and corrective actions • Prepare clear and concise written and verbal communications, including employer guidance, documentation, and follow-up related to exception resolution and reporting requirements • Manage and prioritize a complex workload involving multiple employer accounts, deadlines, and competing priorities, while coordinating with internal teams to ensure timely and accurate resolution of payroll issues • Provide technical guidance, training, and mentorship to staff, while maintaining professionalism, sound judgment, and composure in a fast-paced, issue-driven environment RECRUITMENT PROCESS OCERS Human Resources Department screens all applications and supplemental information materials to identify qualified candidates. Applications submitted without completed supplemental information form will be disqualified from further consideration. After screening, candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All candidates will be notified via email of their status in the process. Applications Appraisal Panel (AAP) | Application Rating (Refer/Non-Refer): Application material will be rated by a panel of job knowledge experts for those qualifications most needed to perform the duties of the job. The more qualified candidates will be referred to the next step. All notifications regarding this recruitment will be sent via e-mail. Qualifications Appraisal Panel (QAP) | Application Rating (Weighted 100%): Candidates will be interviewed and rated by a panel of job knowledge experts. Each candidate's rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the candidate's qualifications for the job. Based on OCERS needs and the number of applications received, the selection procedures listed above may be modified and all affected candidates will be notified. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list. ELIGIBLE LIST After all the selection procedures have been completed, OCERS Human Resources department will establish an eligible list of qualified candidates for the OCERS location ONLY. HOW TO APPLY • Only on-line applications with the completed supplemental questions will be accepted. • E-mail is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is on your application and only use one email account. • Your application should highlight all of the areas in which you have developed expertise, matching your professional experience with the specific qualifications listed above. • You may apply on-line at the OCERS Website: https://www.ocers.org/careers-ocers. • For specific information pertaining to this recruitment please contact Alyna Conley at (714) 569-4851 or e-mail [email protected]. • Do not submit your resume to this email address as it will not be considered in lieu of the required application process. This class is the professional level of the Retirement Program Specialist series. Incumbents are required to have an in-depth knowledge of the legal, organizational and financial areas underlying employee benefit plans. EMAIL NOTIFICATION: Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account. NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply. Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocers.org." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions. OCERS, as an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.