Internal candidates apply by March 7, 2025
INTRODUCTION
The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) provides death, disability, and pension retirement benefits to employees of local governments and school districts in Illinois (with the exception of the City of Chicago and Cook County). We are the second largest—and best funded—statewide public pension system in Illinois, IMRF serves approximately 3,000 municipal employers in the State. We are an award-winning organization, located in Oak Brook.
SUMMARY
The Member Services Contact Center Representative is to act as liaison between IMRF and its customers (members, annuitants, and beneficiaries) to foster interactive, informed, and collaborative working relationships by providing excellent customer service. The customer service representative is primarily responsible for responding to incoming telephone calls and may also be responsible for responding to emails, online chat, and other omnichannel contact center services as assigned. The representative with generalist training and skills in IMRF retirement and disability benefit policies, procedures, and laws will assist customers by providing answers and guidance regarding (member and retirement eligibility, status on transactions in process, information related to applying for benefits, etc., and other employee status information). These services must be delivered in an empathetic, courteous, professional, and expedient manner.
The Contact Center Representative will be assigned to a specific office location for specific daily hours. Temporary and/or limited periods of remote work may be assigned based on IMRF determined needs.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
• Respond to member telephone inquiries and analyze and respond to customer requests primarily regarding: Regular, SLEP, and Voluntary Additional plan questions, and process and produce system generated pension estimates in accordance with Article 7 and Article 20 of the Illinois Pension code and IMRF’s administrative policies.
• Investigate and follow-up on questions and issues related to refund claims, purchase of service applications, basic disability claims, retirement claims, voluntary additional claims, and death and survivor claims. Assist members with resolutions regarding address. direct deposit, and tax withholding, financial verification requests, member statement and account inquiries, requests for forms and publications, Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) questions, and other website functionality assistance.
• Identify caller’s needs and respond in an accurate and timely manner. When necessary, research and resolve problems; investigate and assist in the correction of errors.
• Communicate effectively and efficiently. Provide excellent, high quality, customer service to members.
• Maintain awareness of numbers of callers or other users in queues in various delivery channels. When necessary, notify supervisors, modify call processing, IVR support, online chat or other delivery channels to provide the highest level of service to all callers and other channels.
• Provide assistance for all public and secure areas of IMRF’s website and self-service portals. Troubleshoot and assist members with issues regarding various incompatible browsers. Gather pertinent ISP or other relevant identifying information necessary to respond to members having technological issues.
• Maintain records and document call information as directed.
• Exercise and maintain current knowledge of benefit, legislative, and administrative changes, as well as current events including issues that impact IMRF members.
• Maintain current knowledge of the operation of all other departments in IMRF.
• Correspond appropriately to routine written inquiries and requests received via various electronic channels and respond on the appropriate IMRF messaging channel. .
• Enroll members in workshops, webinars and Time Tap as requested.
• Maintain a work progress that meets the service goals established by the Member Services Manager.
• Communicate areas of difficulty and problems with supervisor and manager; communicate pending problems to appropriate IMRF staff
• Adhere strictly to “Log–On” schedules
• Special projects and other related duties when assigned
• Support achievement of the organization’s Journey of Excellence, Vision and Strategic Objectives.
• Demonstrate willingness and agility to learn and utilize new tools for Contact Center technologies as they are implemented.
Education and/or Experience
Associate degree plus 1 years of customer service or pension plan administration experience. (Preferred)
OR
Three years of customer service experience.
Salary & Benefits:
The expected annual salary range for this role is $51,000 - $54,000. Please note the salary information is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations. The range listed is just one component of IMRF's total compensation package for employees. Other factors include the following benefits:
• Generous insurance benefits, including medical and dental
• 35-hour base work week, Monday - Friday
• Death, disability, and pension retirement benefits as a member of IMRF
• Paid vacation, 12-13 paid holidays and 2 personal days
• Business casual attire
• Award-winning organizational approach to performance excellence
