HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST (RETIREMENT)

This position administers the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s (DOTD) retirement benefits program for more than 4,200 employees and serves as the agency’s liaison to the Office of State Uniform Payroll, state retirement systems, and the Louisiana Deferred Compensation Plan.

About the role

This role works under the direction of a Human Resources Manager A and exercises independent judgment when interpreting retirement laws, policies, procedures, and eligibility requirements; researching and resolving benefit discrepancies; reconciling retirement earnings and contributions; and providing guidance to employees, retirees, managers, and HR staff.

This role is ideal for an HR professional who is organized, analytical, customer-focused, and comfortable explaining complex retirement and benefits information. Applicants with experience in retirement or benefits administration, LaGov HCM or SAP, payroll, financial reconciliation, employee counseling, training, tuition reimbursement, or public-sector human resources are encouraged to apply.

Competencies

• Communicating Effectively: The ability to relay information correctly and appropriately to connect people and ideas.
• Displaying Expertise: The ability to demonstrate specialized knowledge, skills, and experience to apply subject-matter expertise in diverse and evolving contexts.
• Making Accurate Judgments: The ability to assess options, weigh risks, and make sound decisions using available information and logical reasoning.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

• Six years of human resources experience; OR
• Six years of full-time experience in any field plus three years of human resources experience; OR
• A bachelor’s degree plus three years of human resources experience; OR
• An advanced degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, industrial and organizational psychology, organizational behavior, or a Juris Doctorate plus two years of human resources experience.

Experience Substitution:

• Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours, which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.
• Designation as a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), Professional in Human Resources (PHR), or a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) will substitute for a maximum of one year of the required experience.

Responsibilities

• Advises employees and retirees regarding retirement eligibility, retirement options, survivor benefits, Deferred Retirement Option Plan participation, disability retirement, unused leave balances, and related benefit matters.
• Researches and resolves discrepancies involving retirement earnings, contributions, documentation, retirement dates, and other benefit information.
• Serves as DOTD’s liaison to the Office of State Uniform Payroll, state retirement systems, and the Louisiana Deferred Compensation Plan.
• Reviews and audits retirement documents submitted by Headquarters and District HR staff for accuracy and completeness before submission to the appropriate retirement system.
• Calculates and reports retirement contributions, converts unused leave balances, processes service-credit purchase requests, and compiles employment and contribution histories.
• Develops retirement guidance, forms, training materials, and procedures and conducts training for Headquarters and District HR staff.
• Generates and reviews LaGov HCM reports to monitor retirement benefit plans, employee and retiree earnings, leave usage, contribution limits, and other retirement-related information.
• Administers DOTD’s educational leave and tuition reimbursement program, including reviewing applications, determining eligibility, maintaining records, and processing approved reimbursements.

Position-Specific Details

This position may be filled as either a probational appointment (open to all qualified applicants), a promotion (open to all statewide classified and agency-wide permanent-status employees), or by detail to special duty.

Pay

This position has a Special Entrance Rate (SER) of $2,080.80. Additional compensation may be considered for applicants who possess extraordinary job-related qualifications or credentials in accordance with State Civil Service Rule 6.5(g) and DOTD policy. Any such consideration is subject to approval, verification, and applicable pay limitations.