ERS is seeking an Assistant Director of Group Benefits to perform highly advanced management activities and provides strategic direction and guidance in the management and administration of benefit programs in the Group Benefits Division. Supervises the work of others. Work is performed under the minimal direction of the Division Director with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Essential Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Strategic Leadership & Division Direction Activities: - Under the direction of the GB Director, leads division managers and professional staff; sets expectations, evaluates performance, and builds bench strength and succession readiness across program areas. - Directs workforce planning, staffing strategy, and personnel actions in accordance with equal employment opportunity law and ERS policy. - Develops the technical and analytic capability of division staff, including expertise in contract monitoring, plan administration, and actuarial literacy. - Fosters a culture of accountability, ethical conduct, and service to members. - Oversees the division's specialized services, including secondlevel appeals and RDS and SSA processes, ensuring sound, defensible, and consistent determinations. - Directs the adoption of technology and process improvements that strengthen benefit purchasing, implementation, and administration. - Commissions research and analysis on issues affecting the design, cost, and delivery of ERS benefit programs. - Represents the agency in meetings, hearings, conferences, and interagency forums. Procurement and Project Management Activities - Directs the strategy, sequencing, and resourcing of division solicitations and major projects, ensuring alignment with program objectives and procurement authority. - Guides solicitation research, scope development, evaluation methodology, and award documentation; participates in vendor evaluation and recommendation. - Ensures the framework for monitoring and evaluating vendor performance, contract compliance, and remediation of deficiencies are aligned with agency processes/procedures. - Oversees annual audits of GBP and deferred compensation vendors and the division's audit and consulting engagements. - Cultivates internal and external stakeholder relationships and governs businessprocess interfaces across a multivendor environment. Program Policy (Governance Activities) - Directs the division's review of constitutional, statutory, and regulatory provisions governing ERS and its administered programs; leads division Board Rule review and recommendation. - Evaluates state and federal legislation and regulatory developments for applicability to and fiscal impact on ERS benefit programs; advises leadership on positioning and implementation strategy. - Advises the Director and Executive Office on the policy, financial, and operational consequences of proposed program changes. - Ensures the division's policies, procedures, and internal controls remain current, compliant, and aligned with agency governance standards. - Supports Board and Group Benefit Advisory Committee proceedings; develops and may present agenda items and/or may testify as required. Other Duties and Responsibilities: - Represents the agency at business meetings, hearings, trials, conferences, seminars and committees. - Identifies staff development and training requirements. - Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave and attendance policies. - Complies with all applicable agency policies and procedures, including safety and standards of conduct. - Ability to mentor and train staff on the contract monitoring processes, procedures, and/or assigned plan requirements. - Researches and develops agenda items for board consideration. - Reviews statistical data for management. - Performs other duties as assigned. Required Minimum Qualifications: Your application for employment must reflect how you meet each of the following minimum qualifications: 1. Graduation from an accredited fouryear college or university with a degree in business, communications, public administration, finance or a similarly related field. Qualifying experience beyond the minimum required may substitute for education. 2. Five (5) years of experience leading programs, projects, operational initiatives, or organizational functions, with responsibilities such as planning, coordinating, overseeing implementation, or managing program or operational activities. 3. Four (4) years of experience with management and/or administration of benefit programs. 4. Four (4) years of experience supervising staff. 5. Five (5) years of experience preparing and delivering presentations, briefings, or recommendations to executive leadership, stakeholders, or large audiences. Preferred Qualifications: Your application for employment should reflect how you meet the following preferred qualifications: 1. Experience in insurance or deferred compensation. 2. Experience in finance, budgeting and/or legal or dispute resolution. 3. Experience preparing requests for proposals. 4. Experience negotiating contracts. 5. Experience with healthcare industry especially large group plans. 6. Experience with deferred compensation plans. 7. Graduate degree, CEBS, CTCM or other related professional designations. PLEASE NOTE: All submissions should contain complete job history entries, which includes job title, dates of employment, name of employer, and a description of duties performed as related to the position you are applying for. Resumes lacking sufficient detail, such as a summary of experience in lieu of progression of work history may not meet minimum qualifications. Other Information: In accordance with state law, authorization for telework may not be awarded to an employee as a condition of hiring. As an agency process, new employees complete a 30 day fully onsite period before evaluation for a telework agreement. This position may require access to privileged, confidential, or sensitive data. ERS will conduct either a TXDPS or FBI criminal history check on all new hires. Please note: Internal applicants in the same salary group and classification as the posted position are eligible to receive an increase in salary where applicable up to the posted maximum. Military Occupational Specialty Codes: Veterans, Reservists or Guardsmen with experience in the Military Occupational Specialty ( https://hr.sao.texas.gov/Compensation/MilitaryCrosswalk/MOSC_ProgramManagement.pdf ) along with the minimum qualifications listed above may meet the minimum requirements and are highly encouraged to apply. Please contact Human Resources at [email protected] with questions or for additional information. How to Apply: Interested in joining the ERS team? Apply online through the CAPPS Careers website by completing and submitting the State of Texas Application for Employment. Please use the link below to create your CAPPS account and build your profile by selecting ¿New User.¿ - https://erphcmprd.cpa.texas.gov/psc/candidateportal/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=327& - Once your profile is complete, click on ¿View All Jobs¿ to view available career opportunities and submit your application. Applications submitted through Work in Texas: If you apply for an ERS position via Work in Texas https://www.workintexas.com/vosnet/Default.aspx , you will also need to complete a supplemental questions form. For more details, refer to the instructions in the email you receive. Please contact a Human Resources representative if you need assistance or require accommodation during the application process. Email: [email protected] Web: www.ers.texas.gov Relay Texas TDD: (800) 7352989 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/employeesretirementsystemoftexas/