Retirement Services Specialist Principal - Member Counseling Team Lead

Working Title: Member Counseling Team Lead

Job Class: Retirement Services Specialist Principal

Agency: Teachers Retirement Association

• Job ID : 97825

• Location : St. Paul

• Telework Eligible : Yes

• Full/Part Time : Full-Time

• Regular/Temporary : Unlimited

• Who May Apply : Open to all qualified job seekers

• Date Posted : 10/19/2026

• Closing Date : 11/02/2026

• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Teachers Retirement Assoc / Teachers Retirement Asc-MAPE

• Division/Unit : TRA Pension Administration / Member Counseling Department

• Work Shift/Work Hours : Days

• Days of Work : Monday - Friday

• Travel Required : Yes - Up to 10%

• Salary Range: $30.76 - $45.26 / hourly; $64,226 - $94,502 / annually

• Classified Status : Classified

• Bargaining Unit/Union : 214 - MN Assoc of Professional Empl/MAPE

• FLSA Status : Nonexempt

• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : Yes

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) has been providing pension coverage to Minnesota educators for decades, with a mission to help members and their beneficiaries plan for an independent and financially secure retirement. We are currently seeking job candidates with strong communication, interpersonal, and mathematical skills to serve as our Member Counseling Team Lead.

This position will report to the Member Counseling Supervisor, and will assist with leading the TRA’s Member Counseling department. The incumbent hired into this role will perform advanced professional audit, computational, analytical, and counseling work in order to determine retirement benefits for TRA members; provide benefit estimates to future benefit recipients; and assist staff with complex benefit calculations and questions. The position will also be tasked with scheduling staff and providing ongoing training/coaching to new and existing staff.

This position is located in our Saint Paul, Minnesota office. The role is telework eligible; however, incumbent must work a full-time in-person schedule for at least the first six (6) months to complete mandatory training. Thereafter, the position will follow a designated hybrid work schedule based on business need and performance. Additionally, business travel may be required up to 10% for these roles.

TRA prioritizes work-life balance for our employees and may request, only on occasion, that staff work overtime and/or flex their time in order to complete critical projects or meet important deadlines. Typically, full-time, non-exempt employees at TRA work a 40-hour workweek.

Minimum Qualifications

Three (3) years of work experience providing customer service related to employee and/or government benefits administration, accounting, payroll, finance, or insurance.

A Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Public Administration, Accounting, Finance, Math, Economics, or closely related field can substitute for one (1) year of experience.

Experience must also demonstrate the following:

• Demonstrated experience performing and auditing complex calculations.

• Ability to train, explain, and publicly present complex financial concepts to a variety of audiences.

• Ability to plan, organize, and successfully coordinate/manage competing priorities, deadlines, and scheduling member appointments and/or workshops.

• Ability to lead, coach, and provide constructive feedback to employees.

• Ability to interpret current pension law and provide analysis of proposed legislation.

• Ability to diagnose problems and recommend solutions for process improvement purposes.

• Strong interpersonal, written communication, and verbal communication skills necessary to collaborate on enterprise projects and initiatives; communicate information about sensitive topics; influence others to resolve conflicting viewpoints; and champion a work culture that advocates for inclusion.

• Advanced proficiency in using Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook; Cisco WebEx; or equivalent software packages.

Successful candidates must also be able to secure own transportation for in-state business travel.

Preferred Qualifications

Leadership experience providing retirement or pension benefit services.

Experience performing financial or benefit counseling for members, employees, or clients.

Experience presenting complex financial concepts to diverse audiences and stakeholders.

Experience in delivering financial planning and educational material to adult audiences in a group or individual setting.

Experience working with or at another public pension organization.

Physical Requirements

This position requires occasional transporting of articles such as file folders, ledgers and/or small tools. May be required to move or maintain a stationary position for long periods of time.

Additional Requirements

** Successful candidates must pass past-employer reference checks and a criminal background check. **

It is the policy of TRA that all finalist(s) submit to a background check prior to employment. The background check may consist of the following components:

• State of Minnesota state government employment records check (applies to current and past State of Minnesota state government employees only)

• Criminal History Check

• Employee Reference Check

• Social Security and Address Verification

• Education Verification

• Driver's License Check

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email [email protected] . Please indicate what assistance is needed.