Departments

Administrative Services

Administrative Services provides STRS Ohio associates with security and safety services; mail and package delivery; shipping, receiving and courier services; and purchasing functions including office supplies, furniture, copiers and fax machines.

Building Services

The Building Services Department provides infrastructure support to all STRS Ohio departments for day-to-day building operations, including building maintenance, cleaning, groundskeeping, food service, engineering, utilities, meeting room scheduling, and construction and building improvement projects.

Communications and Public Affairs

Associates in Communications and Public Affairs are responsible for accurate and timely communication with active and retired members and other system stakeholders, including employers and associates. This department also engages with the news media and manages STRS Ohio’s social media pages, websites and intranet.

Executive

The Executive division of STRS Ohio provides services for all departments at STRS Ohio and reports to the executive director.

Finance

The Finance Department provides accounting, employer reporting, actuarial, tax, investment operations, investment performance, and building and administrative services. The department is responsible for maintaining accurate tax, accounting and investment records and preparing financial, investment performance and other reporting. Further, it manages and oversees the operating and capital budgets as well as the internal and external actuarial responsibilities. The Finance Department also serves as the primary contact for STRS Ohio’s 1,100+ contributing employers and is responsible for keeping timely and accurate records of individual member accounts and service credit, calculating final average salaries for the pension benefit amount and managing refunds. In addition, the department oversees all Building and Administrative Services functions for the organization including office and food services, building maintenance and custodians, and safety and security.

Governmental Relations

Associates in Governmental Relations work with state and federal legislatures to ensure legislation approved is beneficial to the members and retirees. We work with other STRS Ohio departments, as well as our outside state coalition member and national associates to fulfill our goals. STRS Ohio funds are not used for any political campaign contributions at either the state or federal level.

Human Resource Services

Associates in the Human Resource Services Department support STRS Ohio by providing quality programs and services to its associates including recruiting and hiring for open positions, benefits, payroll and compensation, performance management programs and associate wellness and development programs.

Information Technology Services

The Information Technology Services (ITS) develops and maintains advanced information systems that increase STRS Ohio’s overall productivity and effectiveness. ITS works across the organization to understand each department’s business and technology needs and recommends and implements solutions.

Internal Audit

Internal Audit conducts independent, objective and assurance activities designed to add value to and improve STRS Ohio’s operations. Internal Audit helps the organization accomplish its objectives using a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes.

Investments

The Investment Department is divided into specialty areas requiring high levels of expertise. One area consists of stock and research experts, while other areas specialize in fixed-income investments, such as U.S. Treasury and agency securities, corporate bonds and mortgaged-backed securities. A third specialty area includes real estate investments and asset management. There are also areas devoted solely to international investments and to alternative investments.

In addition to managing the day-to-day assets of STRS Ohio, Investment associates are responsible for planning and communicating STRS Ohio’s short- and long-term investment strategies, objectives and policies. An investment plan is developed annually that governs each year’s investment strategy, while a comprehensive investment policy provides direction for long-term investment activity and goals. Investment associates work closely with the State Teachers Retirement Board and its independent investment consultants in recommending actions that will help provide financial security for STRS Ohio members.

Legal

Legal supports the system by providing legal advice to foster sound decision-making and compliance with applicable laws, promoting ethical conduct, and educating associates in order to identify and mitigate legal risk.

Member Benefits

Member Benefits consists of three areas that work together to develop, administer and implement retirement benefits, a retiree health care program and services to STRS Ohio members. These areas are Member Services, Benefits Administration and Health Care Services.

Member Services includes Benefits Counseling Services; the Member Services Center; and Member Education, Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach. Benefits counselors help thousands of educators transition from a successful career to a well-deserved retirement each year. Member service representatives answer about 220,000 calls annually, covering the entire spectrum of benefits and services provided by STRS Ohio. Member Education, Engagement and Outreach further enhances knowledge about member benefits by providing webinars, seminars and video presentations on retirement and financial planning.

Benefits Administration is responsible for processing applications, calculating and paying benefits, updating and validating the accuracy of member records and imaging member documents. Benefits Administration associates have special areas of expertise covering service credit purchases, service retirement, disability benefits, survivor benefits, taxes, death benefits and records management.

Health Care Services develops, manages and administers the STRS Ohio Health Care Program for more than 100,000 retirees and their family members. The program currently offers health care plans through several plan administrators that include hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage. Separate dental and vision plans are also offered to retirees. A major objective of Health Care Services is to continue offering access to health care programs for career educators while improving ways to provide health care services more cost effectively. The health care team also plays important roles in administrating the STRS Ohio associate health care plans including contracting, contract compliance, plan performance reviews, audits, annual budgeting and premium determinations.