Senior Retirement Benefits Consultant

About the job

Lead operational oversight of the company's retirement plans, ensuring effective execution of recurring activities, compliance requirements, controls, deadlines, and annual deliverables. Oversee retirement plan compliance and testing, including nondiscrimination and coverage testing, contribution and compensation limits, regulatory filings, and other annual requirements, partnering with recordkeepers, actuaries, Legal, Payroll, and consultants to ensure timely, accurate completion. Ensure plans, programs, and processes comply with applicable governmental laws and regulations, including ERISA and IRS requirements, across a wide range of benefits disciplines. Monitor legislative and regulatory developments, such as SECURE 2.0 and IRS and DOL guidance, and assess their impact on plan operations, administration, and participant communications. Lead resolution of complex operational issues, participant claims, and plan corrections, including root-cause analysis, participant impact assessment, and corrective action. Oversee retirement plan data integrity and operational controls, using data and analytics to identify exceptions, trends, and risks, and partner with Payroll, IT, and vendors on interfaces, file feeds, reconciliations, testing, and data validation. Support and assist in preparing for Retirement Committee and Investment Committee meetings, including materials, plan reporting, data, analysis, and operational updates, and track follow-through on committee actions. Support retirement plan audits, regulatory filings, and governance activities, providing plan reporting, data, analysis, and operational expertise to the Director and other stakeholders. Serve as the primary operational relationship manager for retirement recordkeepers, actuaries, trustees/custodians, and other key vendors, setting clear service expectations, monitoring performance and deliverables, and holding partners accountable for timely, accurate execution. Partner with vendors and team members to plan, develop, and administer employee health and welfare and retirement programs. Serve as a senior retirement subject matter expert and trusted advisor to the Director, independently managing multiple complex priorities and collaborating across the Benefits team, Legal, Payroll, Finance, IT, and HR to deliver timely, compliant results. Evaluate benefits offerings and recommend enhancements that align with enterprise goals, providing operational expertise on retirement strategy, plan design changes, and program enhancements, including operational impacts and vendor capabilities. Support defined benefit plan initiatives, including actuarial valuations, funding and benefit calculation reviews, and pension risk transfer or annuity purchase projects. 7 - 10 years of progressive retirement plan experience, including support for large or complex employer-sponsored retirement programs. Strong knowledge of defined contribution and defined benefit plans, including operations, regulatory requirements, compliance testing, annual processes, and operational corrections. Strong working knowledge of ERISA, IRS requirements, and qualified retirement plan regulations, with experience identifying and resolving operational and compliance issues. Demonstrated experience with large retirement recordkeeping platforms, actuaries, and other retirement vendors, including managing vendor performance and driving issues to resolution. Experience supporting plan design changes, implementations, system enhancements, vendor transitions, and complex retirement projects, with strong cross-functional partnership across Legal, Payroll, and IT. Experience preparing materials for, or supporting, Retirement and Investment Committees, with an understanding of fiduciary responsibilities and plan governance. Strong analytical and data skills, including advanced Microsoft Excel capabilities and experience analyzing retirement plan data, reconciliations, exceptions, and operational controls. Strong project management, problem-solving, and communication skills, including leading stakeholder meetings and developing change management communications, with the ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and explain complex retirement issues to different audiences. Working knowledge of health and welfare benefit programs and how they integrate with retirement programs. Familiarity with financial well-being programs, participant education, and retirement readiness metrics. Familiarity with Puerto Rico and Canadian retirement plan requirements is a plus. Retirement or benefits professional designations, such as CEBS, QKA, QPA, or ERPA, are a plus. Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience required.