401(k) Associate

About the role

The 401(k) Associate supports the firm's role as 3(38) Investment Manager and fiduciary partner to plan sponsor clients. This role owns day-to-day management of the investment menu, plan governance and compliance coordination, and client outreach, with a primary mandate of driving measurable growth in employee participation, deferral rates, and overall plan health across an assigned book of client plans.

Responsibilities

• Plan Management & Governance
  • Serve as the day-to-day point of contact for plan design, operational issues, and the plan's compliance calendar
  • Prepare materials and minutes for plan committee / fiduciary meetings
  • Coordinate compliance testing (ADP/ACP, top-heavy, 410(b)) with TPAs and recordkeepers
  • Track completion of Form 5500, Summary Annual Report, and required participant notices (QDIA, safe harbor, 404(a)(5) fee disclosures)
  • Maintain each plan's fiduciary file (IPS, meeting minutes, benchmarking reports, notices) in audit-ready condition
  • Monitor plan document restatements, amendments, and required regulatory updates (e.g., SECURE 2.0 provisions)
• Participation & Engagement Growth
  • Design and execute campaigns to increase enrollment, deferral rates, and overall participation for each client plan
  • Partner with recordkeepers on auto-enrollment, auto-escalation, and re-enrollment strategies
  • Deliver employee education seminars, webinars, and one-on-one enrollment meetings
  • Track plan health metrics (participation rate, average deferral rate, average balance) and report trends to clients and internal leadership
  • Identify under-saving or under-enrolled employee segments and build targeted outreach campaigns
• Client Outreach & Relationship Management
  • Conduct regular check-ins and lead annual plan review meetings with plan sponsors
  • Respond to client questions regarding plan performance, compliance status, and participant issues
  • Prepare client-facing reports: fiduciary review decks, benchmarking summaries, and participation dashboards
  • Support new client onboarding and plan-to-plan transitions/conversions
  • Assist with RFP responses and finalist presentations for prospective plan sponsor clients

Requirements

• 2-5 years of experience in retirement plan services, recordkeeping, TPA operations, or an RIA/advisory environment
• Series 65 license required (or must be obtained within 6 months); Sponsorship is provided
• Working knowledge of ERISA, DOL regulations, and fiduciary responsibilities under 3(38)/3(21) arrangements
• Strong presentation and communication skills for participant-facing education
• Experience with CRM systems (Juniper Square, Salesforce, or HubSpot)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building abilities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and CRM platforms
• Analytical mindset with the ability to track and interpret sales data