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.
Duties and 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
Duties and 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