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