Treasury IRA SME

IRA Subject Matter Expert (SME) – Contract

Location: Remote with periodic in-person meetings (Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC)
Work Schedule: Part-time (20–25 hours/week); onsite presence varies based on meeting needs 
Contract Duration: 6–7 months
Experience Required: 15+ years

About the Role

Seeking a highly experienced IRA Subject Matter Expert (SME) to provide strategic, operational, and regulatory guidance on retirement account programs. This role will partner with leadership to evaluate, design, and scale IRA-related initiatives, ensuring alignment across policy, compliance, and technical implementation. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise across IRA regulations, financial services operations, and fintech infrastructure, with the ability to translate complex requirements into actionable strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor on IRA program design, policy, and implementation, including Traditional, Roth, and other IRA structures
• Provide guidance on contribution eligibility, distribution rules, and tax reporting requirements
• Assess and advise on operational feasibility of IRA programs, including scalability and implementation considerations
• Evaluate recordkeeping systems, payroll integrations, payment rails (ACH), and contribution reconciliation processes
• Identify and mitigate regulatory, technical, and policy risks and dependencies across proposed solutions
• Analyze participant behavior, adoption barriers, and enrollment strategies to inform program success
• Conduct vendor and platform evaluations, including fintech and custodial partners
• Advise leadership on strategic direction, risks, and compliance considerations

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in retirement systems, financial services, or a related domain
• Deep expertise in IRA rules and regulations, including contribution and eligibility requirements, distribution rules, and tax implications
• Strong knowledge of IRS retirement regulations and IRA custodial operations
• Experience with financial institution operations, recordkeeping systems, and retirement infrastructure
• Proven ability to assess and design scalable, compliant retirement solutions
• Demonstrated ability to advise senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of ERISA fundamentals, Department of Labor (DOL), FINRA, and SEC regulations
• Familiarity with Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), AML, and KYC/CIP onboarding requirements
• Experience with state-sponsored auto-IRA programs
• Background working with or evaluating fintech vendors and platforms
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with the ability to operate in ambiguous, evolving environments

Key Competencies

• Strategic advisory and executive communication
• Regulatory and compliance expertise
• Systems thinking across policy, operations, and technology
• Analytical problem solving and risk assessment
• Ability to translate complex regulatory frameworks into actionable guidance