Retirement Plan Administrator

Retirement Plan Administrator

Location: Gardiner, Maine or Scottsdale, Arizona (Hybrid flexibility available)

Company: J.M. ARBOUR

Compensation: Competitive Base Salary + Performance-Based Incentives

Schedule: Full-Time (40+ hours weekly)

About the Firm

J.M. Arbour is a multi-family office serving successful families, executives, and business owners through integrated wealth management solutions. Our firm provides investment management, retirement plan advisory, tax strategy, insurance planning, and estate coordination.

Our retirement plan division is experiencing significant growth as more employers seek fiduciary oversight, cost transparency, and improved retirement outcomes for their employees.

As our retirement plan business expands, we are seeking a highly organized Retirement Plan Administrator to support our growing client base and allow our senior retirement plan consultants to focus on business development, strategic consulting, and participant relationships.

This position is ideal for a retirement plan professional who enjoys operations, client service, problem-solving, and becoming a subject matter expert in retirement plan administration.

Role Overview

The Retirement Plan Administrator serves as the operational backbone of the firm's retirement plan division.

This role is responsible for managing the day-to-day administration and service needs of retirement plan clients while coordinating with plan sponsors, recordkeepers, TPAs, payroll providers, and internal advisors.

The position is specifically designed to handle all non-licensed administrative responsibilities, creating capacity for the Director of Retirement Plan Services to focus on prospecting, new plan acquisitions, strategic consulting, and participant engagement.

The ideal candidate combines exceptional organization, retirement plan knowledge, attention to detail, and a commitment to delivering an outstanding client experience.

Core ResponsibilitiesRetirement Plan Administration & Client Service

Serve as a primary operational contact for retirement plan sponsors and participants.

Responsibilities include:

• Managing ongoing retirement plan service requests
• Coordinating plan onboarding and implementation activities
• Assisting with plan conversions and recordkeeper transitions
• Preparing and organizing annual review materials
• Monitoring service requests and ensuring timely resolution
• Maintaining retirement plan records and documentation
• Supporting participant communication initiatives
• Managing plan-related correspondence and follow-up items
• Maintaining service calendars and ensuring deadlines are met

Coordination with Recordkeepers & TPAs

Work closely with retirement plan providers and third-party administrators to ensure smooth plan operations.

Responsibilities include:

• Coordinating with recordkeepers regarding operational issues
• Assisting with plan amendments and administrative updates
• Tracking annual compliance requirements and deadlines
• Coordinating census data requests and annual plan reviews
• Assisting with participant distribution and loan requests
• Working with payroll providers regarding contribution issues
• Monitoring plan service deliverables and follow-up requirements
• Helping resolve operational and participant service issues

Retirement Plan Data & Reporting

Assist the retirement plan team in maintaining accurate plan information and supporting strategic analysis.

Responsibilities include:

• Gathering retirement plan data and documentation
• Reviewing Form 5500 filings and plan disclosures
• Organizing fee disclosures and benchmarking information
• Maintaining retirement plan databases and CRM records
• Preparing reports for internal meetings and plan reviews
• Assisting with retirement plan benchmarking projects
• Tracking client service metrics and growth initiatives

Participant Support & Education Coordination

Provide administrative support for participant engagement initiatives.

Responsibilities include:

• Scheduling participant meetings and educational sessions
• Coordinating enrollment meetings and annual education campaigns
• Assisting participants with administrative questions
• Helping facilitate distribution, rollover, and beneficiary paperwork
• Supporting participant communication initiatives
• Ensuring participant requests are handled efficiently and professionally

This position does not provide investment advice or recommendations unless appropriately licensed.

Internal Operations & Process Improvement

Support the continued growth and scalability of the retirement plan division.

Responsibilities include:

• Developing efficient workflows and service processes
• Assisting with retirement plan implementation projects
• Maintaining operational procedures and checklists
• Supporting CRM management and data integrity
• Identifying opportunities to improve service efficiency
• Assisting leadership with special projects and growth initiatives
• Creating capacity for senior consultants to focus on business development activities

Performance Expectations

Professionals who succeed in this role typically:

• Deliver exceptional client service with minimal supervision
• Maintain strong organizational discipline and follow-through
• Effectively manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously
• Build trusted relationships with plan sponsors and provider partners
• Resolve service issues proactively and efficiently
• Create meaningful operating leverage for the retirement plan team
• Help improve overall client satisfaction and retention

This role is best suited for individuals who enjoy operational excellence, organization, and becoming experts in retirement plan administration.

Ideal Background

This role is particularly well suited for professionals currently serving in positions such as:

• Retirement Plan Administrator
• Retirement Plan Relationship Manager
• 401(k) Client Service Associate
• Retirement Plan Operations Specialist
• TPA Administrator
• Retirement Plan Account Manager
• Recordkeeper Service Consultant

Professionals with experience at organizations such as:

• Empower
• Fidelity Investments
• Charles Schwab
• Principal Financial Group
• John Hancock
• Nationwide
• Retirement Plan TPAs
• Payroll providers such as ADP or Paychex

often bring valuable experience that translates exceptionally well into this role.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred in Finance, Business, Human Resources, or related field
• Minimum 3–5 years of retirement plan administration experience
• Experience working for a retirement plan advisor, recordkeeper, TPA, or retirement services firm
• Strong understanding of qualified retirement plans including 401(k), Safe Harbor, Profit Sharing, and 403(b) plans
• Working knowledge of ERISA requirements and fiduciary responsibilities
• Experience reviewing Form 5500 filings and retirement plan disclosures
• Familiarity with plan onboarding and conversion processes
• Experience working with major recordkeepers and TPAs
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• CRM and Microsoft Office proficiency

Preferred Qualifications

• ASPPA credentials (QKA, QPA, CPC, TGPC) preferred
• Experience with retirement plan benchmarking tools
• Experience coordinating payroll integrations and contribution processing
• Experience supporting retirement plan advisors in a client-facing environment

Securities licensing is not required for this role.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive compensation includes:

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience
• Performance incentives based on service excellence and retirement plan growth
• 401(k) with Safe Harbor match
• 15 days paid time off annually
• Professional development opportunities
• Long-term career advancement opportunities within a rapidly growing retirement plan division

Typical career progression within the firm may include:

Year 1-2: Retirement Plan Administrator $55K-$65KYear 2-5: Senior Retirement Administrator $70-95KYear 5+: Regional Director of Retirement Plan Administration $90-$130K+

As the firm continues to expand, professionals who demonstrate leadership, operational excellence, and initiative will have opportunities to grow into roles with increased responsibility and compensation.

Application Requirements

To ensure we review candidates who are genuinely interested in this opportunity, applicants must submit the following along with their resume.

Brief Written Responses (200–300 words each):

• Describe your experience administering employer-sponsored retirement plans.
• Describe a complex retirement plan issue you helped resolve and the process you followed.
• Describe the most demanding operational environment you have worked in and how you managed competing priorities and deadlines.

Applications submitted without these responses will not be reviewed.

Final Question

Please include the following in your application:

On a scale from 1–10, how would you rate your knowledge of retirement plan administration and operational processes?

Please briefly explain your answer.

Position Objective

The ultimate purpose of this role is to create significant operating leverage for the firm's retirement plan division by assuming responsibility for day-to-day administration, client service, and operational coordination—allowing senior retirement plan leadership to dedicate substantially more time to:

• New retirement plan acquisition
• Outbound business development
• Strategic consulting engagements
• Participant relationships
• Revenue growth initiatives

Success in this role will directly contribute to the continued expansion of J.M. Arbour's retirement plan business.

Pay: $45,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Gardiner, ME 04345