Director, Retirement Plans

Sun Life•Wellesley, MA

3d•$145,000 - $217,500•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Retirement Plans is a strategic program leader responsible for driving the vision, direction and optimization of Sun Life’s retirement and savings plans portfolio. The scope of accountability includes 401(k)/RIA Plan with $2B+ in assets, closed Defined Benefit Pension Plan with $250M in assets, qualified Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and Nonqualified Plans. This role requires deep analytical capabilities to translate complex data into actionable insights, independent judgement to develop compliant and sound plan strategies, and strong people leadership to build and mentor a high-performing team. The Director will champion operational excellence and regulatory compliance, leveraging best practices and emerging technologies to ensure plan integrity while enhancing the participant experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience
10+ years of experience in managing retirement plans for a mid-size to large organizations, with a strong focus on innovative solutions, employee experience and financial management
Proven ability to effectively lead and develop teams
Deep expertise in qualified and nonqualified retirement plans (DC and DB), ERISA, and state and tax benefit laws
Solid knowledge and understanding of HR programs and connections
Action-oriented, focused on execution, improving employees’ experience through continuous improvement, and operational excellence
Excellent interpersonal/communications skills with the ability to effectively communicate complex concepts in simple terms to retiring executives and others
Ability to build effective partnerships within the Company
Excellent project management and planning skills including the ability to lead, plan, and organize complex assignments
Excellent excel and analytical skills with ability to summarize results in understandable format with insights
Ability to adapt to changing priorities and problem solve complex issues
Ability to work well independently or collaboratively as needed and succeed in a fast paced, fluid environment

Nice To Haves

Experience with mergers and acquisitions a plus

Responsibilities

Drive the strategic direction of Sun Life’s retirement and savings plans in alignment with business objectives and long-term organizational goals.
Oversee the operations of all retirement and savings plans ensuring adherence to plan documents, federal, state, and local regulations, including ERISA compliance.
Develop meaningful analytics, translating complex data into strategic insights and actionable recommendations that optimize plan design, reduce costs, and improve participant outcomes.
Develop high-quality presentations and business cases that communicate complex retirement plan concepts clearly to executive leadership and key stakeholders.
Cultivate and manage partnerships with key plan vendors and advisors by negotiating contracts, ensuring accurate plan administration and benefit calculations, and driving continuous improvement in service delivery, employee communications, and cost management.
Champion continuous improvement and process optimization by identifying operational inefficiencies, designing, documenting, and implementing streamlined processes, and leveraging emerging technologies and tools to increase team productivity and reduce manual work.
Build and cultivate a high performing team by providing coaching, continuous feedback, knowledge sharing, and targeted development opportunities.
Liaise with other departments such as Treasury, Payroll, Tax, Compensation, and Legal to ensure proper plan operations, including compliance notices and documents.
Collaborate with Finance and vendor partners to ensure financial accuracy of plans and oversee annual retirement plan audits.
Manage semi-annual ESPP enrollment process including participant communications and facilitation of the purchase of shares.
Proactively stay current on legislative changes, regulatory guidance and industry best practices to ensure programs remain compliant and competitively positioned.
Lead large-scale projects and change initiatives, including company integrations, with a focus on stakeholder engagement, seamless implementation, risk management, and operational excellence.