Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Associate

Smith Anderson•Raleigh, NC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Smith Anderson is seeking an Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Associate with three to five years of experience working in the employee benefits and executive compensation group of a large law firm. The role involves advising clients on a variety of employee benefits and executive compensation matters, including retirement plans, welfare plans, equity compensation, incentive arrangements, and benefits in M&A. The ideal candidate will be able to work independently but also enjoy working as part of a team, possess excellent research, writing, and communication skills, and have exceptional project management skills. The position offers a supportive professional environment with robust training and mentoring programs, meaningful engagement with firm leadership, and opportunities for career growth tailored to individual goals.

Requirements

Three to five years of experience working in the employee benefits and executive compensation group of a large law firm.
Experience with retirement plans and advising regarding plan administration issues, including correcting plan errors.
Experience preparing and reviewing plan amendments/restatements and summary plan descriptions.
Experience assisting clients with IRS and DOL plan audits.
Experience preparing a variety of related documents and filings, including 5310s and VCP filings.
Experience with welfare plans and advising regarding COBRA obligations and ACA requirements.
Experience preparing ERISA wrap documents and summary plan descriptions.
Experience with equity compensation and drafting stock option and similar plans making equity-based awards.
Experience advising about related tax issues, including 409A.
Experience with incentive arrangements and drafting annual and long-term incentive arrangements.
Experience with benefits in M&A, including related due diligence, reviewing disclosure schedules, and drafting related resolutions and plan amendments.
Ability to work independently but enjoy working as part of a team.
Excellent research, writing and communication skills.
Exceptional project management skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with executive employment agreements and related issues, including severance, 409A and 280G.

Responsibilities

Advise regarding retirement plan administration issues, including correcting plan errors.
Prepare and review retirement plan amendments/restatements and summary plan descriptions.
Assist clients with IRS and DOL plan audits.
Prepare retirement plan related documents and filings, including 5310s and VCP filings.
Advise regarding COBRA obligations and ACA requirements for welfare plans.
Prepare ERISA wrap documents and summary plan descriptions for welfare plans.
Draft stock option and similar plans making equity-based awards.
Advise about related tax issues for equity compensation, including 409A.
Draft annual and long-term incentive arrangements.
Perform due diligence for benefits in M&A transactions.
Review disclosure schedules for benefits in M&A transactions.
Draft related resolutions and plan amendments for benefits in M&A transactions.