Retirement & Benefits Specialist - Houston, TX

CMA CGM • Houston, TX

8d • $75,000 - $90,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Retirement & Benefits Specialist is responsible for supporting the administration, compliance, and day-to-day operations of the company’s U.S. retirement programs, with a primary emphasis on the 401(k) plan. The role will also provide support for broader employee benefit programs based on business and team needs. The ideal candidate will bring strong hands-on 401(k) administration and compliance experience along with exposure to health and welfare benefits. This role works closely with employees, Payroll, HRIS, Finance, Legal, benefits team members, recordkeepers, consultants, carriers, and other external partners.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 5+ years of hands-on 401(k) or qualified retirement plan administration experience.
• Working knowledge of ERISA, IRS, and DOL requirements applicable to defined contribution plans.
• Experience with 401(k) contributions, reconciliations, eligibility, distributions, loans, and employer match administration.
• Experience supporting compliance testing, Form 5500 preparation, and retirement plan audits.
• Experience working with retirement plan recordkeepers and third-party vendors.
• Strong analytical and reconciliation skills.
• Strong Excel skills and ability to work with large employee and payroll data sets.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage compliance-sensitive deadlines.

Nice To Haves

• Experience administering health and welfare benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability programs.
• Experience supporting annual enrollment and employee benefits communications.
• Experience working within a large, multi-location employer.
• Experience with complex payroll and HRIS environments.
• Experience resolving retirement plan operational errors and supporting corrective actions.
• Experience with mergers, acquisitions, plan transitions, or benefits integrations.
• CEBS, RPA, QKA, or other relevant benefits/retirement certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day administration of the company’s 401(k) plan, including eligibility, enrollment, contributions, employer match, loans, distributions, rollovers, and beneficiary processes.
• Monitor employee and employer contributions to help ensure timely and accurate funding.
• Review payroll and recordkeeper data and investigate contribution, deduction, eligibility, and demographic discrepancies.
• Coordinate corrections for missed deductions, incorrect contributions, match calculations, and other plan administration issues.
• Partner closely with Payroll and HRIS to maintain accurate retirement plan data and interfaces.
• Serve as a subject matter resource for escalated employee retirement plan questions.
• Support compliance with ERISA, IRS, and Department of Labor requirements applicable to qualified retirement plans.
• Coordinate annual nondiscrimination and other required compliance testing.
• Support preparation and review of Form 5500 and related filings.
• Coordinate retirement plan audit requirements and respond to auditor requests.
• Monitor plan operations against plan documents and administrative procedures.
• Identify potential operational or compliance issues and coordinate appropriate corrections.
• Support required participant notices, disclosures, Summary Plan Descriptions, and other retirement communications.
• Maintain documentation and records to support plan governance and audit readiness.
• Perform or coordinate reconciliation of payroll deductions, employer contributions, and recordkeeper funding.
• Identify discrepancies and work with Payroll, HRIS, Finance, and vendors to resolve them.
• Establish and maintain controls designed to identify retirement plan errors proactively.
• Maintain retirement compliance calendars, deadlines, and recurring administrative activities.
• Develop and maintain retirement administration procedures and documentation.
• Provide support for broader health and welfare benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other employee benefits.
• Assist with employee benefit inquiries and escalated benefit issues.
• Support eligibility, enrollment, life events, and benefit administration activities as needed.
• Assist with annual enrollment and other employee benefit communications.
• Work with benefit carriers, administrators, consultants, and internal teams to resolve employee and administrative issues.
• Provide additional Benefits team coverage during periods of high volume, projects, or team absences.
• Manage day-to-day relationships with retirement plan recordkeepers, consultants, auditors, and other partners.
• Support relationships with benefit administrators and carriers as needed.
• Track vendor service levels, open issues, corrections, and deliverables.
• Participate in vendor meetings and ensure outstanding issues are appropriately resolved.
• Assist with retirement and benefits implementations, system changes, acquisitions, integrations, and other Total Rewards projects.

Benefits

• Competitive Paid Time Off
• 401(k)
• Health insurance
• Employee benefits platform that offers discounts on gym memberships and a diverse range of retail, travel, car and hospitality brands
• Pet insurance
• Multiple health plans (company contribution to health savings account)
• Prescription coverage
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage
• Company paid life insurance
• Accident insurance
• Short-term disability coverage
• Long-term disability coverage
• Employee assistance plan
• Voluntary benefits including additional life insurance, AD&D coverage, buy-up short- and long-term disability, critical illness, identify theft & legal plan.
• Tuition reimbursement program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level