Retirement Plan Specialist

Aston Carter•Tampa, FL

3d•$45 - $50•Hybrid

About The Position

The Retirement Plan Specialist supports the administration and continuous improvement of U.S. and Canadian retirement programs within the Total Rewards function. This role ensures accurate plan administration, regulatory and policy compliance, effective vendor and systems management, and a positive experience for employees and retirees. The specialist contributes to audits, funding processes, and enterprise-wide initiatives while working closely with HR, Payroll, Finance, IT, and external partners.

Requirements

Hands‑on experience supporting retirement plans such as pension, SERP, defined benefit, and/or defined contribution plans within a Total Rewards, Benefits, or HR operations environment.
Strong understanding of best practices, laws, requirements, and regulations impacting the administration of benefit programs and plans, with a commitment to ongoing learning.
Strong financial, analytical, and mathematical aptitude to support funding, reconciliations, and benefit calculations.
Ability to manage compliance‑driven processes, deadlines, and financial controls with strong attention to detail.
Comfort working with HR systems, benefits vendors, auditors, and financial partners in a corporate environment.
Analytical and process‑oriented mindset with a demonstrated interest in continuous improvement.
Ability to analyze large data sets, assess trends and patterns, and make recommendations based on quantitative data and qualitative factors.
Frequent experience using HR systems and report development tools, with the ability to interpret and validate data.
Proficiency with Office Suite and Office 365 tools to analyze data, create KPIs, simplify processes, and connect multiple tools into cohesive project or task management solutions.
Ability to collaborate with internal and vendor information systems personnel to design, modify, interpret, and test functional and vendor specifications.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to adapt to varied situations, circumstances, and personalities at all levels within and outside the company.
Motivation for growth and long‑term career development within a Total Rewards function.

Nice To Haves

Experience with pension administration, retirement plans, employee benefits, and fund accounting.
Familiarity with SERP administration and retirement benefits programs.
Experience using SAP or similar HRIS platforms is preferred, though not required.
Experience working with benefits vendors, including bill payment, invoice consolidation, and performance monitoring.
Analytical skills to utilize data for insights aligned with department, company, and roadmap priorities.
Ability to use Office 365 tools such as Teams, Planner, and chat to support project and task management.
Capability to support mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, workforce actions, and new location or system implementation projects within a Total Rewards or HR environment.
Professional HR or benefits certifications (such as PHR or similar) are beneficial.
Interest in building a long‑term career within a sophisticated Total Rewards team and contributing to enterprise‑level initiatives.

Responsibilities

Administer U.S. and Canadian pension and retirement programs, including Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs), defined benefit, and defined contribution plans.
Serve as a primary resource for employees, retirees, beneficiaries, and former employees regarding retirement plans, vendor contacts, distributions, and year‑end tax documentation such as 1099s.
Respond to retirement-related inquiries and guide individuals on how to access information, documents, and support.
Perform day‑to‑day administration of HR systems related to retirement and benefits programs.
Support annual and recurring Total Rewards processes, including compliance testing, open enrollment activities, and resolution of plan‑related issues.
Provide backup support for weekly retirement funding processes and related reconciliations.
Manage retirement‑related vendor bill payment by consolidating trust‑payable invoices, coordinating with Accounts Payable, and monitoring allocations.
Act as a subject matter expert for reconciliations, trusts, funding, budgets, and vendor performance related to retirement plans.
Ensure data integrity across HRIS and benefits systems, including SAP, benefits centers, vendor portals, file feeds, and payroll integrations.
Partner with IT and Shared Services on system changes, testing, upgrades, and issue resolution related to benefits administration and retirement systems.
Serve as a key point of contact for internal and external audit requests related to retirement and benefits plans.
Prepare, document, and maintain processes, controls, reports, and supporting documentation for audit and compliance purposes.
Support the distribution and maintenance of required plan notices and documents, including Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs), Summary Annual Reports (SARs), Summaries of Material Modifications (SMMs), and Funding Notices.
Participate in and support Total Rewards initiatives related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, workforce actions, new locations, or system implementations.
Proactively identify opportunities to improve retirement plan administration, controls, efficiencies, and the overall employee and retireee experience.
Partner cross‑functionally with HR, Payroll, Finance, IT, and vendors on benefits‑related projects and process improvements.
Provide documentation and reports for auditors in support of retirement and benefits plan reviews.
Contribute to the development and refinement of key performance indicators (KPIs) and reporting that support decision‑making within the Total Rewards function.