Senior Retirement Compliance Consultant

NRECA•Arlington, VA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

NRECA is a national trade association serving more than 900 consumer-owned electric cooperatives. The Senior Retirement Compliance Consultant provides professional guidance and advice to member cooperatives and internal staff on NRECA retirement plans and related compliance requirements. The role applies specialized expertise and independent analysis to resolve complex regulatory and operational issues, helping cooperatives maximize benefits while minimizing compliance risk. It applies state and federal requirements to support compliance by NRECA and its member cooperatives. The position is eligible for a hybrid schedule, with the option to work from home up to two days per week. The consultant reviews and validates defined contribution and defined benefit plan compliance testing performed by an external vendor, independently performs complex tests outside the co-sourcing arrangement, explains findings, identifies risks, and recommends corrective actions. The role advises on historical testing results, plan design strategies, and risk considerations, and works to resolve identified issues. It reviews plan adoption agreements and complex or atypical transactions, including early retirement programs, past service liabilities, plan mergers, asset transfers, freezes, and changes to plan design or benefit formulas, to evaluate plan impacts and regulatory compliance. The consultant leads domestic relations order project work, including communicating with involved parties, reviewing and advising on draft orders, determining whether orders comply with the IRC and can be administered by the plans, and deciding whether orders qualify. The role also maintains sample orders and procedures. In addition, the consultant leads safe harbor plan design work for the retirement compliance team, advises cooperatives on plan designs, prepares estimates and implementation documentation, coordinates with internal staff, and supports the safe harbor notice project. The position may require reporting to the office when needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.
8–10 years of related compliance experience with defined contribution and defined benefit plans.
Professional certification such as QKA, QPA, CEBS, or equivalent.
Specialized knowledge of Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Code, and ERISA requirements for qualified retirement plans.
Advanced understanding of defined contribution and defined benefit plan designs.
Advanced skill in complex ADP/ACP testing and 401(a)(4), 402(g), 415, 401(a)(17), 414, 416, and 410(b) testing.
Close visual acuity for preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, and extensive reading.
Ability to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, up to 10 pounds frequently, and a negligible amount constantly to move objects.

Responsibilities

Technically review and validate defined contribution and defined benefit plan compliance testing performed by an external vendor, including analyzing results and comparing multiple tests.
Independently perform complex tests not supported through the co-sourcing arrangement.
Summarize test findings for cooperatives, identify compliance risks, and recommend corrective actions for adverse results.
Consult on historical testing results, advise on plan design strategies and risk considerations, and ensure identified issues are resolved.
Review new retirement plan adoption agreements, early retirement programs, past service liabilities, proposals, plan mergers, asset transfers, plan freezes, and other complex or atypical transactions for plan impact and legal compliance.
Lead domestic relations order project work, including providing documentation, communicating with involved parties, reviewing and advising on draft orders, and determining compliance, administrability, and qualification.
Maintain sample domestic relations orders and related procedures.
Lead safe harbor plan design work for the retirement compliance team and provide subject matter expertise on safe harbor notices.
Consult with cooperatives on safe harbor plan designs, provide estimates and projections, prepare documentation for plan changes, and coordinate activities with internal staff.
Support the safe harbor notice project by contributing to project plans, reviewing communications materials, assisting with notice follow-up, and generating manual notices.
Report to the office when required.