Retirement Plan Consultant

Overview

Retirement Plan Consultant role at Shepherd Financial, LLC (Shepherd Plan Partners). Shepherd Financial is an independent firm focused on retirement plan consulting and wealth management. Shepherd Plan Partners is a third-party administrator (TPA) aiding in the design, implementation, and ongoing administration of employer-sponsored retirement plans. Our team emphasizes accuracy, responsiveness, and strategic guidance to help employers manage plan complexity and deliver high-quality retirement benefits.

We are committed to integrity, service, empathy, innovation, quality, and growth as core values that guide our work with clients and team members.

The Retirement Plan Consultant helps promote organizational growth through delivering exceptional, timely support to clients. The role requires the ability to work independently with a strong work ethic, self-motivation, enthusiasm, professionalism, and integrity. You will need strong organizational skills to produce work quickly and accurately while maintaining attention to detail and excellence.

Client Support

• Act as the single point of contact for employers, plan sponsors, and financial professionals for their accounts
• Provide superior client service with timely problem solving and issue resolution
• Coordinate with internal and external parties to ensure an accurate conversion process for new clients
• Serve as a resource to plan sponsors and financial professionals for ERISA compliance, plan design, and governmental reporting
• Use knowledge of plan design to assist with plan operations and document updates
• Provide effective verbal and written communications in a clear, concise, and informative manner
• Assist clients with initial and ongoing plan design and document support, including IRS and DOL deadlines for qualified retirement plans
• Assist clients with service and IRS plan terminations
• Conduct valuation reports and annual testing (e.g., ADP/ACP, Top Heavy, 410(b), 415, 401(a)(4), Deductibility, 402(g))
• Review or prepare Form 5500 and coordinate with the plan sponsor for timely filing
• Assist IRS and DOL auditors if the plan is subject to an audit
• Review distribution paperwork and coordinate processing of distributions with asset holders
• Review loan paperwork and coordinate processing of loans with asset holders

Internal Shepherd Plan Partners Support

• Act as subject matter expert for FT William, our third-party administrator software
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of ERISA law through self-study and company-sponsored training
• Serve as the retirement plan expert on testing, Form 5500s, loans, and distributions
• Assist with additional tasks and projects as assigned
• Protect and properly handle confidential data to ensure security and compliance

Position Expectations

• Three or more years of ERISA experience within the retirement industry
• Experience in analysis of financial data
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Acute analytical and problem-solving skills
• High attention to detail
• Ability to prioritize, manage tasks, and meet deadlines related to ERISA compliance
• Compliance with Shepherd Financial’s internal policies
• Return or acknowledge emails and phone calls from clients within 24 hours
• Document all client interactions in Redtail within 24 hours
• Enter follow-up items in the Redtail workflow within 72 hours of client meetings
• This position is fully remote, with onsite attendance at team events throughout the year

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary plus incentive-based salary enhancement for new annualized recurring revenue from retirement plans or wealth management referrals
• Discretionary year-end performance bonus
• Paid time off (holidays, PTO, volunteer days), 401(k) match, and medical, term life, and disability insurance
• Additional options: dental, vision, voluntary life, critical illness and accident coverage, Life Lock
• Financial support for professional accreditation/license fees and continuing education