Client Service Manager

Ascensus; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascensus (AmericanTCS) seeks a Client Service Manager in Charlotte, NC to oversee defined contribution relationships and deliver high‑quality account management. You will drive client satisfaction, resolve issues, and coordinate with TPAs, advisors, and sponsors to optimize retirement plan outcomes.

The role requires ERISA knowledge, strong communication, and advanced Excel skills to support plan governance, compliance, and reporting.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 year Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.
• Professional certification preferred (ASPPA QKA/QPA, CEBS or NIPA/APA) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build strong relationships with clients and advisors through proactive communication.
• Serve as primary contact for assigned clients, advisors, and partners with day‑to‑day account management and oversight.
• Identify and resolve client issues, delivering retirement plan and operational expertise.
• Support fiduciary responsibilities by addressing plan compliance and regulatory issues with TPAs and advisors.
• Review plan activity (compliance testing, 5500s, statements, RMDs) and ensure commitments are met.
• Coordinate with internal partners and external service providers to maintain service levels.
• Provide training to Advisors and Plan Sponsors on payroll, fund changes, and distributions processes.
• Understand non-discrimination testing under IRS code sections 401(k), 401(m), 401(a)(4).
• Solve complex problems with solid analytical skills and map process interdependencies.

Skills

Relationship management

Communication

Analytical thinking

Time management

Financial services knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SunGard Relius Administration

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

AmericanTCS, recently integrated as part of Ascensus, has forged a lasting legacy for more than 50 years, embodying strength and resilience while championing change and innovation across the retirement industry. We provide a diverse range of tailored retirement plan solutions that symbolize resilience, versatility and strength.

Job Summary

The Client Service Manager is responsible for delivering consistent, high quality account management and administration for a portfolio of defined contribution relationships, with the objective of driving longterm satisfaction, client retention, improving efficiencies, resolving client issues, and helping our clients manage their retirement plans for better outcomes.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions of the Job

• Build strong relationships with clients and advisors through proactive communication.
• Maintain and enhance relationships with clients, financial advisors, and industry partners by providing engaging on‑going service; serve as the primary point of contact for all assigned clients, financial advisors, and partners, on the day‑to‑day account management with operational oversight of all account related activities.
• The Client Service Manager may work with the Relationship Managers to deliver client satisfaction by providing retirement plan and operational expertise, proactively identifying, owning and resolving client issues and engaging clients with value added consulting.
• Support clients in managing their fiduciary responsibilities by addressing and resolving plan compliance, regulatory and operational issues in conjunction with the third‑party administrator (“TPA”) and financial advisor, if applicable.
• Ensure that our commitments to our clients are met by proactively reviewing the status of assigned plans’ periodic activity (compliance testing, 5500, quarterly statements, RMDs, etc.).
• Coordinate effectively and efficiently with internal operations partners, financial advisors, and other client related service providers.
• Adhere to team individual service and retention goals.
• Responsible for the overall client relationship experience, including building and maintaining a strong relationship with plan sponsors, advisors, and TPAs.
• Analyze, troubleshoot, and problem solve plan administration and recordkeeping issues.
• Provide training to Advisors, and Plan Sponsors, to communicate procedures relating to payroll submission, fund changes, loan and distribution processing, compliance testing, etc.
• Advise Plan Sponsors on mandatory and discretionary plan document amendments.
• Understand non‑discrimination testing under sections 401(k), 401(m) and 401(a)(4) of Internal Revenue Code.
• Provide assistance and website training to Advisors, Plan Sponsors, and TPAs.
• Solves diverse and complex problems using solid analytical skills where limited precedents or guidelines exist.
• Able to understand process flow and their interdependencies.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Knowledge of ERISA Regulations and the applicable Internal Revenue Code is required.
• SunGard Relius Administration experience preferred.
• Compliance testing and contribution calculation experience preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Outlook is required.
• Must have strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Capable to relate the customer needs to other team members and leadership.
• Must have the ability to process detailed work within assigned timeframes and without errors.
• Familiarity with various plan designs (traditional 401(k), safe harbor, automatic contribution arrangements, new comparability, etc.).
• Demonstrated experience handling relationships with participants, advisors, Plan Sponsors, or TPAs.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 year Bachelors Degree or the equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• Professional certification preferred. ASPPA (QKA, QPA), CEBS or NIPA (APA) (APR) preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting: Constant
• Standing, Bending, Twisting: Occasional
• Computer Use: Constant
• Lifting up to 20 pounds: Occasional
• Lifting more than 20 pounds: Occasional