Defined Contribution Leader

Aon plc; United States; On-site; USD 175,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

PTO and paid holidays

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Wealthspire Institutional seeks a Defined Contribution Leader to guide its national DC administration practice. You will set strategic direction, manage operations, grow talent, and ensure superb service delivery and financial accountability across the organization.

The role integrates DC administration teams into a unified national service model, leading retirement plans from basic to highly customized programs. You will sit on the TPA leadership team driving growth, tech, and excellence.

Qualifications

• Over 10 years of experience managing retirement plans.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing managers and professional service teams.
• Deep expertise in qualified defined contribution plans (401(k), profit sharing, safe harbor, cash balance).
• Strong understanding of ERISA, IRC qualification requirements, compliance testing, plan operations.

Responsibilities

• Direct the national Defined Contribution practice and develop a consistent operating model across all offices.
• Drive adoption of metrics, dashboards, forecasting, and capacity models to manage the DC practice.
• Lead a geographically dispersed team of managers and specialists, with clear career paths.
• Partner with Platform Operations, Finance, and other functions to deliver a coordinated client experience.

Skills

Retirement plan leadership

Leadership experience

Strategic planning

Operational excellence

Tools

Stax.ai

PensionPro

ASC

Job description

Posting Description

Wealthspire Institutional brings together a network of affiliated firms that provides institutional advisory, wealth management, institutional advisory, and business management services to individuals, families, and institutions across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Through its specialized subsidiaries and affiliates, clients can access wealth management, retirement plan consulting, nonprofit endowment and foundation advisory, business management, and family office services tailored to their evolving financial needs.

Wealthspire invests in the people, technology, and resources that expand what the firm can do for clients, while preserving the personal relationships and accountability that are central to its client service approach.

Inspiring Trust. Enriching Lives.

For more information, visit www.wealthspire.com.

Position Summary

The Defined Contribution Leader is responsible for guiding Wealthspire's National Defined Contribution administration practice. This role offers strategic direction, operational management, talent growth, exceptional service delivery, and financial responsibility for all DC plan administration activities throughout the organization.

The leader will drive the integration of Defined Contribution administration teams into a consistent national service delivery model, in partnership with Platform Operations and other TPA leaders. The individual will lead teams coordinating retirement plans ranging from solo and safe harbor plans to highly customized and complex employer-sponsored retirement programs. The position also serves as a key member on the TPA leadership team who are responsible for accomplishing the organization’s growth, technology, and operational excellence strategies.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Direct the national Defined Contribution practice and develop a consistent operating model across all offices.
• Develop and implement critical initiatives that boost service quality, scalability, profitability, and client happiness within the Defined Contribution practice.
• Partner with executive leadership to align departmental objectives with overall TPA business goals.
• Drive adoption of organizational values, accountability standards, and performance expectations.
• Support growth initiatives through operational preparedness, client retention, and business development partnership within the Defined Contribution practice.

Operational Excellence

• Establish and maintain standardized service delivery processes across all DC administration teams.
• Drive adoption and continuous improvement of DC administration workflows in partnership with Platform Operations, bringing to bear Stax.AI and other enterprise technology platforms.
• Ensure uniform management of all DC plan types and service offerings.
• Monitor service quality, turnaround times, compliance standards, and client experience metrics.

People Leadership

• Lead and develop a geographically dispersed team of managers, administrators, and specialists.
• Build clear career paths, succession plans, and professional development opportunities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, trust, continuous learning, and transparency.
• Mentor leaders to effectively manage performance, employee engagement, and career growth.

Financial & Business Management

• Maintain responsibility for departmental efficiency, resource utilization, and profitability.
• Find opportunities to improve operating leverage and service efficiency.
• Partner with Platform Operations and Finance to apply enterprise important metrics, dashboards, forecasting, and capacity models to manage the DC practice.
• Contribute to annual budgeting and long-term planning activities.

Enterprise & Client Partnership

• Build positive relationships across Platform Operations, Defined Benefit, Advisory, Special Projects, Finance, and other functions to deliver a coordinated and consistent client experience.
• Support complex client needs and central initiatives by bringing together the appropriate expertise, resources, and operational capabilities across the organization.
• Partner with Business Development and key external relationships to strengthen client retention, support growth opportunities, and improve Wealthspire’s position in the retirement-plan marketplace.

Qualifications

Required

• Over 10 years of experience in managing retirement plans.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing managers and professional service teams.
• Deep expertise in qualified defined contribution plans, including 401(k), profit sharing, safe harbor, and cash balance/defined contribution combinations.
• Strong understanding of ERISA, IRC qualification requirements, compliance testing, plan operations, and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Demonstrated success leading operational transformation, process improvement, and organizational change.
• Experience managing workforce planning, service delivery, and operational performance metrics.

Preferred

• ASPPA credentials (QKA, QPA, QKC, CPC, QKA, TGPC, etc.).
• Experience managing retirement plan administration operations across multiple offices or on a national scale.
• Experience with workflow platforms such as Stax.ai, PensionPro, ASC, or similar technologies.

What We Offer

Wealthspire is proud to offer a competitive salary, PTO and paid holidays, 401(k) with company match, and more. The base salary range for this position is $175,000-$200,000 and is eligible for an annual incentive bonus plan. The base salary offered will be determined by factors including, but not limited to, experience, credentials, education, certifications, skill level required for the position, the scope of the position, and geographic location. Actual base salary offered will be determined on a case-by-case basis. In addition to the base salary, this position may be eligible for performance-based incentives.