Retirement Compliance Officer

County of Sonoma; Santa Rosa (CA); On-site; USD 142,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary progression

PTO & holidays

Education allowances

Health benefits

Post-retirement health

Pension

IRSP & 457

Paid parental leave

Hybrid telework

Additional benefits

Student loan relief

Job summary

Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association (SCERA) seeks a Retirement Compliance Officer to lead organization-wide compliance, risk assessment, and program development. Reporting to the CEO/Legal Counsel, you will shape policies, perform risk reviews, and educate staff and the Retirement Board on compliance requirements.

You will interact with division managers, participating employers, and external bodies to mitigate risk and ensure fiduciary standards are met.

Qualifications

• Experience designing a comprehensive compliance or risk program across an organization.
• Experience conducting risk assessments, compliance reviews, internal controls evaluations, audits or process reviews.
• Knowledge of public pension systems and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Excellent written communication for risk assessments and policies.
• Strong project management and multi-deadline handling.
• Ability to develop and deliver compliance training.
• Coursework in accounting, business/public administration/finance or risk management.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

• Establish and continually improve SCERA's organization-wide compliance program, including policies and procedures.
• Design and conduct annual risk assessments with division managers.
• Conduct compliance reviews, monitoring, and internal control testing.
• Monitor laws and regulations affecting SCERA; propose policy updates.
• Develop recommendations to address risks and track remediation.
• Prepare and present evaluations, findings, and risk reports to management and Board.
• Deliver compliance education and training for staff and Board.
• Review reports/complaints of non-compliance and recommend actions.
• Serve as technical advisor on compliance matters and participate in leadership meetings.

Skills

Compliance program

Risk assessment

Internal controls

Policy development

Training programs

Public pension

Project management

Communication

Research & analysis

Education

Accounting coursework

Public administration coursework

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Information

Bring your project management and risk assessment experience to the County of Sonoma.

The Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association is seeking a Retirement Compliance Officer.

Starting salary up to $75.81/hour ($158,224/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

Join Our Team

The Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association (SCERA) is a small office that values customer service, collaboration, professionalism, consistency, proactive planning, flexibility, and innovative problem-solving. We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where individuals from all backgrounds are welcomed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Reporting directly to the Assistant Chief Executive Officer/Chief Legal Counsel, the Retirement Compliance Officer serves as a member of SCERA's management team and participates in manager meetings and organizational strategic planning. In this role, you will act in a lead and technical advisory capacity on compliance matters across all SCERA divisions. Working closely with division managers and staff, you will identify risks, evaluate controls, develop policies and procedures, implement mitigation measures, and provide compliance education. In addition to department staff and the Retirement Board, you may interact with participating employers, affiliated organizations, vendors, regulatory agencies, outside professionals, members, and other stakeholders on compliance matters. In addition, you may need to provide direction to and/or supervise subordinate staff if assigned.

Other responsibilities of the position include:

• Establishing, administering, and continuously improving SCERA's organization-wide compliance program, including the compliance charter, program goals and priorities, policies and procedures, compliance calendar, and supporting systems
• Designing and conducting SCERA's annual comprehensive risk assessment in collaboration with division managers and staff; identify, evaluate, and prioritize operational, fiscal, legal, regulatory, and program risks
• Conducting scheduled and targeted compliance reviews, monitoring, and internal control testing to evaluate compliance and determine whether controls are appropriately designed and operating effectively
• Monitoring and researching laws, regulations, Board policies, procedures, fiduciary requirements, and emerging compliance standards affecting SCERA; assess their impact and recommend necessary updates to policies, procedures, controls, or practices
• Developing recommendations to address identified risks or deficiencies; collaborating with management on corrective and mitigating actions, tracking remediation, and follow up on implementation
• Preparing and presenting compliance evaluations, findings, recommendations, status reports, and risk assessment results to management, the Audit Committee, and/or Board of Retirement
• Developing and delivering compliance education, orientation, and training for SCERA staff and the Board
• Receiving, reviewing, investigating, and documenting reports or complaints involving potential non-compliance, fraud, abuse, or other compliance concerns and recommend appropriate responses
• Serving as SCERA's technical advisor and organizational lead on compliance matters and participating in management meetings, strategic planning, and external committees or meetings as appropriate
• Working as a partner with management and staff to accomplish goals

In this role, you will use your consultation, facilitation, and interviewing skills to gather information, understand processes, and work with staff to identify practical solutions. In addition to strong research and analytical skills, you will possess many of the following:

• Experience designing, implementing, or managing an organization-wide compliance, enterprise risk management, internal audit, internal control, or fiscal compliance program
• Experience conducting risk assessments, compliance reviews, internal control evaluations, audits, investigations, or process reviews
• Knowledge of public pension systems, defined benefit plan administration, fiduciary responsibilities, and laws or regulations affecting public retirement systems
• Excellent written communication skills for preparing risk assessments, compliance reports, policies, procedures, and corrective action plans
• Strong project management skills, including planning multi-step reviews, taking corrective actions, and managing multiple deadlines
• Experience developing and delivering clear training programs and presentations to staff, management, and governing bodies
• Coursework in accounting, business administration, public administration, finance, risk management or a related field
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Compliance or risk-related certifications such as Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (CCEP), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), or Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA) are desirable but not required

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation - 3% of salary County contribution to a 401(a) plan, in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in a 401(a) plan, based upon employee contribution
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Hybrid Telework - Partial telework may be available upon the completion of probation based on the needs of the department
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory

Minimum Qualifications

Experience and Education: Any combination of work experience and education which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. A typical way to qualify is:

• Two (2) years of experience in designing and implementing a comprehensive risk management and compliance system in a public pension plan with responsibilities for developing policies and procedures, risk assessments, and compliance training OR two (2) years managing fiscal compliance and analysis programs. Some coursework in accounting, business administration, public administration, finance, risk management, or a related field is highly desirable.

The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: principles, practices, laws, processes, and procedures of compliance administration; strategies and methods of effective program evaluation and quality improvement; principles and practices of risk assessment and risk management; administrative principles and practices including goal setting, project management, and program development; methods and techniques of designing work flow and mapping processes; office procedures, equipment, technology, and related software applications; English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; techniques for communicating effectively with culturally diverse stakeholders; techniques of preparing business correspondence and reports.

Knowledge of: internal control processes; internal risk assessment guidelines and procedures used to investigate compliance practices, fraud, and/or abuse issues; defined benefit plan structures, design, and administration; training and adult learning modalities.

Ability to: plan, organize, and direct a retirement compliance program; determine work methods and solutions; learn and understand public pension system specific laws; interpret and apply laws, rules, and regulations; demonstrate excellent organizational and project management skills; plan, organize, implement, and manage long and short-term projects; design and deliver training programs; identify training and development needs related to the compliance program; represent SCERA on various committees, with employee and community organizations, and in meetings; demonstrate strong research and analytical skills; prepare written evaluations, summaries, recommendations, correspondence, and reports; communicate orally and in writing in a clear, concise, and effective manner for audiences with varied backgrounds; provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date compliance related information in a courteous, efficient, and timely manner; understand and accept differences in human behavior; effectively interact with all populations, such as individuals from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, educational, generational, and/or socio-economic backgrounds; establish and maintain effective working relationships with SCERA staff, external partners, and stakeholders; work independently and as a member of a team with minimal supervision; plan, organize, direct, and monitor the work of subordinate staff; demonstrate strict confidentiality, professionalism, integrity, and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations; effectively use computer systems, applications, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate's personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant's name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation will be required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HR Analyst: DP

HR Technician: KK