Retirement Plans Senior Specialist

KBR Careers; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan with company match

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible work schedule

Professional training and development

Job summary

KBR Careers in Houston is seeking a Retirement Plans Senior Specialist to oversee the administration of U.S. retirement programs. This role involves partnership with HR, Payroll, and external vendors to ensure effective management of retirement benefits.

The ideal candidate will have 5+ years of experience and a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. Familiarity with retirement regulations and analytical skills are essential for success in this position.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in HR, Business Administration, or Finance.
• 5+ years of experience in retirement plans or related functions.
• Experience in complex or multinational organizations is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Administer U.S. retirement programs ensuring compliance and accuracy.
• Manage relationships with external vendors and ensure service delivery.
• Oversee enrollments, contributions, and resolve employee inquiries.
• Ensure compliance with regulations through audits and documentation.
• Lead annual compliance activities including plan audits and testing.
• Support communications and awareness campaigns for retirement plans.
• Analyze data for discrepancies and trends, providing recommendations.

Skills

Working knowledge of retirement plans

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Effective communication skills

Attention to detail

Experience with HRIS systems

Proficiency in Excel

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance

Tools

Excel

Workday

SAP

Job description

Title: Retirement Plans Senior Specialist

About The Role

Reporting to the US Benefits Manager, the Senior Specialist, Retirement Plans supports the administration and delivery of retirement plans, primarily within the U.S., while aligned with broader global benefits frameworks. This role ensures retirement plans are administered accurately, efficiently, and in compliance with applicable regulations while contributing to a positive employee experience.

You will partner with HR, Payroll, Finance, vendors, and other stakeholders to support retirement plans, including defined contribution and defined benefit plans where applicable. You will play a key role in day-to-day operations, issue resolution, and compliance activities, while contributing to process improvements and ongoing program support.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer U.S. retirement programs, including defined contribution and defined benefit plans, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with applicable regulations, while coordinating with global benefits practices where appropriate.
• Manage relationships with external vendors, recordkeepers, and administrators to support plan operations, resolve issues, and ensure high-quality service delivery.
• Oversee day-to-day plan activities, including enrollments, contributions, distributions, and plan changes.
• Resolve employee inquiries and issues related to retirement plans, including eligibility, transactions, and vendor coordination.
• Partner with HR, Payroll, Finance, and HRIS to ensure accurate data flow, contributions processing, and reconciliation of retirement plan activity.
• Ensure compliance with ERISA and applicable regulations by overseeing regulatory filings (e.g., Form 5500), maintaining documentation, and ensuring audit readiness.
• Lead and coordinate annual compliance activities, including plan audits, compliance testing, and contribution reviews, ensuring timely and accurate completion.
• Assist with retirement plan communications, including employee education materials and support for awareness campaigns.
• Analyze data and reporting to identify discrepancies, trends, and provide actionable recommendations for improvement.
• Support system updates, data integrity, and integration efforts across HRIS and vendor platforms.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and service delivery.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field required.
• 5+ years of experience in retirement plans, benefits, or a related Total Rewards function.
• Experience supporting retirement programs in a complex or multinational organization preferred.

Functional Expertise

• Working knowledge of retirement plans, including defined contribution (e.g., 401(k)) and defined benefit plans.
• Understanding of applicable regulations (e.g., ERISA, IRS, and related compliance requirements), with exposure to global retirement programs preferred.
• Experience working with retirement plan vendors, recordkeepers, or third-party administrators.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage data accurately and handle sensitive information.
• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Effective communication and stakeholder collaboration skills in a matrixed environment.
• Experience working with HRIS and benefits administration systems (e.g., Workday, SAP) preferred.
• Proficiency in Excel and general reporting tools to support data analysis and reconciliation activities.

Location

The ideal candidate will be located in the Houston, TX or greater Washington D.C.-Baltimore area. KBR offers flexible working arrangements, including hybrid, remote working, and virtual delivery.

Compensation & Benefits

Additional Compensation: KBR may offer bonuses, commissions, or other forms of compensation to certain job titles or levels, per internal policy or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be in the form of sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, short-term incentives, long-term incentives, or discretionary payments for exceptional performance.

Benefits: KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits, which could include a 401(k) plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Equal Employment Opportunity

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.