Vice President, Retirement Services

CoAd; Bradenton (FL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

CoAd seeks a Vice President of Retirement Services in Bradenton, FL to lead retirement plan administration, compliance, and strategy for 401(k) programs. You will oversee the existing MEP and develop a PEP for non-PEO markets, guiding a team of 10–12 professionals and reporting to senior leadership.

We value deep ERISA expertise, proven leadership in defined contribution, and the ability to translate complex plan design into scalable operating solutions that improve client and participant

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in 401(k) or retirement plan administration and recordkeeping.
• At least 5 years of leading teams and a bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Deep knowledge of ERISA, IRS, and DOL requirements for defined contribution plans.
• Experience with MEPs, PEPs, and retirement services operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for retirement services, including MEP administration and PEP development.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and scalable retirement plan administration across clients.
• Oversee recordkeeping, contributions, distributions, loans, eligibility, enrollment, and plan changes.
• Establish service standards, procedures, controls, and performance metrics.
• Monitor processes, technology, vendors, and workflows to improve client experience.

Skills

Leadership

Retirement plan administration

Strategic thinking

Team management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Finance/HR or related field

Tools

MEPs/PEPs knowledge

Job description

CoAd is seeking a Vice President, Retirement Services to lead the company’s retirement plan administration, compliance, and overall 401(k) strategy. This leader will oversee CoAd’s existing Multiple Employer Plan (MEP) supporting our PEO business as well as the development and ongoing management of our Pooled Employer Plan (PEP) serving the non-PEO market.

Reporting to senior leadership, the VP of Retirement Services will lead a team of approximately 10–12 professionals and will be responsible for the effective administration, compliance, service delivery, and continued evolution of CoAd’s retirement services offering.

This role requires deep subject matter expertise across all aspects of 401(k) plan administration and recordkeeping, combined with the ability to identify opportunities to expand participation, improve the client and participant experience, and increase the strategic value of retirement services across CoAd.

Key Responsibilities

Retirement Plan Administration & Operations

• Provide overall leadership for CoAd’s retirement services function, including the administration of the company’s MEP and developing PEP offering.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and scalable administration of retirement plans across the existing client base.
• Oversee recordkeeping processes, contributions, distributions, loans, eligibility, enrollment, plan changes, reconciliations, and other core plan administration activities.
• Establish and monitor service standards, operating procedures, controls, and performance metrics.
• Continuously evaluate processes, technology, vendors, and workflows to improve efficiency and the client and participant experience.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Maintain strong oversight of all retirement plan compliance requirements and ensure plans are administered in accordance with applicable ERISA, IRS, Department of Labor, and other regulatory requirements.
• Oversee annual compliance testing, governmental filings, plan audits, nondiscrimination testing, corrective actions, and other regulatory requirements.
• Stay current on legislative and regulatory developments affecting defined contribution plans, MEPs, PEPs, and the broader retirement industry.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, Finance, and other internal stakeholders to effectively manage fiduciary and operational risk.

Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute a broader strategy for how CoAd can increase the value and impact of its retirement services capabilities.
• Identify opportunities to increase 401(k) adoption and participant engagement within the existing client base.
• Partner closely with Sales, Client Services, and other commercial teams to support new business opportunities and drive increased retirement plan participation.
• Evaluate opportunities for new products, capabilities, partnerships, pricing models, technology, and service enhancements.
• Help define CoAd’s long‑term strategy for retirement services across both the PEO and non‑PEO markets.
• Monitor competitive and industry trends and translate them into actionable recommendations for CoAd.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, develop, and mentor a team of approximately 10–12 retirement services professionals.
• Build a culture of accountability, technical excellence, client service, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure the team has the appropriate expertise, processes, and resources to support continued growth.
• Serve as the internal subject matter expert and senior escalation point for complex retirement plan matters.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate with Sales to strengthen retirement services positioning and support opportunities to increase participation among existing and prospective clients.
• Partner with Product, Technology, Operations, Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Client Services on initiatives affecting retirement services.
• Build effective relationships with recordkeepers, trustees, investment providers, advisors, auditors, and other external partners.
• Clearly communicate retirement plan strategy, performance, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership.

Required Skills & Experience

• 10+ years of progressive experience leading or managing 401(k), defined contribution, or retirement plan administration and recordkeeping operations, including at least 5 years leading teams, and a bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, HR, or related field; equivalent experience may be substituted for education.
• Deep technical knowledge of the full retirement plan lifecycle, including plan design, administration, compliance, testing, distributions, contributions, eligibility, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong working knowledge of ERISA, IRS, and Department of Labor requirements applicable to defined contribution plans.
• Experience with Multiple Employer Plans (MEPs) required or strongly preferred; experience with Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to manage an existing book of retirement plan business while maintaining strong service, compliance, and operational standards.
• Experience leading and developing teams within a retirement services, benefits, financial services, recordkeeping, or related environment.
• Ability to translate deep technical expertise into practical business strategy and scalable operating solutions.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision‑making capabilities.
• Effective communicator who can work successfully with senior leaders, sales professionals, clients, advisors, vendors, and technical specialists.
• Experience identifying opportunities to improve participant adoption, client retention, product capabilities, or revenue within a retirement services business.

Preferred Experience

• Experience within a PEO, benefits administration, payroll, HR services, retirement recordkeeping, or financial services organization.
• Experience developing or launching a PEP or other retirement plan product.
• Familiarity with retirement plan technology platforms and third‑party recordkeeping ecosystems.
• Relevant industry credentials such as QKA, QPA, CPC, CEBS, or similar retirement plan designations are a plus.

About CoAd

CoAd helps businesses navigate the complexities of workforce management through a combination of technology, expertise, and human support. Serving more than 17,000 clients nationwide, CoAd delivers payroll, HR, benefits administration, compliance support, workforce technology, and PEO services that help organizations simplify operations, support their employees, and drive growth.

Built on the belief that workforce solutions should be integrated, intuitive, and people-centered, CoAd empowers employers to manage their workforce with greater confidence while adapting to the evolving needs of today’s workplace.

EEO

CoAd is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breast feeding and pregnancy‑related medical conditions), gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, uniform service member and veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.