VP, Retirement Plan Implementations & Onboarding

Jobtailor; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 160,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Philadelphia is seeking a senior leader to own retirement plan implementation and ongoing plan maintenance. You will drive onboarding excellence, oversee conversions and offboarding, and shape best-practice processes across sales, legal, compliance, operations, product, and technology.

You will partner with executives to deliver exceptional client experiences, manage multi-disciplinary teams, and ensure adherence to ERISA and IRS guidelines while pursuing scalable growth and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Management or related field.
• 10+ years in retirement plan recordkeeping, administration, or financial services operations.
• 7+ years leadership experience managing implementation, conversions, or client service teams.
• Strategic business partner with a focus on operational excellence and client experience.
• Strong knowledge of defined contribution retirement plans (401(k), 403(b)).
• Familiarity with ERISA, IRS guidelines, and industry best practices.
• PM/leadership skills to guide cross-functional teams.
• Excellent client relationship management & executive communication.

Responsibilities

• Own the overall implementation experience and onboarding excellence as a differentiator.
• Lead plan maintenance and offboarding functions.
• Develop and execute best practices, metrics, and operational plans for implementations and administration.
• Oversee onboarding and conversion of retirement plans to meet schedules and minimize disruption.
• Direct offboarding activities including asset transfers and vendor coordination.
• Ensure efficient execution of ongoing maintenance requests (amendments, changes).
• Collaborate with Sales, Legal, Compliance, Operations, Product, and Tech for seamless delivery.
• Serve as executive sponsor for complex client implementations and transitions.
• Identify workflow improvements and automation opportunities to boost efficiency.
• Monitor KPIs, SLAs, and quality metrics; manage risk and controls.

Skills

Leadership

Strategy

Project management

Communication

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Change management

Execution

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Finance/Accounting/Management

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Recordkeeping platforms

Workflow automation tools

Job description

• Own the overall implementation experience and establish onboarding excellence as a strategic differentiator for the organization.
• Lead the Plan Maintenance and Plan Termination/Offboarding functions for the organization.
• Develop and execute best practices, strategic goals, performance metrics, and operational plans for all new business implementations and ongoing plan administration activities.
• Oversee the successful onboarding and conversion of new retirement plans, ensuring projects are completed on schedule, within scope, and with minimal disruption to clients and participants.
• Direct plan offboarding and termination activities, including asset transfers, regulatory requirements, vendor coordination, and client communications.
• Ensure efficient and accurate execution of ongoing plan maintenance requests, including plan amendments, eligibility changes, contribution updates, mergers, acquisitions, and other administrative changes.
• Leverage client feedback, implementation metrics, and market insights to continuously enhance the onboarding experience and improve competitive positioning.
• Establish and maintain implementation and maintenance service standards that drive exceptional client satisfaction and retention.
• Partner closely with Sales, Relationship Management, Legal, Compliance, Operations, Product, and Technology teams to ensure seamless client transitions and service delivery.
• Collaborate with Product and Technology teams to develop tools and solutions that simplify onboarding and create best-in-class client experience.
• Serve as executive sponsor for complex or high-profile client implementations and conversions.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, automate processes, and enhance operational efficiency.
• Monitor implementation and maintenance performance through KPIs, SLAs, and quality metrics.
• Ensure compliance with ERISA, IRS, DOL, SEC, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Manage operational risk through strong controls, documented procedures, and quality assurance practices.
• Lead issue resolution and escalation management for client onboarding, maintenance, and offboarding activities.
• Develop staffing strategies, organizational structures, and succession plans to support business growth.
• Recruit, develop, coach, and retain high-performing managers and team members.
• Participate in strategic planning initiatives and contribute to organizational growth and scalability.
• Manage departmental budgets and resource allocation to achieve operational and financial objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Management, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in retirement plan recordkeeping, administration, or financial services operations.
• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience managing implementation, conversions, operations, or client service teams.
• Recognized as a strategic business partner who understands how operational excellence and client experience contribute directly to revenue growth, client retention, and market differentiation.
• Strong understanding of defined contribution retirement plans, including 401(k), 403(b), and related retirement products.
• Deep knowledge of retirement plan administration, recordkeeping, ERISA regulations, IRS guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Strong project management and implementation leadership skills.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.
• Exceptional client relationship management and executive communication skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Experience implementing process improvement and operational excellence initiatives.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong risk management, compliance, and quality control mindset.
• Experience working with retirement plan recordkeeping platforms and related technologies.
• Proficiency with operational reporting, metrics, and performance management.
• Strategic thinker with a focus on execution and results.
• Strong people leader with a track record of developing high-performing teams.
• Customer-centric mindset with a commitment to service excellence.
• Ability to drive organizational change and continuous improvement.
• Collaborative leadership style with strong partnership and influence skills.
• High level of integrity, accountability, and professional judgment.
• Industry certifications such as QKA, QPA, CPC, APA, or PMP preferred.
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, and large-scale client transitions preferred.
• Familiarity with workflow automation, operational transformation, and digital implementation tools preferred.

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Hard Skills

• retirement plan recordkeeping
• plan administration
• project management
• process improvement
• operational excellence
• performance management
• workflow automation
• digital implementation tools
• regulatory compliance
• risk management

Soft Skills

• leadership
• client relationship management
• analytical skills
• problem-solving
• decision-making
• strategic thinking
• collaborative leadership
• influence skills
• customer-centric mindset
• organizational change management

Certifications & Qualifications

• QKA
• QPA
• CPC
• APA
• PMP