Join a team that puts its People First! Since 1889, First American (NYSE: FAF) has held an unwavering belief in its people. They are passionate about what they do, and we are equally passionate about fostering an environment where all feel welcome, supported, and empowered to be innovative and reach their full potential. Our inclusive, people-first culture has earned our company numerous accolades, including being named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for eleven consecutive years. We have also earned awards as a best place to work for women, diversity and LGBTQ+ employees, and have been included on more than 50 regional best places to work lists. First American will always strive to be a great place to work, for all. For more information, please visit www.careers.firstam.com.
Position Summary
The Director, Retirement Benefits is responsible for the strategic design, governance, administration, compliance, and ongoing optimization of the Company's retirement and financial wellness programs. This role serves as the organization's subject matter expert for defined contribution retirement plans, investment oversight, fiduciary governance, vendor management, and retirement program strategy. The Director partners closely with senior leadership, Finance, Legal, Human Resources, Payroll, and external advisors to ensure retirement programs are competitive, compliant, cost-effective, and aligned with the Company's talent and business objectives.
Reporting to the Vice President, Total Rewards (or equivalent), this role leads retirement plan strategy for a publicly traded organization with approximately $7 billion in annual revenue and significant fiduciary, regulatory, and operational responsibilities.
Key Responsibilities
Retirement Strategy & Plan Design
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Develop and execute the long-term strategy for the Company's retirement and financial wellness programs.
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Evaluate and recommend plan design enhancements that support employee attraction, retention, engagement, and retirement readiness.
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Benchmark retirement programs against market practices and emerging industry trends.
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Lead analysis of retirement program effectiveness, participation rates, savings outcomes, income replacement, and utilization metrics.
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Develop business cases and recommendations for executive leadership and governance committees.
Leadership & Collaboration
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Lead and develop retirement benefits team members, as applicable.
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Serve as the internal retirement benefits expert and advisor to HR leadership.
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Collaborate with Compensation, Payroll, Finance, Legal, Internal Audit, and Communications teams.
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Present recommendations and updates to senior leadership and governance committees
Investment Oversight & Fiduciary Governance
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Serve as a key member and advisor to the Administrative Benefits Plan Committee and other fiduciary governance bodies.
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Partner with investment consultants and advisors to monitor investment performance and plan fund lineups.
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Evaluate investment options, target-date funds, managed accounts, brokerage windows, and retirement income solutions.
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Support development and maintenance of:
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Investment Policy Statements (IPS)
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Fiduciary governance frameworks
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Committee charters and documentation
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Prepare investment reviews and recommendations for fiduciary committees.
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Maintain a strong understanding of capital markets, investment vehicles, fiduciary responsibilities, and retirement industry developments.
Plan Administration & Operations
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Oversee administration of the company’s 401(k) plans
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Ensure accurate and timely plan operations, payroll integration, contribution processing, participant transactions, and annual compliance testing.
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Direct annual plan audits and regulatory reporting activities.
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Manage plan amendments, restatements, participant communications, and operational changes.
Compliance & Risk Management
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Ensure compliance with:
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ERISA
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Internal Revenue Code
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SECURE Act and related legislation
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DOL regulations
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IRS requirements
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Partner with Legal and external counsel regarding regulatory changes and fiduciary obligations.
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Manage full plan audits, Form 5500 filings, and nondiscrimination testing.
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Identify and mitigate operational, fiduciary, and regulatory risks.
Vendor Management
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Lead relationships with retirement recordkeepers, trustees, custodians, investment consultants, auditors, actuaries, and other service providers.
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Establish vendor performance standards and service-level expectations.
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Conduct vendor evaluations, fee benchmarking, and contract negotiations.
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Lead RFPs and vendor selection initiatives.
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Ensure service providers deliver high-quality participant experiences while maintaining cost efficiency.
Financial Management & Analytics
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Manage retirement program budgets and administrative expenses.
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Analyze plan costs, fee structures, investment expenses, and utilization trends.
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Develop reporting and dashboards for executive leadership and fiduciary committees.
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Utilize data analytics to support strategic recommendations and improve participant outcomes.
Employee Education & Financial Wellness
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Develop retirement education and financial wellness strategies.
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Partner with vendors to deliver effective participant communication campaigns.
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Evaluate participant behavior and engagement metrics to improve retirement readiness.
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Ensure communications are compliant, effective, and aligned with organizational objectives.
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Partner with internal Employee Resource Groups on custom targeted educational programs.
Required Qualifications
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Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Accounting, or related field.
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10+ years of progressive retirement benefits experience, including significant responsibility for retirement plan design and administration.
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5+ years of leadership experience managing complex retirement programs in a large organization.
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Deep expertise in:
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401(k) plan administration
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ERISA compliance
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Fiduciary governance
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Investment oversight
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Retirement plan operations
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Experience supporting retirement plans with assets exceeding $2B.
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Demonstrated success managing external vendors, consultants, and recordkeepers.
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Strong understanding of retirement plan investments and capital market fundamentals.
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Experience leading RFPs, contract negotiations, and fee benchmarking initiatives.
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Advanced analytical, financial, and project management skills.
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Excellent presentation and communication capabilities.
Preferred Qualifications
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Experience in a publicly traded company.
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Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA), CFA, CFP, or similar designation.
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Experience supporting nonqualified deferred compensation programs.
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Experience serving as a retirement committee liaison or fiduciary committee advisor.
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Knowledge of employee financial wellness programs.
Pay Range: $170,900.00 - $227,900.00 Annually
This hiring range is a reasonable estimate of the base pay range for this position at the time of posting. Pay is based on a number of factors which may include job-related knowledge, skills, experience, business requirements and geographic location.
** Note that the following statements only apply to candidates who will be working from an unincorporated area within Los Angeles County. **
First American will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws (e.g., the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act).
First American intends to conduct a review of an applicant’s criminal history in connection with a conditional offer. First American reasonably believes that a criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following material job duties for this position potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment: handling of confidential, proprietary or trade secret information belonging to First American or its customers, administrating or facilitating financial transactions, and the ability to meet customer-imposed criminal history requirements.
By choice, we don’t simply accept individuality – we embrace it, we support it, and we thrive on it! Our People First culture is inclusive for all employees - not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it's the key to our success. We are proud to foster an authentic and inclusive workplace For All. You are free and encouraged to bring your entire, unique self to work. First American is an equal opportunity employer in every sense of the term.
Based on eligibility, First American offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401k, PTO/paid sick leave and other great benefits like an employee stock purchase plan.
