Associate RIS Specialist

At WEA Member Benefits, we are dedicated to serving our members with highly rated retirement savings, financial planning, and personal insurance programs for public school employees. Our employees have a passion for our mission and vision and strive to deliver “A Performance” in everything we do. WEA Member Benefits was created by Wisconsin educators for Wisconsin educators over 50 years ago. Our culture, work environment, and team have made our organization a 3-time “Best Places To Work” winner (Madison Magazine) and 3-time Top Workplaces winner (Wisconsin State Journal). We focus heavily on taking care of our employees with competitive pay, generous health/dental/vision insurance coverage, paid time off, and an industry leading 401(k) retirement savings plan.

We have an exciting new opportunity to join our team in our Retirement and Investment Services department as an Associate Retirement and Investment Services Specialist.

SUMMARY

The Associate Retirement and Investment Services (RIS) Specialist is a registered financial services representative who provides excellent customer service to existing and potential WEA Member Benefits (Member Benefits) members. The Associate RIS Specialist is responsible for providing, evaluating, and improving program administration services for the WEA Tax Sheltered Annuity Trust 403(b) and WEA Member Benefits Individual Retirement Account (IRA) programs; providing technical expertise to associates who directly serve members and ensuring forms, brochures, web content, programs, processes, and procedures comply with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules and regulations. The incumbent responds to inquiries from members about retirement and investment questions, takes and enters mutual fund trade orders, provides calculations, and assists the RIS Specialists with death processing and beneficiary inquiries.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

80%—RIS Member Service

· Respond to member inquiries about mutual funds, investment allocation, regulations relating to contributions to and distributions from 403(b) and IRA programs, Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs), and death distributions.

· Contact members or prospective members by telephone to provide meaningful customer service on a proactive basis.

· Execute financial planning calculations, investment portfolio analysis, Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) benefit calculations, and Social Security (SS) benefit estimates.

· Complete mutual fund orders for trades and fund allocations at the request of members.

· Consult with existing members about their retirement savings needs by reviewing the programs in which they currently participate and recommending changes.

· Educate members on potential 403(b) and IRA exchanges, transfers, rollovers, and Roth conversions.

· Communicate and assist retirement account beneficiary(ies) through the death notification and account transfer process.

· Communicate and assist members and alternate payees through the qualified domestic relations order notification and account transfer process.

· Determine whether members meet eligibility guidelines.

· Accurately provide requested forms, brochures, and other written information to members.

· Accurately provide clear and concise instructions to the vendor relationship management team.

· Provide backup phone coverage to the RIS Service team as needed.

15%—RIS Program Administration

· Assist RIS Manager in 403(b) and IRA program retention and growth initiatives.

· Review beneficiary and QDRO required distributions schedules.

· Assist RIS Manager in Required Minimum Distribution annual notifications.

· Recommend changes to processes, procedures, and programs to ensure compliance with IRS laws and regulations and improve the administration and delivery of services to members.

· Provide backup for aged checks and lost participant research.

5%—Projects

· Participate in projects to evaluate and/or improve RIS programs and services.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

· Associate degree in Business or related field or commensurate experience.

· Knowledge of at least one of the following: Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 403(b) and 408(a) and the pertinent regulations, WRS, SS, or retirement planning concepts and techniques.

· Experience utilizing personal computers and word processing and spreadsheet software, including either financial software programs or online record-keeping systems.

· Excellent performance in present and past positions.

· Commitment to providing excellence in customer service and other Member Benefits values.

· Effective leadership that results in achieving desired results, including collaboration and team building, objective establishment and implementation, and project work.

· Current Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Series 6 or 7 and 63 securities and State of Wisconsin (additional states also required) life licenses or the willingness and the ability to gain within six months of appointment.

ABILITIES REQUIRED

· Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to compose clear, concise, and persuasive correspondence and narrative reports that communicate messages consistent with Company policy using appropriate tone, grammar, and word usage.

· Excellent verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with individuals, skillfully ask questions and listen, and explain difficult and technical financial and investment issues.

· Excellent analytical skills, including the ability to identify problems, research and analyze issues from different perspectives, organize information, reach sound conclusions, and work cooperatively with others to develop and implement effective solutions.

· Ability to quickly, effectively, and continually adapt to changes in work duties, processes, and technologies.

· Ability to work independently and to effectively establish, monitor, coordinate resources, and achieve goals with minimal supervision.

· Respectful disposition of all dealings with employees, participants, vendors, and others that promote teamwork and a pleasant work environment.

· Flexibility to work the number and schedule of hours needed to accomplish regular and ad hoc job responsibilities.

· Excellent performance in present and past positions.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES

· The following qualifications are preferred for appointment to this position:

· Knowledge of IRC Section 403(b) and 408(a) and pertinent regulations, WRS, SS, and retirement planning concepts and techniques.

· State of Wisconsin and other state life licenses.

· Experience utilizing either financial software programs or online record-keeping systems (SmartDesk, AWD, CORE, Morningstar Principia Pro; and Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access preferred).

· Retirement plan and/or IRA program administration experience.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

· These physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential job responsibilities.

· Work is primarily performed in an office environment with minimal exposure to injury.

· Must be able to lift and move up to 20 pounds.

· Ongoing daily use of computers and telephone.

· Walk, sit, stand, bend, climb, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; talk; hear; read; count; and write.

· Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus.

· Must be able to work with frequent interruption.

· Ability to occasionally travel throughout the state of Wisconsin.

· Low to moderate noise level.

WEA Member Benefits is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected class under local, state or federal law.

WEA Member Benefits is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request an accommodation within the application process, contact us at apply@weabenefits.com. Please submit application at: https://www.weabenefits.com/careers/associate-retirement-and-investment-services-specialist/

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person