Client Relationship Consultant

FuturePlan is the nation’s largest third-party administrator (TPA) of retirement plans, partnering with advisors in all 50 states. FuturePlan delivers the best of both worlds: high-touch personalized service from local TPAs backed by the strength and security of a large national firm, Ascensus. Our roots go back decades, with nearly 30 outstanding legacy firms now joined together to deliver unmatched levels of service, innovation and expertise to a fast-growing client base from coast to coast. The FuturePlan team includes more than 500 credentialed plan professionals, 60 actuaries, and one of the industry’s largest in-house ERISA teams. Learn more at FuturePlan.com.

Section 1: Position Summary

Manage client services and relationships to create “raving fan” clients that provide high ratings on the annual client survey, pay us quickly and are profitable.

You are an outstanding colleague by working with others within Client Services, and other teams (e.g., Compliance, Investment Services, Marketing & Sales and Operations) within the guidelines outlined by the Core Values of Ascensus.

Section 2: Job Functions, Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for protecting, securing, and proper handling of all confidential data held by Ascensus to ensure against unauthorized access, improper transmission, and/or unapproved disclosure of information that could result in harm to Ascensus or our clients.
• Our I-Client service philosophy and our Core Values of People Matter, Quality First and Integrity Always® should be visible in your actions on a day to day basis showing your support of our organizational culture.
  
  

Managing Relationships with Clients

• Achieve high ratings on client survey forms. Maintain a good relationship with each client.
• Retain all existing profitable clients and prevent attrition.
• Work to improve profitability of non-profitable clients by increasing fees or helping them find a new consulting firm.
• Offer Annual Client Review for all clients. If requested by client, complete with a formal conference call or virtual video meeting.
• Watch for changes of the clients’ needs and expectations.
• Watch for changes taking place within clients’ firm.
• Be the main contact for our clients, advisors, CPAs and attorneys who are involved with the plans for strategic plan issues.
• Be the first to be contacted by a client when they have consulting/strategic issues regarding the plans.
• Identify and define clients’ problems. Listen for problems that client is facing and find a way to provide appropriate solutions for them.
• Seek out consulting opportunities by always look for opportunities to provide additional services and consulting to clients and bill for the services.
• Be proactive and contact clients regarding upcoming events or issues, including changes at vendors and changes in the law and regulations that may affect their plans.
  
  

Managing Your Book of Business

• Work with an assigned Specialist(s) to get Normal Recurring Services done within our service standards.
• Follow-up data, trust, documents etc. necessary to complete the work in a timely fashion and minimize rushes.
• Assign appropriate tasks in Workflow and manage due dates with clients and specialists.
• Work with assigned Specialist and/or Compliance Team subgroups (e.g., loan and withdrawals, plan documents, etc.) to get Other Services done by agreed upon due date with client.
• Provide answers and solutions to problems that Specialists encounter. Address the issues right away to avoid creating bottlenecks for other team members working on your clients.
• Delegate administrative functions of the daily routine and manage the work delegated to your administrative assistant to get the work done.
  
  

Billing

• Manage a book of business as defined in your annual goals.
• Ensure client service (fee) agreements are up-to-date.
• Complete billing (write-ups, write-offs and approvals) within 5 business days of receipt from Accounting. All billing, including adjustment forms, should be done via paperless processes.
• Identify and determine the write-up/write-off amounts. Bill toward the budget of normal recurring services and other services outside of normal recurring services appropriately.
• Prepare Client Authorization Forms for additional special service projects as needed.
• Collect billing by working with Accounting. Monitor the Aging report and follow up when talking with the client about outstanding invoices. Ideal days-sales-outstanding (DSO) is less than 35 days.
  
  

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES - Internal

• Complete all required training.
• Attend appropriate internal training sessions for continuing education.
• Keep up to date of all aspects of retirement plan and/or investment consulting by reading circulated emails and papers on technical/investment issues.
• Suggest ideas to improve our processes. Discuss challenges that you face with your supervisor at any time. Suggest constructive solutions to those challenges. Share your ideas amongst your peers.
• Attend scheduled One-to-One meetings with your leader on a monthly or quarterly basis.
• Provide back up to other teams as necessary.
• Other work as assigned via Committees and/or Taskforces.
  
  

Sales

• Promote/sell additional special services to existing clients.
• Direct prospects to Sales Team to close new business as needed.
• Attend meetings/seminars to build relationships with influential people.
• If defined in annual goals, close an agreed amount of first year billings from new clients.
• Assist with other tasks and projects as assigned.
  
  

Section 3: Experience, Skills, Knowledge Requirements

• At least three years of hands-on client consulting on all aspects of actuarial administrative tasks. Includes excellent understanding of funding methods and being able to explain information contained within actuarial valuations, PBGC filings, AFTAP certifications, etc.
• At least three years of hands-on experience with defined contribution (401(k)) plans, including record keeping and vendor issues if working primarily with defined contribution plans.
• Excellent understanding of plan administration, compliance testing and pension law.
• May have to travel via car to visit clients.
• May have to travel via car or airplane to visit clients outside of local area where an overnight stay is required.
• May have to work up to 2 days per week in a corporate office based on location and distance from office.
  
  

Skills And Requirements

• Good business sense to understand clients’ business needs
• Team player
• Self-motivated
• Comfortable working with numbers
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including on the phone and presentation skills
• Excellent delegation skills
• Excellent computer skills in Excel, Word and Outlook
• Intermediate sales/negation skills
• PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
• Must be able to sit for long periods (up to 8 hours per day).
• Must be able to work on a computer 8 hours per day (includes looking at a monitor and typing using a keyboard and mouse).
• Able to use computer and talk on telephone at the same time.
  

EDUCATION/TRAINING NEEDED

• B.A./B.S. preferred
• Working towards ASPPA’s CPC designation preferred.
• If working on DB plans, have knowledge base of an Enrolled Actuary (EA) – EA preferred.
  
  

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer

Be aware of employment fraud. All email communications from Ascensus or its hiring managers originate from @ascensus.com or @futureplan.com email addresses. We will never ask you for payment or require you to purchase any equipment. If you are suspicious or unsure about validity of a job posting, we strongly encourage you to apply directly through our website.