Retirement Plans Specialist

About the Role: As a Retirement Plan Specialist, you will play an integral role in the Private Wealth Management Retirement Plan Solutions Department. You will be responsible for supporting Retirement Plan Consultants in serving corporate 401(k) plans. This position provides technical expertise to support financial advisors, plan sponsor clients, and plan participants. You will also collaborate with various departments and contribute to cross-functional projects and initiatives that support Baird Financial Advisors and their clients. The Impact You'll Make: Serve as a subject matter expert on corporate 401(k) plans, including plan design, compliance, fiduciary responsibilities, participant education, and regulatory updates. Provide technical support to Financial Advisors and internal departments on issues such as plan eligibility, contribution limits, nondiscrimination testing, plan corrections, and distributions. Assist Financial Advisors in evaluating and recommending retirement plan solutions tailored to the needs of corporate clients, including startup plans and plan conversions. Generate customized plan sponsor client reports, including benchmarking, investment reviews, and fiduciary documentation. Respond to requests for proposals (RFPs) from prospective plan sponsor clients, coordinating with internal teams to deliver competitive and compliant solutions. Develop and implement marketing strategies and educational materials to help Financial Advisors grow their corporate retirement plan business. Create technical content for external brochures, internal guides, and client-facing resources that support 401(k) plan education and engagement. Monitor and communicate legislative and regulatory changes affecting corporate retirement plans, including SECURE Act provisions, DOL guidance, and IRS updates. Participate in special projects, including department initiatives and cross-functional efforts that enhance the retirement plan consulting offering. Ability to work with a variety of teams and leaders, proving your ability to be flexible and highly adaptable. What You'll Bring to Baird: Bachelor’s degree and three to five years of experience working with retirement plans in the financial services industry. IRA technical knowledge a plus. SIE and Series 7 license required or ability to become licensed within 12 months. Strong customer service orientation. Strong oral and written communication skills with internal and external clients. Exceptional organizational skills as well as ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently and accurately. Ability to grasp complex technical concepts and/or strategy and accurately communicate the concepts to others. Must be a self-starter, take initiative and work independently while possessing excellent follow through skills and strong attention to detail. In addition, must have strong coordination skills to work well with other cross-functional teams. Ability to act as a team player, assisting others in the department when necessary is very important, all in a collaborative manner. Ability to shift focus in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment. #LI-CM1 Baird is committed to diversity and provides employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, military service, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other status protected by law. Baird is an employee-owned, international financial services firm specializing in wealth management, capital markets, private equity and asset management. Our mission is straightforward. We strive “to provide the best financial advice and service to our clients and be the best place to work for all.” Our culture is like no other with extraordinary people who make Baird great for our clients and one another. Nationally recognized as a great place to work since 2004, we invite you to learn more about Baird, our culture and our people. Baird is committed to inclusion & diversity for our clients, our associates and the communities where we live and work. This commitment stems from our culture of integrity, genuine concern for others and respect for the individual. We view inclusion & diversity as an ongoing journey – one of shared responsibility, continuous improvement and a focus on progress. We invite you to join us as we work together to foster an environment where diversity unites rather than divides us. Apply tot his job