3(16) Governance Operations Analyst

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

The 3(16) Audit Governance Analyst supports ERISA §3(16) fiduciary operations by performing structured reviews, supporting audit activities, coordinating certification cycles, and maintaining well‑documented procedures. This individual contributor role ensures process accuracy, audit readiness, strong control execution, and clear documentation across all in-scope 3(16) operational processes.

Section 2: Job Functions, Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Structured Reviews & Control Assessments

• Conduct structured reviews of 3(16) processes to evaluate control execution, data accuracy, evidence quality, and operational adherence.

• Perform sampling, validation, and control testing activities to identify gaps or inconsistencies.

• Maintain organized and audit-ready evidence repositories.

• Review existing 3(16) procedures to ensure alignment with control expectations and real-world execution; document update needs.

Audit Support & Audit Readiness

• Gather and validate evidence for internal audits, external audits, and client requests as needed.

• Prepare walkthrough summaries, control narratives, and evidence indexes.

• Coordinate responses to leadership and auditor questions and ensure submissions are complete and accurate.

• Support tracking, documentation, and verification of audit remediation activities.

• Document audit-related procedure updates when findings identify necessary changes.

Procedure Documentation

• Support drafting, revision, and maintenance of SOPs, work instructions, and job aids for 3(16) processes.

• Apply templates, version controls, and naming conventions.

• Work with SMEs to validate accuracy.

• Ensure procedures reflect findings from reviews, audits, certifications, and regulatory updates.

Governance & Records Management

• Assist in maintaining control mappings linking procedures, evidence, and requirements.

• Support tracking of issues, exceptions, and remediation tasks.

• Maintain documentation inventory and ensure accessibility.

• Contribute updates to procedural logs and governance trackers.

Data, Metrics & Reporting

• Prepare and update reports summarizing reviews, audit progress, certification status, and documentation currency.

• Maintain dashboards showing trends in control performance.

• Ensure reporting reflects latest procedures and evidence expectations.
• 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.
• At Ascensus we are guided by our Core Values of People Matter, Quality First and Integrity Always®. They inspire us every day to prioritize an environment of respect for those we serve and one another and should be visible in your actions on a day-to-day.

Supervision  

• N/A

Section 3:  Experience, Skills, Knowledge Requirements

Required Qualifications

• 3–5+ years in audit, compliance, risk management, or retirement operations.
• Familiarity with ERISA §3(16) responsibilities.
• Experience reviewing procedures, controls, or audit evidence.
• Strong technical writing skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SOC audits, internal audits, or similar reviews.
• Certifications such as QKA, QPA (optional).

Core Competencies

• Analytical mindset for evaluating control execution and evidence.

For all virtual remote positions, in order to ensure associates can effectively perform their job duties with no distractions, we require an uninterrupted virtual workspace and there is also an expectation of family care being in place during business hours. Additionally, there is an internet work speed requirement of 25 Mbps or better for individual use. If more than one person is utilizing the same internet connection in the same household or building, then a stronger connection is required. If you are unsure of your internet speed, please check with your service provider. Note: For call center roles specifically, it is a requirement to either hardwire your equipment directly to the internet router or ensure your workstation is in close proximity to the router. Please ensure that you are able to meet these expectations before applying.

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.