Assistant General Counsel - Retirement & Employee Benefits

Our vision for the future is based on the idea that transforming financial lives starts by giving our people the freedom to transform their own. We have a flexible work environment, and fluid career paths. We not only encourage but celebrate internal mobility. We also recognize the importance of purpose, well-being, and work-life balance. Within Empower and our communities, we work hard to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, and our associates dedicate thousands of hours to volunteering for causes that matter most to them. Chart your own path and grow your career while helping more customers achieve financial freedom. Empower Yourself. Join Empower as the Legal Department’s principal legal advisor supporting one of the industry's growing defined benefit and multiemployer retirement businesses. As an Assistant General Counsel, you will have primary legal responsibility for Empower's defined benefit and multiemployer (Taft-Hartley) business, serving as the principal legal advisor to business partners supporting these products and services. You will provide practical, business-focused legal counsel on complex ERISA, tax, fiduciary, operational, administrative, and regulatory matters that support the successful operation and continued growth of the business. As Empower continues to expand and evolve its defined benefit offerings, you will play a key role in supporting the day-to-day operation of the business while helping shape future growth through product enhancements, operational improvements, strategic initiatives, and client solutions. You will also provide legal support for health and welfare plans and partner with other members of the Legal Department to support defined contribution plans, IRAs, and other retirement products and services as business needs require. In this highly collaborative role, you will partner closely with leaders across Product, Operations, Client Service, Sales, Investments, Compliance, Risk Management, Marketing, Finance, Technology, and other corporate functions to develop practical legal solutions that enable innovation, effectively manage risk, support operational excellence, and deliver exceptional outcomes for Empower, plan sponsors, and participants. What You Will Do Strategic Business Partnership Serve as the principal legal advisor to business leaders supporting Empower's defined benefit and multiemployer (Taft-Hartley) business. Lead legal support for the ongoing operation of Empower's growing defined benefit and multiemployer business, advising on complex ERISA, tax, fiduciary, administrative, operational, compliance, and regulatory matters affecting products, services, client relationships, and day-to-day business operations. Partner with business leaders to identify opportunities to enhance existing products, services, operational capabilities, and client retention while supporting the continued growth and evolution of the defined benefit and multiemployer businesses. Advise on the development, enhancement, and administration of retirement and employee benefit products and services, helping move strategic initiatives from concept through implementation. Partner across Product, Operations, Client Service, Sales, Investments, Marketing, Compliance, Risk Management, Finance, Technology, and other business functions to identify legal considerations early and develop practical, business-focused solutions. Collaborate with attorneys across the Legal Department to provide consistent, enterprise-wide legal guidance and leverage the broader legal team's expertise in support of the business. Develop and enhance legal frameworks, governance processes, and compliance practices that support effective risk management by balancing legal, regulatory, operational, and reputational risks while enabling innovation, operational excellence, and business growth. Defined Benefit, Taft-Hartley & Employee Benefits Expertise Serve as the Legal Department's primary attorney supporting defined benefit plans and multiemployer (Taft-Hartley) plans, advising on complex ERISA, tax qualification, fiduciary issues and prohibited transactions, reporting and disclosure rules,  and regulatory matters. Provide legal counsel on the unique governance, fiduciary, operational, compliance, and regulatory issues affecting multiemployer (Taft-Hartley) plans. Advise on defined benefit plan qualification, design, administration, funding, operational compliance, pension risk transfer transactions, plan freezes, mergers, spin-offs, and plan terminations. Provide ongoing legal guidance supporting the administration and operation of Empower's defined benefit and multiemployer (Taft-Hartley) businesses, including recordkeeping, trust and custody services, administrative services, participant services, investment-related offerings, and the resolution of escalated client concerns. Provide legal support for health and welfare plans and consumer directed healthcare (CDH) benefit arrangements, including Health Savings Accounts, Health Retirement Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts. Provide sophisticated legal counsel regarding ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury regulations, IRS and Department of Labor guidance, SECURE Act developments, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA and other federal laws governing retirement and employee benefit plans. Partner with colleagues across the Legal Department to support defined contribution plans, IRAs, rollover solutions, and other retirement products and services as business needs require. Advise on operational and fiduciary correction matters, including the IRS Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS), Department of Labor correction programs, related compliance strategies and Empower client contract commitments. Monitor legislative, regulatory, and industry developments affecting the administration of retirement plans, health & welfare plans and CDH arrangements and translate emerging legal requirements into practical guid