Finance role
Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) Audit Associate Recruiters
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You interview a short list.
Financial Headhunters: Identify plan discrepancies during busy season by hiring associates experienced with defined contribution audit testing.
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- Controller
- CFO
- VP Finance
- FP&A Director
- Accounting Manager
- Director of Accounting
- Assistant Controller
- Tax Director
- Treasury Manager
- Internal Audit Director
- Senior Accountant
- Financial Analyst
- Head of Financial Reporting
- Commercial Lender
- Chief Credit Officer
- Business Systems Finance Lead
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Accounting, finance, banking and insurance
- We reach people who aren’t on job boards
- Replacement terms on standard searches
01
What does this hire really come down to?
This hire executes EBP audit tests from planning through final report. You need someone who executes plan testing and maintains current workpaper files. Their primary job is finding errors in participant data and financial statements.
We ask candidates to detail their experience with ERISA requirements and specific plan audits. We test their technical ability by asking how they handle missing census data or reconciliation errors. We look for someone who can explain how they mapped plan contributions to payroll records without oversight.
Judgment rests on whether they spot issues during testing or push them to the next level. We need them to identify when test samples fail and document the results for the partner review. If they cannot explain the underlying control risk of a failed test, they will slow down your team.
When scoping this EBP audit associate role, focus your inquiry on the actual mechanics of their recent engagements. Ask them to describe a specific audit where the client provided disorganized census data. Do not settle for theoretical answers. Force them to walk through the exact steps they took to reconcile plan assets against payroll records. Look for evidence that they understand the link between Form 5500 preparation and the underlying substantive test work. If they cannot clearly describe their process for mapping individual participant contributions, assume they lack the necessary technical depth for your current volume. Ask them to name the specific audit software features they used to track their testing progress and how they managed their own review notes during the height of busy season. A reliable candidate will be able to explain how they identified a control deficiency during testing and the specific steps they took to document that finding for senior review. If they struggle to explain the difference between testing internal controls and substantive analytical procedures in an EBP context, they are not ready for this assignment. Verify their ability to handle ERISA-specific requirements by asking how they handled a plan that failed the ADP or ACP testing protocols. Listen for their ability to cite relevant standards and their confidence in adjusting their workpapers to reflect those findings. Their answers must be rooted in technical application rather than administrative oversight. Use these concrete examples to determine if their daily work habits will match your team requirements or if they will require constant supervision throughout the audit lifecycle.
02
What do we check before you see anyone?
- 01We confirm they have actual field experience with EBP audit workpapers and defined contribution plan testing specifically.
- 02We verify they are comfortable using common audit software like CaseWare or CCH Engagement for documentation.
- 03We confirm they have passed or are currently making active progress toward the CPA designation.
- 04We check that they have managed multiple plan audits simultaneously during busy season under strict deadlines.
- 05We verify their ability to identify and document internal control deficiencies during the audit process.
- 06We verify they distinguish between substantive testing and control testing in benefit plan audits.
03
Where do we find them?
We look for candidates currently working in regional or mid-sized public accounting firms that specialize in EBP compliance. We also source from audit departments where staff handle high-volume seasonal work. Good candidates often consider moving when their current firm lacks clear paths for audit progression or when they want to focus exclusively on ERISA-specific compliance rather than general commercial audit work. We look for people who are tired of general audit shifts and want the predictable, if intense, rhythm of EBP busy season.
04
Which hiring mistakes should you watch for?
- 01Hiring general commercial auditors who lack specific training in Form 5500 filings or ERISA-related testing standards.
- 02Overlooking the need for technical software proficiency, leading to weeks of lost time while the new hire learns basic workpaper flow.
- 03Failing to vet for busy-season stamina which results in early turnover when the volume of 401k audits spikes.
05
The search in three steps
- 01Screening candidates based on their audit software proficiency and specific experience with EBP audit workpapers.
- 02Conducting interviews to verify their technical understanding of ERISA requirements and testing procedures.
- 03Presenting qualified individuals for your team review once all credentials and experience are confirmed.
How your Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) Audit Associate search runs
How does The Six-Step Search work?
One sequence, from a well-defined seat to a shortlist you can judge.
Search Calibration
We start with a call about the seat, the books, the owners and the people the hire will work with. We learn what the role must fix in the first year and what would make a candidate wrong even if the resume looks right.
You get: A written search brief: scope, must-haves, deal-breakers and the pay range, agreed with you.
Market Mapping
We map the companies and institutions where the right people already work: similar size, similar ownership, similar complexity, in your market and in others.
You get: The target list of companies and institutions we will search, reviewed with you before outreach.
Professional Contact Intelligence
We find direct ways to reach the people on the map. Most are employed and not reading job boards, so reaching them takes real research.
You get: Direct routes to people who are not on job boards, researched for your search.
Persistent Personalized Outreach
We call and write to people individually and follow up. Interest varies, so we discuss the actual opportunity rather than promising a particular response.
You get: One-to-one conversations about your actual role, followed up, never a mass email blast.
Live Candidate Qualification
We speak with every candidate before you do. We check scope, systems, reporting lines, compensation expectations, location and why they would move.
You get: Only candidates we have spoken with, checked on scope, systems, pay, location and motive.
Candidate Intelligence and Process Support
You receive a short written brief on each finalist covering what they have done, where they are thin and what they want. Then we help with interviews, references and the offer.
You get: A short written brief on each finalist, plus help with interviews, references, counteroffer risk and the offer.
Questions people ask
When must I pay for finding someone who identifies discrepancies in participant data files?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
How do you define the decision rights for this level?
This staff role performs the testing and documentation but does not have signing authority or the power to determine final audit opinions. They report directly to the in-charge auditor or audit manager.
Can you provide a seasonal worker instead of a full-time hire?
We can adjust the search to focus on seasonal professionals for busy season, provided we define the terms and duration of the engagement in writing.
Is this role remote or office-based?
This depends on your firm's current policy. We will source candidates who match your specific requirement for either remote or on-site work based on the job description.
What is the fee for a Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) Audit Associate search?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. The fee and terms are agreed in writing before we start.
How soon will I see a Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) Audit Associate shortlist?
It depends on the seat, the location and the pay. We give you an honest read after the calibration call and we do not promise dates we cannot control.
What about counteroffers on a Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) Audit Associate hire?
We ask every Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) Audit Associate candidate early why they would move and what their employer might do to keep them. Counteroffer risk goes in the written brief before you make an offer.
What is your guarantee?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What don't you do?
We do not post your Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) Audit Associate job and forward whoever applies. We do not send stacks of unscreened resumes, and we do not recruit outside accounting, finance, banking and insurance.
Start a search
Tell us about the seat.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
Not ready to start a search?
Get a practical read on the talent market or the job description. No fee or obligation.
What does the published pay data show?
$83,680 national annual median. SOC 13-2011: Accountants and Auditors.
BLS reports Accountants and Auditors, not a separate wage for Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) Audit Associate. This broader occupation does not distinguish seniority, work arrangement or language requirements.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released 2026-05-15. This is not a separately measured salary for this exact title.
Read the full salary guide