The Manager, Advisor Succession and Acquisition, plays a pivotal role in developing and executing our comprehensive advisor succession and acquisition strategy within the organization’s advisor ecosystem. This role is essential in managing transitions related to succession, acquisition, and continuity; death and disability, ensuring exceptional experiences for both advisors and clients. Responsibilities include providing direct consultation to leading financial advisors, building close partnerships with key organizational leaders within Advisor Practice Solutions, Distribution teams, and other internal partners. This Manager will lead a team of dedicated consultants, assess and adapt program processes, tools, and education to align with the organization’s strategic goals. This role will also balance strategic planning with hands-on program execution and drive the successful implementation of transition initiatives across the organization.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
· Provide leadership and strategic direction to a team of consultants, driving the successful influence or execution of transition strategies, teaming programs, and initiatives to ensure impactful outcomes.
· Lead the development and implementation of robust succession and acquisition planning programs, ensuring alignment with Thrivent’s objectives and industry best practices.
· Guide high-profile financial advisors through complex succession and acquisition planning scenarios, offering expertise to achieve seamless transitions and continuity of client care.
· Ensure a significant percentage of advisors approaching retirement have actionable succession plans that support client retention and practice sustainability.
· Build and maintain programs that encourage early engagement of financial advisors in their succession or acquisition planning processes.
· Partner with key stakeholders, including legal, compliance, and HR teams, to align transition strategies with company policies and regulatory requirements.
· Accelerate the organization’s capabilities to facilitate external acquisitions, aligning efforts with strategic growth initiatives and advisor readiness.
· Collaborate with Practice Growth Directors, Teaming Consultants, and Capacity Growth COE to develop acquisition readiness programs and support successful advisor practice transitions.
· Oversee the Advisor Legacy Program, providing a comprehensive, end-to-end experience for advisors executing their succession plans.
· Leverage data and metrics to evaluate program impact, track performance, and make data-driven adjustments to meet organizational and field objectives.
· Develop integration strategies that ensure seamless transitions for clients and advisors post-acquisition, driving measurable growth in practice capacity and profitability.
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:
Required:
Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, or a related field; advanced degree or designation (e.g., MBA, CFP®) preferred.
A minimum of 7 years of experience in financial services, with a focus on succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, or a related field.
A minimum of 3 years of experience coaching and leading teams, with a proven ability to develop talent and drive performance in a high-stakes environment.
Demonstrated ability to coach advisors on practice management expectations, with a focus on readiness and capability for successful succession and acquisition plans.
Ability to identify and analyze trends in advisor succession and acquisition planning to drive data-informed strategies.
In-depth knowledge of succession planning, practice mergers, acquisitions, and best practices in structuring transition planning programs.
Proven ability to manage complex, overlapping transitions while maintaining exceptional service and experience standards for all stakeholders.
Strong understanding of practice valuations, industry trends, and the financial principles underpinning advisor business transitions.
Familiarity with advisor business models, client retention strategies, and regulatory considerations affecting succession and acquisition plans.
Exceptional problem-solving and analytical abilities to navigate and resolve transition-related challenges.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills to engage and educate advisors, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams effectively.
Pay Transparency
Thrivent provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable local, state, or federal law. This policy applies to all employees and job applicants.
Thrivent is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please let us know by sending an email to human.resources@thrivent.com or call 800-847-4836 and request Human Resources.