Financial Advisory - Service Advisor

Kestra•Lexington, KY

About The Position

The Service Advisor services and manages client relationships, generally Tier 3 and 4 clients with potential for select Tier 2 relationships, delivering financial planning, investment, and wealth management advice with limited oversight. Building on CFP® knowledge and real-world experience, the Service Advisor manages the full client-service process for an assigned book of business and consults a Lead Advisor or Director of Wealth Management on complex or high-stakes decisions. This is a developing professional role for someone who deepens existing relationships, mentors Support Advisors, and is on the path toward a Lead Advisor role. The Service Advisor is expected to reflect the firm’s values and uphold professionalism, accountability, and client focus. Success is measured by responsibility for a developing book of up to approximately $1M in revenue (illustrative and subject to firm calibration), client retention and satisfaction, growth of existing relationships and referrals, and performance evaluations completed by the Director of Wealth Management.

Requirements

At minimum, Series 65 required.
Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline such as Accounting, Finance, or Economics.
Typically 3 to 5 years of financial planning, service delivery, and client interaction.
Track record of successful contributions to client service and project management.
Solid working knowledge of financial planning, investment management, and wealth management.
Ability to independently manage a book of client relationships with limited oversight.
Strong client-facing communication and presentation skills.
Sound judgment in recognizing when to escalate complex decisions.
Proficiency in financial planning, CRM, and portfolio management systems.
Ability to mentor and train Support Advisors.
Ability to coordinate across advisory, client service, and operations teams.
Commitment to professionalism, accountability, and client focus.

Nice To Haves

CFP® certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage an assigned book of client relationships, generally Tier 3 and 4 with potential for select Tier 2 clients, serving as the primary advisor and setting personal client-retention milestones.
Manage significant portions of the seven-step financial planning process for standard cases; prepare, deliver, and update plans, and finalize assumptions with the Lead Advisor.
Apply insurance, investment, tax, retirement, and estate-planning knowledge to typical client needs; identify tax-efficient opportunities, evaluate policy options, develop retirement income strategies, and coordinate with attorneys and CPAs on moderately complex matters.
Apply and explain the firm’s investment models and communicate their rationale to clients; develop knowledge of the macroeconomic environment as it relates to portfolio selection and explain it to clients.
Uphold ethical standards in client interactions, disclose potential conflicts, maintain continuing education, and model professionalism for staff.
Grow the assigned book by identifying opportunities for additional services and generating referrals from existing clients.
Mentor Support Advisors, share knowledge with peers, and help develop teammates.
Address more complex cases using education and experience, analyze client scenarios with planning tools, weigh options, and recommend process improvements.
Initiate and complete client-service work with minimal supervision, while consulting a Lead Advisor or Director of Wealth Management on complex or high-stakes decisions.
Coordinate successfully across advisory, client service, and operations teams.