Business Development Manager

Kernel Wealth Limited; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Parental leave top-up

Professional development support

Extra staff holidays

Office snacks and coffee

Dog-friendly environment

Flexible hybrid setup

Job summary

Kernel Wealth Limited is seeking a senior Business Development Manager to deepen its adviser network across New Zealand. You will foster independent and mid‑tier firm relationships and guide conversations that extend beyond fund sales, integrating low‑cost, transparent investment solutions into client portfolios.

You’ll shape national distribution strategy, support advisers with portfolio construction and investment philosophy, and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to drive long‑term value

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in funds management, wealth management, or financial services.
• Strong understanding of the New Zealand adviser ecosystem.
• Credibility discussing portfolio construction, asset allocation, and market structure.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with experienced business owners.
• A consultative mindset, comfortable challenging traditional thinking when appropriate.
• Confidence operating independently across a national territory.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Commercial judgement, maturity, and a strong personal brand in front of clients.

Responsibilities

• Build and own relationships with financial advisers across New Zealand, with a focus on independent and mid‑tier firms.
• Act as a trusted partner to advisers engaging in conversations that go beyond individual funds.
• Support advisers with portfolio construction discussions, investment philosophy, and cost‑efficient portfolio design.
• Bring informed perspectives on KiwiSaver, retirement policy, and long‑term investing trends.
• Develop and execute a national business development plan aligned to Kernel’s growth strategy.
• Translate Kernel’s investment approach into clear, commercially relevant adviser narratives.
• Work closely with Relationship Management, Investment, Marketing, Product and Client Services teams.
• Capture adviser feedback and market insights to inform distribution strategy and content development

Skills

Relationship building

Portfolio construction

NZ adviser ecosystem

Communication

Commercial judgement

Independence

Presentation skills

Tools

HubSpot

Job description

About the role

Kernel is growing and we’re building out our adviser distribution capability for the first time.

We’re looking for a Business Development Manager to help deepen Kernel’s presence across the New Zealand financial adviser community. This is a senior, relationship‑led role focused on long‑term value creation, not short‑term product sales.

You’ll work directly with independent and mid‑tier advice firms nationwide, helping advisers integrate low‑cost, high‑transparency investment solutions into client portfolios while navigating portfolio construction, retirement policy, and the practical realities of running a modern advice business.

This role plays a critical part in shaping how Kernel partners with advisers and in building a scalable adviser channel for the future.

About Kernel

We're a 100% Kiwi owned and operated fintech on a mission to make wealth accessible for every Kiwi. Our investment platform takes the guesswork out of investing – offering KiwiSaver, Managed Funds, US shares & ETFs, and Smart Saver accounts, all in one place with some of the lowest fees in the market.
We're at an exciting stage. Scaling fast, expanding our team of globally experienced financial professionals, and building the foundations for what's next. Our culture is collaborative, hands‑on and ambitious – built on trust, innovation and saying it like it is. We value diverse perspectives, empower individuality, and believe the best ideas come from thinking together.
Things move quickly here, and every person plays a key role in shaping our future.

What you’ll do

• Build and own relationships with financial advisers across New Zealand, with a focus on independent and mid‑tier firms
• Act as a trusted partner to advisers engaging in conversations that go beyond individual funds.
• Support advisers with portfolio construction discussions, investment philosophy, and cost‑efficient portfolio design
• Bring informed perspectives on KiwiSaver, retirement policy, and long‑term investing trends
• Develop and execute a national business development plan aligned to Kernel’s growth strategy
• Translate Kernel’s investment approach into clear, commercially relevant adviser narratives
• Work closely with Relationship Management, Investment, Marketing, Product and Client Services teams
• Capture adviser feedback and market insights to inform distribution strategy and content development

You’ll be great if you bring

• 5+ years’ experience in funds management, wealth management, or financial services
• Strong understanding of the New Zealand adviser ecosystem
• Credibility discussing portfolio construction, asset allocation, and market structure
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with experienced business owners
• A consultative mindset, comfortable challenging traditional thinking when appropriate
• Confidence operating independently across a national territory
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Commercial judgement, maturity, and a strong personal brand in front of clients
  Previous BDM experience is helpful but not essential - industry credibility and relationship maturity matter most.

Bonus things you could bring along to the role

• Experience working with advisers in Australia, the UK, Asia or other offshore markets
• Exposure to passive investment strategies or institutional portfolio construction
• Familiarity with CRM tools (HubSpot experience is a plus)
• Interest in improving sales processes, reporting, or using technology to drive efficiency
• Experience contributing to adviser‑facing content, presentations, or events

Why You’ll Love it at Kernel

• Shape investment products in a way no other fintech in New Zealand is approaching, connecting everyday financial goals with intuitive and customer centric design
• Contribute to a platform trusted by tens of thousands of Kiwis, helping them feel more confident and in control of their money
• Join a team built on trust, collaboration, and flexibility, where feedback is constructive and everyone has a voice
• Competitive compensation package
• Enjoy the best of both worlds with a flexible hybrid setup, connect in person while keeping the freedom to work from home up to couple of days each week (minimum 3 days/week in the office).
• Health insurance, parental leave top-up, and professional development support
• Extra staff holidays, office snacks, coffee, and a dog-friendly environment