Chief Financial Planning & Strategy Architect

Guardian Life; Denver (CO); Remote; USD 277,000 - 336,000; Full time

Job summary

Guardian Life is seeking a senior leader to set and execute enterprise financial planning strategy across channels and client segments. You will build a protection-first, holistic planning model integrating insurance, retirement, investments, and wealth management, and scale delivery for advisors and clients.

The role requires deep experience in financial services, HNW/UHNW planning, and leading cross-functional initiatives to drive planning quality and business outcomes.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in financial services, wealth management, financial planning, or a related field, including significant leadership responsibility.
• Experience leading planning or advice strategy within an insurance, investment, or wealth management organization.
• Demonstrated experience supporting complex HNW and UHNW client needs and building scalable models for multiple client and advisor segments.
• Deep understanding of how life insurance, annuities, retirement, investments, and protection solutions work together in a holistic financial plan.
• Knowledge of advanced planning concepts and the ability to translate complex technical information into actionable, client- and advisor-friendly solutions.
• Experience using technology, digital capabilities, data, and performance measures to improve planning quality, adoption, productivity, and business outcomes.
• Proven ability to lead teams and influence senior stakeholders across distribution, product, operations, technology, marketing, legal, and compliance.
• Strong strategic thinking, business acumen, communication, judgment, integrity, and collaboration skills.
• Commitment to Guardian's purpose of helping clients protect what matters and achieve long-term financial security.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise planning strategy and develop a protection-first, holistic framework.
• Design scalable planning models for complex HNW and UHNW needs.
• Advance digital planning capabilities to improve planning quality, advisor productivity, client engagement, and scale.
• Translate complex financial concepts into practical tools, frameworks, and client-friendly recommendations.
• Evaluate and integrate third-party capabilities where they strengthen the planning proposition.
• Lead the GWAM strategy and team across thought leadership, case consultation, case design, business development, and sales campaigns, in alignment with Client Solutions and Wealth Management objectives.
• Advance sophisticated solutions for HNW and UHNW clients, including estate planning, tax-efficient structures, insurance strategies, and legacy planning.
• Partner with advisors, product teams, and internal and external specialists to address complex client needs and integrate advanced planning into broader engagement models.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Guardian's HNW and UHNW value proposition through innovative, competitive planning solutions.
• Establish planning best practices, advisor enablement programs, training, and coaching strategies in partnership with distribution, regional and field leaders, product teams, and CSWM leadership.
• Foster a planning-first culture centered on client needs, protection, implementation, and long-term relationship building.
• Collaborate with Park Avenue Wealth Management and field partners to drive consistent execution while addressing segment-specific and complex planning needs.
• Partner with marketing and communications to ensure the protection-first, holistic planning approach is reflected clearly and consistently in internal and external content.
• Influence product development, distribution strategy, and executive decision-making through data-driven insights, client outcomes, market intelligence, and planning trends.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives by aligning stakeholders, managing dependencies, and accelerating enterprise priorities across product, operations, technology, marketing, legal, compliance, and distribution.
• In partnership with analytics and business teams, define metrics and reporting for plan utilization, advisor adoption, planning quality, client outcomes, productivity, and revenue impact.
• Establish accountability and performance-management disciplines that improve financial planning quality, consistency, adoption, client outcomes, and organizational effectiveness.
• Partner with legal and compliance to ensure advanced planning strategies align with regulatory requirements, risk standards, and firm policies.
• Build and lead a high-performing team of financial planning and advanced-market professionals
• Set clear priorities, operating rhythms, and development expectations; allocate expertise against the highest-value needs.
• Model sound judgment, integrity, collaboration, and executive-level communication while influencing senior stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Influence senior stakeholders

Job description

Guardian Life is seeking a senior leader to set and execute enterprise financial planning strategy across channels and client segments. You will build a protection-first, holistic planning model integrating insurance, retirement, investments, and wealth management, and scale delivery for advisors and clients.

The role requires deep experience in financial services, HNW/UHNW planning, and leading cross-functional initiatives to drive planning quality and business outcomes.