Director, Advisor Technology Integrations

Kestra Financial, Inc.; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay and benefits

401(k)

Health insurance

Growth opportunities

Training and development

Job summary

Kestra Financial, Inc. is seeking a Director of Technology Integration to lead the tech due diligence, integration playbook, and post‑acquisition efforts across the company’s growing advisory network.

This role partners with executive leadership, corporate development, and operations to reduce complexity, align platforms, and accelerate value realization for acquired firms. The ideal candidate has 8–10+ years of technology leadership, 5+ years in M&A tech integration, and a proven ability to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in IT, CS, Engineering or Business.
• 8+ years of technology leadership experience.
• 5+ years in technology integration, transformation, or M&A.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams through large changes.
• Experience with advisor tech platforms (CRM, portfolio management, data platforms).

Responsibilities

• Lead technology due diligence for prospective acquisitions.
• Define and execute the integration playbook and roadmaps.
• Partner with Corporate Development and leadership to assess risks and opportunities.
• Develop cost estimates, synergy models, and transformation roadmaps.
• Oversee vendor evaluations, contract negotiations, and governance.
• Drive platform standardization and data integration across firms.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive presence

Effective communication

Cross-functional leadership

Vendor management

Change management

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Smartsheet

Job description

Director, Advisor Technology Integrations

Encino Building #2, 5707 Southwest Parkway, Austin, Texas, United States of America

Job Description

Posted Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 8:00 AM

Kestra Financial is a wealth management platform dedicated to empowering independent financial professionals—including traditional and hybrid RIAs—to grow their businesses and deliver exceptional client service. We combine advanced business management technology with personalized consulting to provide unmatched scale, efficiency, and support. Our advisor-focused culture is built on innovation and advocacy, enabling advisors to offer comprehensive securities and investment advisory solutions to their clients

Lead with Purpose. Partner with Impact.

Kestra Holdings is seeking a Director of Technology Integration to lead technology strategy, due diligence, and post-acquisition integration across our growing network of acquired firms.

This leader will be responsible for defining and executing the technology integration playbook that enables operational scale, advisor success, and long-term enterprise value creation. The role requires a combination of strategic thinking, technology leadership, M&A experience, vendor management, and execution discipline.

As the technology leader for M&A integrations, you will partner closely with Executive Leadership, Corporate Development, Operations, Compliance, Security, Product, and Engineering teams to evaluate acquisition opportunities, assess technology risk, and drive firms onto a common technology ecosystem. This individual will play a critical role in reducing complexity, improving advisor experience, and accelerating the realization of acquisition synergies.

The ideal candidate has deep experience leading technology transformations, integrating acquired businesses, and influencing senior stakeholders while balancing business objectives, operational realities, and technical requirements.

What you’ll Do:

• Lead all technology due diligence activities for prospective acquisitions.
• Assess target firms' technology ecosystems, infrastructure, cybersecurity posture, data architecture, vendor relationships, and operational maturity.
• Identify integration risks, technical debt, contractual obligations, and scalability concerns that may impact transaction value or execution.
• Partner with Corporate Development and Executive Leadership to provide recommendations on technology-related acquisition risks and opportunities.
• Develop integration cost estimates, synergy models, and technology transformation roadmaps to support investment decisions.

Technology Integration Leadership

• Own the technology integration strategy for acquired firms from deal close through full operational integration.
• Develop and continuously improve the M&A technology integration framework, governance model, and playbooks.
• Establish integration priorities that balance advisor experience, operational efficiency, security, and business outcomes.
• Lead complex migration initiatives involving CRM, portfolio management, financial planning, reporting, security, infrastructure, data platforms, and advisor-facing applications.
• Ensure acquisitions are successfully transitioned to Bluespring and Kestra preferred technology standards while minimizing disruption to advisors and end clients.
• Define future-state technology architectures that support scale, growth, and advisor productivity.
• Drive platform rationalization and vendor consolidation efforts to reduce technology complexity and operating costs.
• Establish standards for data integration, API frameworks, cybersecurity controls, and platform interoperability.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to modernize the advisor technology experience.
• Lead technology vendor evaluations, selection processes, contract negotiations, and ongoing governance.
• Build executive relationships with strategic technology partners.
• Hold vendors accountable to roadmap commitments, service levels, implementation quality, and business outcomes.
• Drive cost optimization initiatives while ensuring advisor needs and business requirements are met.
• Serve as executive sponsor for technology integration programs and cross‑functional initiatives.
• Establish executive‑level reporting, integration scorecards, milestones, and risk management processes.
• Lead steering committee discussions and provide regular updates to senior leadership.
• Create visibility into integration progress, dependencies, risks, and mitigation plans.

Leadership & Team Development

• Build, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team of integration leads, architects, consultants, project managers, and technology specialists.
• Foster a culture of accountability, execution, partnership, and continuous improvement.
• Influence leaders across Product, Technology, Operations, Compliance, and Advisor Technology organizations.
• Act as a trusted advisor to executives and business stakeholders on technology strategy and integration decisions.

What You Bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or related field.
• MBA, advanced technical degree, or relevant industry certifications preferred.
• 8-10+ years of progressive technology leadership experience, including experience leading large-scale enterprise technology initiatives.
• 5+ years of technology integration, transformation, or mergers and acquisitions experience.
• Proven success leading cross‑functional teams through complex organizational and technology change.
• Experience evaluating, implementing, and optimizing advisor technology platforms, including CRM, portfolio accounting, financial planning, custodial integrations, and data platforms.
• Demonstrated experience managing strategic vendor relationships and negotiating enterprise technology agreements.
• Experience presenting recommendations and business cases to executive leadership teams.
• Wealth Management, RIA, FinTech, or Financial Services experience strongly preferred.

Leadership Characteristics

• Strategic thinker with the ability to connect technology decisions to business outcomes.
• Strong executive presence and ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts into business language.
• Bias for action and proven ability to drive initiatives from strategy through execution.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and navigate complex organizational environments.
• Strong relationship builder who creates alignment across diverse stakeholders.
• Decisive leader who balances speed, risk, and long‑term value creation.
• High degree of accountability, ownership, and personal integrity.
• Continuous learner with a passion for innovation and operational excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead high‑performing teams.

Technical & Business Skills

• Deep understanding of enterprise architecture, integrations, APIs, data migration, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies.
• Strong program and portfolio management experience.
• Expertise in technology due diligence, integration planning, and post‑merger execution.
• Experience with Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, and modern project delivery frameworks.
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to evaluate technology investments, business cases, and total cost of ownership.
• Proven ability to balance advisor experience, business priorities, and technical requirements.

Internal Application Policy:

Internal applicants must be in good standing and have a minimum of 1 year of service with Kestra. Internal applicants must also have a minimum of 1 year service in current role unless approved by EVP.

Benefits to support you:

• Competitive pay and benefits with a large employer (over 1600 employees nationwide)
• 401(k), health insurance, and a competitive benefits package
• Work in a supportive, collaborative environment committed to professional excellence
• Help clients navigate meaningful financial decisions with confidence
• Opportunities for training, development, and long‑term growth within the firm

Kestra Values:

Our Mission is Powering Financial Independence, enabling the growth and success of investing clients and the advisors who serve them. We do that by living our values: Serve, Make it Happen, and One team.

Lead with purpose.

Disclosure

• You acknowledge that if hired, Kestra Financial, Inc. may, obtain and use background information concerning your credit, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, work habits, performance and experience for evaluation for your potential employment.
• It is the policy of Kestra Financial to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Kestra Financial prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.

Encino Building #2, 5707 Southwest Parkway, Austin, Texas, United States of America