Lead Financial Advisor

CMC Recruiting; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

CMC Recruiting in San Francisco is seeking a Lead Financial Advisor to manage sophisticated, high-net-worth client relationships. You will inherit an existing book, lead meetings, and work with a strong internal team to deliver high-touch financial planning and advice.

This hybrid role requires in-office presence three days per week and a track record of growth through referrals. You will collaborate with planning, operations, and client service to drive retention and organic growth.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years in wealth management or financial planning.
• Proven ability to manage high-net-worth relationships.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills; comfortable leading meetings.
• In-office in San Francisco three days per week.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of high-net-worth clients and deliver comprehensive financial advice.
• Lead client meetings and guide planning decisions.
• Collaborate with planning, operations, and client service teams to deliver a seamless client experience.
• Identify opportunities for client retention and organic growth through referrals and relationship expansion.
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative team culture and internal growth.

Skills

Wealth management

Financial planning

High-net-worth relationships

Client meetings

Team collaboration

Business development

Referral generation

Tools

CRM systems

Planning software

Job description

Location: San Francisco, CA (Hybrid – 3 days in office)

Compensation:

• Base Salary: $130,000–$180,000 (depending on experience and credentials)
• Bonus: 10–25% based on client retention, engagement, and team contribution
• Business Development Incentive: Additional variable comp tied to new client revenue (typically 5–10% of first-year revenue or structured payout)
• Total Compensation Potential: $160,000–$250,000+

Our client is a highly respected, team-oriented wealth management firm with a strong track record of long-term client relationships and internal collaboration. The team is tenured, supportive, and genuinely enjoys working together. They take pride in delivering thoughtful, high-touch advice and celebrating wins as a group.

They are seeking a Lead Financial Advisor who can step into a meaningful client-facing role immediately, managing sophisticated relationships while contributing to the continued growth of the firm.

This is not a “build your own book” role. You will inherit and lead relationships, supported by a strong internal team, with the opportunity to grow organically over time.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for a portfolio of high-net-worth client relationships
• Lead client meetings, deliver comprehensive financial advice, and guide decision-making across planning areas
• Build trust quickly and maintain deep, long-term relationships with clients
• Collaborate closely with internal team members (planning, operations, client service) to deliver a seamless client experience
• Identify opportunities to deepen existing client relationships and support retention efforts
• Participate in business development efforts, primarily through referrals and natural relationship expansion (not cold prospecting)
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative team culture

Qualifications:

• 7–15+ years of experience in wealth management or financial planning
• Proven ability to manage and advise high-net-worth or complex client relationships
• Strong communication skills with the ability to simplify complex topics
• Team-oriented mindset with a low-ego, collaborative approach
• Experience leading client meetings independently
• Business development mindset, with a natural ability to generate referrals and new opportunities
• Ability to work in-office in San Francisco three days per week

30 / 60 / 90 Day Plan (with Metrics)

First 30 Days

• Learn the firm’s client philosophy, service model, and planning approach
• Meet internal team members and understand roles/responsibilities
• Shadow client meetings and review existing client relationships
• Get up to speed on CRM, planning tools, and workflows

Metrics:

• Attend or shadow 15–25 client meetings
• Complete training/onboarding across all core systems (CRM, planning tools, reporting)
• Demonstrate understanding of top 20–30 client households (notes, plans, key details)
• Build internal relationships with all key team members

60 Days

• Begin co-leading and then leading select client meetings
• Take ownership of portions of client relationships with support
• Identify opportunities to enhance planning and client experienceEstablish consistent communication cadence with clients

Metrics:

• Co-lead or lead 10–15 client meetings
• Take partial ownership of 15–25 client households
• Identify at least 3–5 planning opportunities or client experience improvements
• Maintain 100% follow-up on client action items within agreed timelines

90 Days

• Fully own a segment of client relationships as the lead advisor
• Confidently lead client meetings and ongoing communication
• Begin contributing to organic growth through referrals and relationship expansion
• Be fully integrated into the team and contributing to overall client strategy

Metrics:

• Fully own 30–50 client relationships (depending on complexity)
• Lead 15–25 client meetings independently
• Generate 2–4 referral opportunities or new client introductions
• Maintain high client satisfaction (qualitative feedback from team and clients)
• Achieve near 100% retention across assigned client relationships