ROLE
Associate Advisor
This Associate Advisor role is with an established independent RIA — the firm's key second professional hire, built for a planning-focused advisor ready to support and eventually grow into their own client relationships.
ROLE HIGHLIGHTS
SALARY
$75,000 - $90,000
LOCATION
Columbus, OH - Hybrid
TYPE
Full-time
Job description
Be the advisor this firm can build its next chapter around
Our client is an established independent RIA that has been in business since 1989. The firm manages approximately $110 million for roughly 50 client households, custodied at Schwab, inside a planning-first, tax-forward practice. The founder manages the firm's client relationships, trading, and day-to-day operations — and is now ready to bring on the firm's key second professional: someone who can take meaningful load off the founder, deepen the planning work, and grow into their own client relationships as the firm expands.
This is not an entry-level role. The founder has the capacity to train the right person on the firm's specific processes and technology — but not to teach financial planning fundamentals from the ground up. You need to already know the work and be able to contribute meaningfully, early.
What makes this role unique?
A direct path from associate to advisor, with real mentorship from a founder who is actively managing a growth and succession horizon. As the firm grows, so does your role
A practice built around depth, not volume. The firm works with a focused client base it has served for decades. Client relationships here are measured in years, not transactions.
A genuinely sustainable pace. No surge weeks, no 60-hour sprints. Schedule flexibility has always been part of the culture.
What you will do
Sit in on client meetings, handle meeting prep, and prepare financial plans, projections, and planning deliverables.
Build and improve the firm's internal workflows and CRM-based processes — there is room here to make a real mark on how the firm operates.
Support tax-related planning work alongside the founder (the firm prepares taxes in-house and uses Holistiplan; you will not be signing returns).
Learn and work within the firm's technology stack: Advisone (CRM and portfolio management), RightCapital and Income Lab (financial planning), Schwab (custodian and rebalancer), and Holistiplan.
Over time, take on direct client relationship responsibilities as trust builds and the firm grows.
The ideal candidate
Existing experience in financial planning or wealth management — this role requires someone who already understands the work.
Strong attention to detail and a high personal standard for accuracy and follow-through.
A collaborative, low-ego working style — the firm is small and close-knit, and the founder values people who are pleasant to work with and easy to trust.
Responsiveness and client care — the firm's standard is to acknowledge client communications within 24 hours.
Comfort with or curiosity about AI tools for planning and workflow efficiency.
CFP certification or active progress toward it is a strong plus. No day-one licensing requirement (the founder handles all trading).
Experience with RightCapital, Income Lab, Holistiplan, or Advisone is a plus but not required.