Regional Vice President, Partner Programs

This role is remote but requires the candidate to be based in the Chicago, IL metropolitan area.

The Company:

Merit is a fast growing, pioneering financial services firm that invests heavily in the growth and development of team members. Merit seeks to establish, educate, and help individuals reach their financial goals as they transition into and experience retirement. With an unswerving commitment to excellence and reliability, Merit provides objective financial advice and believes in establishing long-lasting relationships. By offering an array of services, clients can receive tailored solutions that promote growth and help them achieve financial goals.

Merit believes in addressing the retirement challenges in America by helping clients reach financial freedom and confidence to the working population and retirees alike. This focus on comprehensive financial wellness enables us to deliver the ultimate client experience.

Headquartered in Alpharetta, GA, with 39 locations across the country, Merit balances tactical advice with innovative strategy. Our 250 hardworking employees are leaders rooted in humility and we are poised to grow. Merit is a multi-generational firm with a foundation built around servant leadership and total team leadership. We have been recognized as a “Best Places to Work” by InvestmentNews and have made the fastest growing companies list in both INC 5000 and Georgia’s Fastest 40. As we expand and work to bring our relationship-driven approach to the financial industry, we are looking for the right individuals to join our team.

The Position:

The Regional Vice President role is to develop, maintain, and grow our partner programs, and serve as the client relationship liaison between the prospective client, our strategic partners, and financial advisory teams. This position is to drive sales efforts for our financial advisory teams while ensuring client service and retention standards are met. This position provides initial steps in the financial planning process to prospective clients by establishing the initial relationship, explaining our financial advisory and wealth management services, defining mutual responsibilities and begin client data gathering needed in the financial advisory process.

Responsibilities:

Develop / Maintain Referral Programs

• Support Merit’s fast growing strategic partner referral programs in key markets.
• Develop a growth plan for the market to include due diligence, key personnel and specific action plans, objectives, and timelines.
• Design engagement programs to ensure strategic partner offices receive consistent and meaningful touch points including reporting, training, education, seminars, etc.
• Establish strong relationships with key personnel at assigned strategic referral programs in the market.

Referral Program Growth

• Work with Growth leadership and counterparts in other regions to further design, develop and refine Merit’s Referral Programs to include additional infrastructure, training, and reporting required to continue growth of the Program. This role will specifically focus on growing the YouTube organic growth track.
• Expand local Referral Programs to include additional Centers of Influence and existing clients – engaging with available AVP(s) as needed to extend your relationship coverage.

*Please note the job responsibilities may vary, grow and change.

Salary + Benefits:

• Competitive, based on experience
• Medical Insurance  
• Dental/Vision Insurance   
• Life & Personal Accident Insurance 
• Short-term Disability Insurance   
• Long-term Disability Insurance  
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Account (HSA) or Dependent Care FSA  
• 401(k) Plan with company matching
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays 

Best Places To Work for Financial Advisors 2018-2024: Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 – Recognized firms were required to be a registered investment advisor (RIA) that has been in business at least one year and having a minimum of 15 full-time/part-time employees. The assessment consisted of a questionnaire on benefits and policies completed by human resources staff along with an engagement & satisfaction survey completed by a minimum of 40% of staff. 50 firms were selected for this award from an undisclosed list of submissions. There was no charge to be included in this award listing.

Georgia Fast 40 2019 and 2022: The Georgia Fast 40 for 2019 and 2022 was awarded by the Atlanta Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth. To be eligible companies must be for profit and headquartered in Georgia and the most recent year-end revenues ranging from $15 million to $500 million and have three years of verifiable revenue and employment growth.

Inc 5000 2019, 2020 & 2021: The Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index, which consists of more than 5000 companies, represents virtually all of the capitalization of the entire U.S. stock market

Compensation: Merit Financial Advisors offers competitive compensation based on experience, qualifications, location, and market data. Where required by applicable law, salary ranges will be provided during the hiring process.

Requirements

• 4-year degree in business, finance, marketing or related
• 7+ years of business development / sales experience in investment management and/or financial advisory industry with demonstrated ability to develop and manage client relationships, experience working with Custodians such as Schwab and Fidelity
• Licensure:
• FINRA Series 7 and 66 (or 63 and 65) in Hybrid BD/RIA Offices
• FINRA Series 65 in RIA Only Offices
• CFP designation or MBA in financial advisory, preferred.
• Strong financial advisory and wealth management acumen and experience.
• A track-record of success obtaining referrals from own network and converting such referrals to new business.
• Experienced sales skills to determine the needs of partners and prospects through consultative questions, offering solutions and asking for the right actions and next steps.
• Demonstrated strategic planning and selling experience.
• Willingness to travel regularly in assigned market.
• Periodic travel outside of territory (10-15%)
• Experience using CRM systems (Salesforce, preferred)
• Excellent communication, presentation, listening and analytical skills.
• Proven time management and organizational skills in high-volume, high-energy environments