What are the responsibilities and job description for the RIA Business Management Consultant position at Cetera Financial Group?
Job Description
The RIA Business Management Consultant is a senior-level, hybrid practice management and recruiting strategist responsible for driving efficiency, growth, and enterprise value across affiliated RIA firms. This role combines advisory focused business consulting with recruiting strategy leadership to deliver holistic growth support for RIA firms. The consultant will act both as a strategic business advisor — guiding firm executives on operational excellence, growth, and enterprise value, and a recruiting subject matter expert — helping firms attract, evaluate, and onboard advisory talent to scale their businesses.
This unified role plays a critical part in strengthening the RIA network, enhancing firm performance, and positioning Cetera as the partner of choice for growth‑oriented firms.
What You Will Do
Compensation: The salary range for this role is from $131,000-$170,000 base, a competitive performance-based bonus. Compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years and depth of experience, certifications, and specific office location. Compensation ranges may differ in differing locations due to cost of labor considerations.
About Us
ABOUT US
What We Give You In Return
Not many teams can say that they support people’s dreams coming to life… We happen to do that every day. And as important as we know your career is, we recognize that there’s a whole lot more to life. To ensure that our Employees can make the most of their time outside of working hours, we offer a competitive salary and for full-time roles, a benefits package including:
Cetera Financial Group ® ("Cetera") is a leading network of independent retail broker-dealers empowering the delivery of objective financial advice to individuals, families and company retirement plans across the country through trusted financial advisors and financial institutions. Cetera is one of the largest independent financial advisor networks in the nation by number of advisors, as well as a leading provider of retail services to the investment programs of banks and credit unions.
Through its multiple distinct firms, Cetera offers independent and institutions-based advisors the benefits of a large, established broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, while serving advisors and institutions in a way that is customized to their needs and aspirations. Advisor support resources offered through Cetera include award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, practice management support, and innovative technology.
" Cetera Financial Group " refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC , Cetera Wealth Services LLC (f/k/a Cetera Advisor Networks), Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions, or Cetera Investors . All firms are members FINRA/SIPC.
Cetera Financial Group is committed to providing an equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. For us, this is the only acceptable way to do business. Accordingly, all employment decisions at Cetera Financial Group, including those relating to hiring, promotion, transfers, benefits, compensation, and placement, will be made without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, age, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic characteristics, religion, religious dress and/or grooming, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, U.S. military status, political affiliation, or any other class protected by state and/or federal law.
Agencies please note: this recruitment assignment is being managed directly by Cetera’s Talent Acquisition team. We will reach out to our preferred agency partners in the rare instance we require additional talent options. Your respect for this process is appreciated.
Please review our Workforce Privacy Policy for further details on what information we collect and the purposes for collection.
The RIA Business Management Consultant is a senior-level, hybrid practice management and recruiting strategist responsible for driving efficiency, growth, and enterprise value across affiliated RIA firms. This role combines advisory focused business consulting with recruiting strategy leadership to deliver holistic growth support for RIA firms. The consultant will act both as a strategic business advisor — guiding firm executives on operational excellence, growth, and enterprise value, and a recruiting subject matter expert — helping firms attract, evaluate, and onboard advisory talent to scale their businesses.
This unified role plays a critical part in strengthening the RIA network, enhancing firm performance, and positioning Cetera as the partner of choice for growth‑oriented firms.
What You Will Do
- Guide RIA firms through strategic planning, goal setting, business expansion, and succession planning.
- Provide consultation on industry best practices, growth strategies, and mergers & acquisitions to maximize enterprise value.
- Advise on business valuation, long‑term incentive plans, and cash‑flow projections for RIA enterprises.
- Use Cetera’s Growth360 data and RIA industry benchmarks to identify performance gaps, quantify opportunities, and shape strategic action plans.
- Help firms define their Ideal Client Persona (ICP), Client Value Proposition (CVP), and overall Ideal Client Journey to improve retention and service delivery.
- Lead engagements focused on operational efficiency, human‑capital strategies, compensation structures, leadership development, and talent succession.
- Serve as the primary consultant to RIA firms on recruiting strategy, talent acquisition models, and practice expansion tactics.
- Coach firm principals on articulating their value proposition to attract high-quality advisor talent.
- Support RIA recruiting initiatives, including business development conversations, prospect evaluations, and positioning the RIA model to growth‑oriented advisors.
- Educate firms on recruiting best practices and effective use of Cetera’s recruiting resources, Business Development Officers, and internal support teams.
- Promote and articulate the Cetera RIA Network value proposition to both prospects and existing firms.
- Manage and execute recruiting strategy for the RIA segment to sustain scalable growth and competitive advantage.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with both prospective and existing RIA firms.
- Serve as a subject matter expert on Cetera’s RIA platform, solutions, and support models.
- Partner with internal stakeholders across channel leadership, sales, business development, and product teams.
- Support high‑impact presentations, executive-level discussions, and strategic initiatives across the organization.
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- Minimum 7 years of experience in financial services, including:
- 5 years in consulting, practice management, recruiting, or business development within the RIA or independent advisor space.
- Experience supporting RIAs, independent advisors, or wealth management firms.
- FINRA licenses (e.g. Series 7, 66, SIE 24) preferred
- Deep understanding of the RIA business model, fee structures, competitive landscape, and operational best practices.
- Strong consultative ability including diagnostic questioning, active listening, and solution-oriented thinking.
- Demonstrated knowledge of advisor recruiting strategies, talent acquisition processes, and growth models.
- Strategic and analytical thinker with the ability to interpret complex data and translate insights into actionable plans.
- Executive-level communication skills, including the ability to deliver compelling presentations.
- Relationship‑driven approach with the ability to influence firm leadership and key decision-makers.
- Experience working with CRM systems and business tracking tools.
Compensation: The salary range for this role is from $131,000-$170,000 base, a competitive performance-based bonus. Compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years and depth of experience, certifications, and specific office location. Compensation ranges may differ in differing locations due to cost of labor considerations.
About Us
ABOUT US
What We Give You In Return
Not many teams can say that they support people’s dreams coming to life… We happen to do that every day. And as important as we know your career is, we recognize that there’s a whole lot more to life. To ensure that our Employees can make the most of their time outside of working hours, we offer a competitive salary and for full-time roles, a benefits package including:
- Inclusive health, dental, vision and life insurance plans built to support diverse lifestyles, offer preventative care, and protect against hardship.
- Easy access to mental health benefits to meet our team members and their families where they are.
- 20 plus days of paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, and 2 paid wellness days to give our employees the time they need to stay close with their loved ones, recharge, and give back to their communities.
- 401(k) Savings plan with a generous company contribution (up to 5%), and access to a financial professional to offer our employees the opportunity to plan-ahead for a strong financial future well beyond their working years.
- Paid parental leave to support all team members with birth, adoption, and foster.
- Health Savings and Flexible Spending Account options to help you save money on healthcare, daycare, commuting, and more.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP), LifeLock, Pet Insurance and more.
Cetera Financial Group ® ("Cetera") is a leading network of independent retail broker-dealers empowering the delivery of objective financial advice to individuals, families and company retirement plans across the country through trusted financial advisors and financial institutions. Cetera is one of the largest independent financial advisor networks in the nation by number of advisors, as well as a leading provider of retail services to the investment programs of banks and credit unions.
Through its multiple distinct firms, Cetera offers independent and institutions-based advisors the benefits of a large, established broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, while serving advisors and institutions in a way that is customized to their needs and aspirations. Advisor support resources offered through Cetera include award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, practice management support, and innovative technology.
" Cetera Financial Group " refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC , Cetera Wealth Services LLC (f/k/a Cetera Advisor Networks), Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions, or Cetera Investors . All firms are members FINRA/SIPC.
Cetera Financial Group is committed to providing an equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. For us, this is the only acceptable way to do business. Accordingly, all employment decisions at Cetera Financial Group, including those relating to hiring, promotion, transfers, benefits, compensation, and placement, will be made without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, age, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic characteristics, religion, religious dress and/or grooming, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, U.S. military status, political affiliation, or any other class protected by state and/or federal law.
Agencies please note: this recruitment assignment is being managed directly by Cetera’s Talent Acquisition team. We will reach out to our preferred agency partners in the rare instance we require additional talent options. Your respect for this process is appreciated.
Please review our Workforce Privacy Policy for further details on what information we collect and the purposes for collection.
Salary : $131,000 - $170,000