Wealth Strategist

Title: Wealth Strategist

Reports to: Andrea Darden, CEO (initial); transitions to Annie Russo, COO (operational) within 90 days

Compensation: $75,000 – $115,000 base bonus (Year 1)

Location: Ann Arbor, MI (hybrid; in-office required for client meetings)

License requirement: Series 65 or Series 66 held at start; 

Start date: Immediately

Independent wealth firm on a $430M → $1B trajectory. Hiring a Wealth Strategist to carry two transitioning client books (85 households, ~$40M AUM) through a structured 12-month handoff and build them into a permanent segment of the firm. This is a senior-advisor-track role.

You'll start as a silent shadow in client meetings, learn the households, take a co-advisory role by Q2 2027, and run the book as primary advisor by Q3 2027. From there you build — adding 10–20 new households per year through referrals and centers of influence, growing your segment of the firm toward 100 clients and $60M AUM by year three.

If you've ever wanted to inherit a real book at a firm that's growing fast enough that your ceiling is your own ceiling, this is the seat.

First 90 days:

• Shadow two senior advisors (one tax/estate specialist, one veteran generalist) through their full client roster.
• Read every existing financial plan, IPS, and meeting note.

Months 4–9:

• Begin co-attending the top 20 clients. Take the speaking role on operational items — statements, beneficiaries, money movement.
• Carry 30 lower-risk clients as primary advisor.
• Run your own quarterly reviews in your own voice.

Months 10 (primary):

• Up to 85 clients transition to you as primary advisor.
• Run the book on your own. Quarterly reviews. Annual reviews. Proactive outreach.
• Add 10–20 new households per year through referrals and COIs.
• Coordinate with the firm's PM/CIO on investment policy for your book.
• Year 2 onward: shift to a base revenue-share structure (10–15 bps on book above $40M AUM threshold).

Required:

• 5 years client-facing at an RIA, family office, or wealth management firm.
• Track record carrying a book of $40M AUM.
• Comfort with retirement, tax, and estate planning conversations at the household level. You don't have to be a specialist — you have to coordinate.
• Series 65 or 66 held at start. 

Strongly preferred:

• CFP® designation, OR CFA Level I/II, OR prior book-carrying history at an RIA your size.
• Has done a client transition before — knows the failure modes (clients leave in the first 90 days if the handoff feels transactional).
• Comfort with the firm's tech stack: Black Diamond (reporting), MoneyGuide Pro (financial planning), GreenBoard (compliance calendar).

Not required, but a plus:

• Has worked at a multifamily office, independent RIA, or breakaway boutique.
• Has experience coordinating with a CPA partnership on tax planning.
• Brings centers of influence (CPA, attorney, insurance) who can refer into the firm.

Send a cover letter and resume to [invest@dardenwealth.com]. Subject line: Wealth Strategist — Ann Arbor.

In your cover letter, please address:

1. The largest book you've carried, and what happened to it in any transition you've been part of (yours or someone else's).
2. The hardest client transition you've witnessed — what went wrong, what you'd do differently.
3. Why DWG, and why this seat, specifically.

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Darden Wealth Group is an independent RIA based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We provide personalized planning and investment strategies for individuals, families, business owners, and nonprofit organizations. We coordinate with trusted partners on tax, estate, and trust services. We are an equal-opportunity employer.