Sr Financial Planning Advisor

Sr Financial Planning Advisor
Onsite -Des Moines, Iowa (unable to consider remote, relocation or out-of-area)
Compensation -$150,000-$200,000 Base Salary in addition to bonus structure (discretionary, based on revenue growth of firm and overall profitability) and Excellent Benefits

Vaco Highspring is conducting a search on behalf of a well-established, growth-oriented financial planning and investment advisory organization for a Senior Financial Planning Advisor.

Job Purpose & Summary
The Senior Financial Planning Advisor serves as the primary relationship manager for a substantial and established client base, supporting approximately 100 client relationships and overseeing a book of business upwards of 1 million in annual revenue.
This role is critical to ensuring continuity and elevated service delivery.
The Senior Financial Planning Advisor is responsible for delivering comprehensive, holistic financial planning and investment advisory services, including:

• Cash flow and tax-aware planning
• Retirement planning
• Estate and legacy planning
• Insurance and risk management planning
• Investment strategy and portfolio management
• In addition to client service responsibilities, approximately 25% of the role will be dedicated to business development through relationship-building, referrals, and identifying prospective clients aligned with the firm’s target profile.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Assume primary advisor responsibility for a large portfolio of established client relationships.
• Build, manage, and deepen long-term relationships through proactive, high-touch engagement.
• Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive, goals-based financial plans.
• Analyze and interpret complex financial information to support informed client decision-making.
• Identify gaps, risks, or inefficiencies within financial plans and design actionable strategies to address them.
• Communicate sophisticated financial strategies clearly and confidently, both verbally and in writing.
• Respond promptly and professionally to client inquiries, reinforcing a service-first culture.
• Actively engage in professional and community networks through participation and leadership.
• Support firm growth by cultivating new business opportunities and referral relationships.
• Clearly articulate the firm’s differentiated value proposition to prospective clients and partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• CFP® certification required.
• Minimum 7 years of experience within a financial planning and/or investment advisory environment.
• Demonstrated success managing client relationships and supporting revenue growth.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and financial planning tools; ability to learn internal systems and platforms.

Critical Success Factors

• Collaborative, team-oriented mindset with a strong sense of ownership.
• Highly responsive and client-focused approach.
• Proactive, self-directed professional who takes initiative and follows through on commitments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High level of motivation with the ability to meet growth and sales objectives.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfort operating in a flexible environment that includes in-office, off-site, and client meetings.

Work Environment & Benefits

• Hybrid Work Model
• Strong Benefits Packages
• Approximately 4 days per week in the office
• Remote work available one day per week
• Time Off
• Open PTO / flexible time-off culture
• Employer match on 401(k)

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual’s skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, office location and other geographic considerations, as well as other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law in geographies that require salary range disclosure, Vaco/Highspring notes the salary range for the role is noted in this job posting. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company’s 401(k) retirement plan. Additional disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted in the job description, the position Vaco/Highspring is filing for is occupied. Please note, however, that Vaco/Highspring is regularly asked to provide talent to other organizations. By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. Submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase within Vaco/Highspring will be otherwise assessed by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco/Highspring does not have knowledge of the tools used by its clients in making final hiring decisions and cannot opine on their use of AI products.

Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.

EEO Notice

Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.

Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact View email address on talent.com .

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal .

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco by Highspring”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here .
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here .
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here .
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here .
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here .

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
• licensure and certification requirements;
• office location and other geographic considerations;
• other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.