Associate Financial Advisor (Foster City)

The Associate Financial Advisor (AFA) is a client-facing advisor-in-training role responsible for managing and growing relationships, while building the technical and advisory skills required to become a Financial Advisor.

This role owns a segment of client relationships (typically <$1M AUM), delivers a high-quality client experience, and partners closely with Financial Advisors on larger, more complex households.

Success in this role looks like:

• Clients feel known, cared for, and proactively guided

• Relationships grow through referrals and additional assets

• Strong execution across planning, follow-through, and communication

• Progression toward leading full client relationships independently

Duties and Responsibilities

• Client Relationship Ownership
  • Manage and retain a book of clients (generally <$1M AUM)
  • Serve as primary point of contact for client needs, planning, and service
  • Deliver a high-quality, consistent client experience across meetings and touchpoints
  • Maintain accurate and timely documentation in CRM and planning tools
• Growth & Business Development
  • Identify opportunities to deepen relationships through additional assets
  • Generate referrals from existing clients through strong relationship management
  • Contribute to the BD proposal process (build initial plan after prospect meeting)
• Financial Planning & Advisory Support
  • Update and maintain financial plans (eMoney or similar)
  • Support development of new plans and recommendations alongside Financial Advisors
  • Conduct planning-related analyses (e.g., RSUs, tax planning via Holistiplan)
  • Participate in client meetings with increasing ownership over time
• Advisor Team Support (Larger Clients)
  • Prepare meeting materials (agendas, presentations, planning updates)
  • Execute post-meeting follow-ups, documentation, and coordination (e.g., estate partners)
  • Track and manage tasks, workflows, and client deliverables
• Professional Development
  • Participate in structured training, mentorship, and continuing education
  • Progress toward CFP® (if not already obtained)
  • Build capabilities required to transition into a Financial Advisor role

Qualifications

• Series 65 or CFP® (or on path to obtain)

• 2+ years in financial services (advisory, planning, or relationship management)

• Experience working with financial planning tools (eMoney preferred)

• Strong communication and relationship-building skills

• High attention to detail and strong follow-through

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; Salesforce/AdvisorView a plus

• Bachelor’s degree required

Work authorization: Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

Compensation

• Total compensation includes base, bonus, and incentive comp:
  • Base salary: $85-115K
  • Performance-based bonus (on-target at 20% of base, with additional upside for exceeding metrics)
  • Incentives tied to new assets, referrals, and business development participation (unlimited upside)

Health & Financial Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage (100% medical coverage for employees / 50% coverage for dependents)
• Flexible Spending Account/Health Savings Account
• 401(K) retirement plan and contributions
• Comprehensive financial planning services for employees and their families
• Fertility and family-building benefits

Professional Development

• Firm sponsorship for certifications, designations, and continuing education (CFP®, etc.)
• Professional development and ongoing advisor associate training

Culture & Lifestyle Perks

• Paid sabbatical program for long-tenured employees
• Annual company retreat where employees are invited to bring their families
• Firm-sponsored volunteer events, paid volunteer time, and charitable matching
• Hybrid work environment (50% in-office per month)
• For more details:

Company Culture and Values

Summitry’s culture is guided by three core values:

• CARE – we care for each other, our clients, and our community
• GROW – we have an intrinsic desire to grow ourselves and our firm
• DRIVE – we are fiercely driven to achieve our goals and those of our clients

Summitry welcomes candidates from all backgrounds and is an equal opportunity employer.