Director of Wealth Management Training & Development

Position Summary:  

The Professional Development Director is focused on the training and development of individual colleagues.  In partnership with other members of Cerity Partners University, subject matter experts across the organization, Human Capital, Practice Development, and local managers, this role will drive colleague development and career progression for Client-Facing-Colleagues across the firm. 

Reporting to our Chief Training and Quality Office, this role is responsible for designing and implementing individualized development strategies; development and delivery of training content; and aligning career pathways and progression with the firm’s objectives in partnership with the Human Capital function. The training and development of Cerity Partner colleagues, both new and tenured, is an integral part of our firm’s culture and growth strategy, and this role will be a large part of its success.

Primary Responsibilities 

Talent Assessment & Development Planning

• Work closely with practice leaders and managers and the human capital team to identify capability gaps and emerging skill requirements across the practice in various wealth management and practice management disciplines, including technical knowledge, practical skills, and soft skills

• Partner with the Talent team to design and implement individualized development plans (IDPs) for professionals at all levels, from junior associates through partner

• Assess talent by providing detailed insights on strengths, development opportunities, and growth potential

• Collaborate with colleagues to create comprehensive training plans utilizing curriculum from Cerity Partners University, and other internal and external resources, as needed

• Curate and deliver targeted training for colleagues based on their needs, skill gaps, career goals, and career paths either individually or broadly across colleagues’ populations

• Coach and advise managers and colleagues on career progression, skill development, and learning pathways

• Ensure transparency and consistency in development expectations across practices
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Training Delivery and CPU Coordination

• Lead the execution of training at the practice levels, either through conducting training personally or leveraging existing training content from the central team or firm subject matter experts

• Develop colleague cohorts across different practices and deliver targeted training, sharing best practices, and/or rolling out key firmwide initiatives

• Evaluate the effectiveness of development initiatives and adjust approaches based on feedback and outcomes

• Stay current on industry best practices in professional development and learning methodologies

• Build relationships with external training providers and resources to supplement internal offerings
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Strategic Collaboration

• Partner with Human Capital and the Practice Development Office on colleague development, goal setting, performance review processes, and succession planning initiatives.  

• Partner with the Practice Development Office to assess colleague skills to participate in the firm’s growth channels

• Collaborate with Human Capital and subject matter experts to align expectations on specific technical and practice management requirements for advancement along career path

• Align individual development plans with firm-wide talent strategy and business objectives

• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to identify high-potential talent and critical skill gaps

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree and relevant advanced degrees (JD, MBA) and/or industry certifications (CFP, CFA, CPA)

• 5-10+ years of client-facing experience providing financial planning and/or wealth management services to clients

Preferred Qualifications: 

• 2-5+ years of experience training in financial planning or wealth management

• 2-5+ years of experience mentoring less tenured colleagues

• Experience with wealth management tools, e.g., eMoney, Orion, Addepar, Eclipse, Holistiplan, BNA, StockOpter

• Experience with Custodian Platforms (Fidelity & Schwab), Salesforce, Claude (or similar AI tools)

• Skills and Competencies: 

• Strong coaching and consulting skills with the ability to build credibility at all organizational levels

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal

• Demonstrated ability to assess talent and provide constructive developmental feedback

• Strategic thinking and business acumen

• Consultative approach and relationship building

• Analytical and diagnostic skills

• Project management and organizational skills

• Discretion and confidentiality in handling sensitive talent information

• Adaptability and change management capabilities

• Passion for developing people and advancing careers
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Compensation Range:

• $140,000 - $180,000

Why Cerity Partners:

Our people drive our success by working together to deliver exceptional service to our clients. Below is a glimpse of the key elements of our total rewards package:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance – day 1!

• 401(k) savings and investment plan options with 4% match

• Flexible PTO policy

• Parental Leave

• Financial assistance for advanced education and professional designations

• Opportunity to give back time to local communities

• Commuter benefits

Cerity Partners is committed to providing an environment where all individuals can be their authentic selves. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer who respects each individual and supports the diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences of our colleagues. We are dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. 

Cerity Partners is committed to working with and providing accommodations to applicants with disabilities or special needs. For those needing accommodations, please reach out to [email protected]. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.