Operations Manager

Chief of Staff KC is partnering with a growing, independent retirement planning firm in the Kansas City area to hire a Director of Operations. The firm is a fiduciary, SEC-registered investment adviser that helps retirees protect their money and the life they have built.

This is a ground-floor leadership role. The firm is in startup mode and is scaling quickly, with plans to reach 50 people within the next 12 months. Its advisors work from a steady pipeline of warm client introductions, so growth is already built in. What the firm needs now is a detail-driven operator to build the foundation that growth will run on, with a clear path to COO.

What You'll Do

• Own the firm's compliance program as an SEC-registered RIA, keeping policies, recordkeeping, and filings audit-ready
• Run day-to-day operations on Fidelity (custodian) and Orion (portfolio management and reporting)
• Oversee account opening, transfers, money movement, billing, and client reporting
• Build smooth, repeatable workflows for a high volume of new client introductions
• Support fixed indexed annuity and insurance business, from case submission to suitability documentation
• Hire, train, and lead the operations and client service team as the firm scales
• Create the playbooks, onboarding, and service standards new advisors and staff will follow
• Partner with leadership on strategy, capacity, and risk as the role grows toward COO

What You Bring

• 7+ years in financial services operations, including 3+ years leading a team at an RIA, broker-dealer, or wealth management firm
• Strong knowledge of RIA compliance and SEC regulatory requirements
• Experience with Fidelity and Orion, or comparable custodian and portfolio management platforms
• Understanding of fixed indexed annuities and insurance products, how they fit in a retirement income plan, and comfort supporting that business
• Exceptional attention to detail and a track record of building processes from scratch
• Experience hiring and developing teams in a fast-growth environment
• Preferred: Series 65 or 66 and a Life and Health insurance license