Retirement Plan Advisor

Join an established retirement plan practice, help shape its next chapter, and earn increasing responsibility for a meaningful book of employer relationships.

ABOUT COLLECTIVE ADVISORS

Collective Advisors is an independent, Austin-based advisory firm built around strong relationships, collaborative execution, and long-term thinking. We combine local ownership and an entrepreneurial culture with the technology, investment resources, and strategic support available through our Carson Partners affiliation. Our team is growing intentionally as we expand our wealth management, retirement plan, and participant financial-planning capabilities.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking a Retirement Plan Advisor to help retain, lead, and grow our employer-sponsored retirement plan practice. This is more than a servicing position. The successful candidate will work alongside an experienced retirement plan advisor, become deeply familiar with an established group of plan sponsor relationships, and assume increasing leadership through a deliberate, readiness-based transition. A highly capable advisor may take primary responsibility for selected relationships early, with broader responsibility expanding as client continuity, experience, and results support it.

Candidates must have meaningful retirement plan experience, including service as a primary or co-primary advisor to multiple employer-sponsored plans. We will consider both dedicated retirement plan professionals and accomplished wealth advisors who have already carried real responsibility for 401(k) client relationships. Candidates who can bring an existing retirement plan or wealth management book may be considered for a tailored economic arrangement.

This is an Austin-based role, and the successful candidate is expected to live in the Austin area. We are open to candidates who would relocate, and relocation assistance may be available. Candidates who bring relationships from another market may travel to that market approximately once per quarter—generally for up to one week per visit—subject to client needs, business priorities, and firm approval, in addition to other client travel required by the role.

The advisor will report directly to the Managing Partner, who will serve as the position's supervisor and will set priorities, allocate responsibilities, coordinate firm resources, provide coaching and performance feedback, and guide the advisor's professional development and expanding leadership within the practice.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN

• Build trusted relationships with plan sponsors, investment committees, business owners, participants, and other key decision-makers.

• Partner in a structured transition of established retirement plan relationships, then assume primary responsibility as experience and client readiness allow.

• Lead quarterly and annual plan reviews, fiduciary education, investment monitoring, benchmarking, fee analysis, vendor oversight, and governance discussions.

• Recommend practical plan-design improvements that support employer objectives and improve participant outcomes.

• Serve as the primary point of accountability between plan sponsors and the internal operations team—translate client needs into clear priorities and assignments, communicate decisions and deadlines, and ensure questions and service commitments reach resolution.

• Coordinate implementations, conversions, plan changes, and service issues with recordkeepers, TPAs, actuaries, custodians, investment managers, and internal teammates—and document commitments clearly in the CRM.

• Deliver participant enrollment meetings, retirement education, financial wellness programs, and one-on-one retirement consultations.

• Recognize participant needs beyond the retirement plan and coordinate appropriate financial-planning support with the firm's wealth advisors.

• Develop new retirement plan opportunities through referrals, centers of influence, networking, prospect meetings, and community engagement.

• Help strengthen the firm's service model, team workflows, participant engagement strategy, and business-development process while remaining current on retirement plan and fiduciary developments.

WHAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL

• You can translate complex retirement plan concepts into clear, concise guidance for executives, committees, and participants.

• You enjoy relationship leadership and the operational follow-through required to deliver on commitments.

• You are collaborative, self-aware, and comfortable working as part of a team rather than operating in a silo.

• You take initiative, communicate early, document decisions, and create confidence that important work will be completed.

• You combine a fiduciary mindset with commercial judgment and are energized by the opportunity to inherit responsibility, improve an established practice, and build for the long term.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Three or more years of experience in retirement plan consulting, financial advice, institutional investment consulting, or a closely related role.

• Meaningful experience as the primary or co-primary advisor for multiple employer-sponsored retirement plan relationships—not exposure limited to occasional plan support.

• Working knowledge of employer-sponsored retirement plans, ERISA fiduciary responsibilities, plan investments, governance, and participant education.

• Demonstrated client relationship, presentation, organization, and project-management skills.

• Current investment adviser representative registration appropriate to the role, or the ability to satisfy the firm's applicable registration and licensing requirements promptly after hire.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of relevant education and professional experience.

• Comfort working in Salesforce or a comparable CRM, along with presentation, reporting, and retirement plan technology platforms.

PREFERRED BACKGROUND

• Experience with 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b), cash balance, or other qualified retirement plans; CFP®, AIF®, CPFA®, CRPS®, or another relevant designation is valued.

• Experience with plan benchmarking, proposal development, executive benefits, or nonqualified deferred compensation.

• A record of developing new relationships through referrals, centers of influence, or consultative business development.

• An established retirement plan or wealth management client base with a realistic path to transition, where applicable.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Within 90 days: build working knowledge of the practice, document relationship priorities, participate meaningfully in sponsor meetings, and establish trust with internal and external partners.

• Within six months: lead assigned sponsor and participant engagements, own follow-through, and operate confidently within the firm's fiduciary and service processes.

• Within 12 months: independently manage an assigned group of plans, contribute to strong client retention, develop qualified growth opportunities, and demonstrate readiness for broader practice leadership.

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS, AND GROWTH

Compensation will reflect the candidate's retirement plan expertise, advisory capabilities, and the business they can realistically transition or develop. Packages may include a competitive base salary, performance-based incentives, new-business compensation, and separate consideration for an established retirement plan or wealth management book. The role offers a meaningful path to expanded practice leadership as the advisor demonstrates client retention, technical judgment, collaboration, and business-development results.

• Health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Generous paid time off and paid holidays.

• A strong 401(k) contribution program.

• Continuing education and professional designation support.

• Team outings and twice-yearly retreats focused on connection, feedback, and the firm's future.

• Potential relocation assistance for the right candidate.