Client Service Director - PHX (Chicago)

Posted Thursday, August 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM

ABOUT US:

Come join the dynamic team at Kestra Financial! Kestra Financial provides a leading independent advisor platform that empowers sophisticated, independent financial professionals, including traditional and hybrid RIAs, to prosper, grow, and provide superior client service. With a culture rich in reinvention and advisor advocacy, Kestra Financial has developed integrated business management technology that, combined with its personalized consulting services, offers exceptional scale and efficiency. Kestra Financial supports independent financial advisors in delivering comprehensive securities and investment advisory services to their clients.

Client Service Director

Location: Austin, TX or Phoenix, AZ (On-site)

Department: Client Service

Reports to: Head of Client Service

Job Type: Full-Time | Exempt

Lead with Purpose. Serve with Impact.

At Kestra Financial, we dont just support financial advisorswe help them thrive. Our service model is human-led, tech-enabled, and purpose-driven, empowering advisors to deliver exceptional outcomes for their clients. If youre a leader who shows up to serve, inspires high performance, and thrives in a fast-paced, client-first environment, we want to meet you.

Were looking for a Client Service Director to join our high-performing operational Client Service team, focused on delivering an exceptional experience across every client touchpoint. This is a senior-level individual contributor role responsible for managing a portfolio of advisor relationships. This role requires strong operational knowledge, proactive communication, and the ability to lead without authority.

What Youll Do

Relationship Management

• Youll act as a service partner and advocate, coordinating across teams to resolve complex issues, anticipating needs, and ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
• Develop a deep understanding of each firms structure, service preferences, and long-term goals
• Own and manage escalations from intake to resolution, coordinating with internal teams to deliver timely, effective outcomes
• Build strong partnerships with Business Development, Relationship Management, and internal teams to align on our clients operational strategies and support growth and retention
• Serve as the client's internal advocate, ensuring their voice is represented in decisions and escalations are resolved with care and urgency
• Respond promptly to client concerns and inquiries, ensuring the highest levels of satisfaction and retention
• Proactively flag at-risk relationships and lead cross-functional efforts to address service gaps and retain client confidence

Operational Partnership & Service Leadership

• Work across operations, compliance, onboarding, and technology teams to remove service friction and maintain high standards of quality.
• Provide proactive oversight of service levels, identifying gaps, monitoring key workflows, and flagging issues before they escalate.
• Bring teams together to align on solutions and ensure consistency in how service is delivered to clients.
• Partner with operational leaders to analyze trends, identify root causes, share insights, and refine client engagement strategies.
• Distinguish between isolated (vertical) and systemic (horizontal) issues and lead the appropriate resolution path for each.
• Influence peers and partners by promoting alignment on priorities and building a strong culture of accountability.

Service Strategy and Continuous Improvement

• Analyze advisor feedback, service metrics, and operational data to identify themes and areas for improvement.
• Lead or contribute to cross-functional initiatives aimed at improving advisor experience, increasing efficiency, or reducing service risk.
• Collaborate with peers and leadership to define best practices and implement scalable service enhancements.
• Support enterprise projects, platform updates, or new initiatives with a client lens, ensuring service continuity and change readiness.
• Bring thoughtful structure and strategy to ambiguous problems; assess root causes and propose high-impact solutions.
• Partner with other service directors to maintain consistency and share best practices across the client experience.
• Maintain compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements.

What You Bring

• This role requires strong operational knowledge, proactive communication, and the ability to lead without authority.
• A proactive mindset with strong follow-through
• The ability to lead through influence and build trusted relationships with internal and external partners
• Comfort working independently, owning your book of business, and managing competing priorities
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to adapt to your audience
• Solid judgment and decision-making in fast-paced, client-facing environments
• Desire to continuously improve the advisor experience and contribute to a strong team culture
• 8+ years of experience in client service, operations, or relationship management, preferably within financial services
• 5+ years of experience in a leadership or client-facing strategic role, with cross-functional collaboration
• Strong understanding of brokerage, advisory, or investment products and services
• Experience supporting or working closely with financial advisors is highly preferred
• Familiarity with CRM systems, workflow tools, and financial platforms is a plus
• Proven ability to handle escalations and/or complex client requests
• Ability to build rapport and trust in a fast-paced, professional environment
• Strong process orientation with an eye towards scalability and efficiency
• A proactive, solution-oriented mindset focused on delivering value to clients
• Problem solving and decision making skills with attention to process and risk
• SIE, Series 7 Required (or must be obtained within 6 months of hire)
• Series 24 preferred

Why Join Us?

• Leadership Impact: Shape the client experience and mentor the next generation of service professionals.
• Team Culture: Join a collaborative, high-performing team that values ownership, empathy, and results.
• Career Growth: This M1 role is a strong platform for advancement within Client Service, Operations, or Advisor Support.

Explore Life at Kestra

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Lead with purpose. Apply now and help shape the future of advisor service at Kestra.

INTERNAL APPLICANT POLICY:

Internal applicants must be in good standing and have a minimum of 1 year of service with Kestra. Internal applicants must also have a minimum of 1 year service in current role unless approved by EVP.

BENEFITS:

Full health, vision, dental. 401(k) plans along with a host of voluntary plans such as car insurance, legal services and more (applicable to full-time, permanent employees).

DISCLOSURE

By applying to a job at Kestra Financial, Inc., you are agreeing to the following statements:

• You acknowledge that if hired, Kestra Financial, Inc. may, obtain and use background information concerning your credit, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, work habits, performance and experience for evaluation for your potential employment.
• It is the policy of Kestra Financial to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Kestra Financial prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.
  

INTERNAL APPLICANT POLICY:

Internal applicants must be in good standing and have a minimum of 1 year of service with Kestra. Internal applicants must also have a minimum of 1 year service in current role unless approved by EVP.

BENEFITS:

Full health, vision, dental. 401(k) plans along with a host of voluntary plans such as car insurance, legal services and more (applicable to full-time, permanent employees).

DISCLOSURE

By applying to a job at Kestra Financial, Inc., you are agreeing to the following statements:

• You acknowledge that if hired, Kestra Financial, Inc. may, obtain and use background information concerning your credit, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, work habits, performance and experience for evaluation for your potential employment.
• It is the policy of Kestra Financial to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Kestra Financial prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.
  

KESTRA VALUES:

Our Mission is Powering Financial Independence, enabling the growth and success of investing clients and the advisors who serve them. We do that by living our values: SERVE, MAKE IT HAPPEN, and ONE TEAM. #J-18808-Ljbffr