Director, Advisor Technology Integrations

Mission

Kestra Financial is a wealth management platform dedicated to empowering independent financial professionals—including traditional and hybrid RIAs—to grow their businesses and deliver exceptional client service. We combine advanced business management technology with personalized consulting to provide unmatched scale, efficiency, and support. Our advisor-focused culture is built on innovation and advocacy, enabling advisors to offer comprehensive securities and investment advisory solutions to their clients.

What You’ll Do

• M&A Technology Strategy & Due Diligence
  • Lead all technology due diligence activities for prospective acquisitions.
  • Assess target firms' technology ecosystems, infrastructure, cybersecurity posture, data architecture, vendor relationships, and operational maturity.
  • Identify integration risks, technical debt, contractual obligations, and scalability concerns that may impact transaction value or execution.
  • Partner with Corporate Development and Executive Leadership to provide recommendations on technology-related acquisition risks and opportunities.
  • Develop integration cost estimates, synergy models, and technology transformation roadmaps to support investment decisions.
• Technology Integration Leadership
  • Own the technology integration strategy for acquired firms from deal close through full operational integration.
  • Develop and continuously improve the M&A technology integration framework, governance model, and playbooks.
  • Establish integration priorities that balance advisor experience, operational efficiency, security, and business outcomes.
  • Lead complex migration initiatives involving CRM, portfolio management, financial planning, reporting, security, infrastructure, data platforms, and advisor-facing applications.
  • Ensure acquisitions are successfully transitioned to Bluespring and Kestra preferred technology standards while minimizing disruption to advisors and end clients.
• Enterprise Architecture & Platform Consolidation
  • Define future-state technology architectures that support scale, growth, and advisor productivity.
  • Drive platform rationalization and vendor consolidation efforts to reduce technology complexity and operating costs.
  • Establish standards for data integration, API frameworks, cybersecurity controls, and platform interoperability.
  • Evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to modernize the advisor technology experience.
• Vendor & Strategic Partner Management
  • Lead technology vendor evaluations, selection processes, contract negotiations, and ongoing governance.
  • Build executive relationships with strategic technology partners.
  • Hold vendors accountable to roadmap commitments, service levels, implementation quality, and business outcomes.
  • Drive cost optimization initiatives while ensuring advisor needs and business requirements are met.
• Program Leadership & Governance
  • Serve as executive sponsor for technology integration programs and cross-functional initiatives.
  • Establish executive-level reporting, integration scorecards, milestones, and risk management processes.
  • Lead steering committee discussions and provide regular updates to senior leadership.
  • Create visibility into integration progress, dependencies, risks, and mitigation plans.
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of integration leads, architects, consultants, project managers, and technology specialists.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, execution, partnership, and continuous improvement.
  • Influence leaders across Product, Technology, Operations, Compliance, and Advisor Technology organizations.
  • Act as a trusted advisor to executives and business stakeholders on technology strategy and integration decisions.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or related field.
• MBA, advanced technical degree, or relevant industry certifications preferred.
• 8-10+ years of progressive technology leadership experience, including experience leading large-scale enterprise technology initiatives.
• 5+ years of technology integration, transformation, or mergers and acquisitions experience.
• Proven success leading cross-functional teams through complex organizational and technology change.
• Experience evaluating, implementing, and optimizing advisor technology platforms, including CRM, portfolio accounting, financial planning, custodial integrations, and data platforms.
• Demonstrated experience managing strategic vendor relationships and negotiating enterprise technology agreements.
• Experience presenting recommendations and business cases to executive leadership teams.
• Wealth Management, RIA, FinTech, or Financial Services experience strongly preferred.
• Leadership Characteristics:
  • Strategic thinker with the ability to connect technology decisions to business outcomes.
  • Strong executive presence and ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
  • Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts into business language.
  • Bias for action and proven ability to drive initiatives from strategy through execution.
  • Ability to lead through ambiguity and navigate complex organizational environments.
  • Strong relationship builder who creates alignment across diverse stakeholders.
  • Decisive leader who balances speed, risk, and long-term value creation.
  • High degree of accountability, ownership, and personal integrity.
  • Continuous learner with a passion for innovation and operational excellence.
  • Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing teams.

Technical & Business Skills

• Deep understanding of enterprise architecture, integrations, APIs, data migration, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies.
• Strong program and portfolio management experience.
• Expertise in technology due diligence, integration planning, and post-merger execution.
• Experience with Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, and modern project delivery frameworks.
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to evaluate technology investments, business cases, and total cost of ownership.
• Proven ability to balance advisor experience, business priorities, and technical requirements.

Benefits

• Competitive pay and benefits with a large employer (over 1600 employees nationwide)
• 401(k), health insurance, and a competitive benefits package
• Opportunities for training, development, and long-term growth within the firm
• Tuition reimbursement for qualified expenses

Kestra Values

• Serve
• Make it Happen
• One team

Internal Application 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.

Kestra Holdings Website

https://www.kestrafinancial.com/

Careers Portal

https://jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/kestra/KESTRACAREERSITE

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/kestra-financial/

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.