Associate Financial Advisor

Join Pettinelli Financial Partners as an Associate Financial Advisor in Redwood City, CA (in-office or hybrid) and support fiduciary planning on a career track toward leading client relationships and CFP® certification.

Responsibilities

• Serve as relationship lead for an assigned group of households; act as second chair alongside Lead Advisors for higher-tier relationships.
• Play an active role in client meetings by presenting and participating, not only taking notes.
• Follow PFP’s onboarding process for new clients and the case preparation process for review meetings.
• Participate in all firm client campaigns and support ongoing client relationship development, including regular client contact and communications.
• Manage, delegate, and complete meeting follow-up items; send post-meeting summaries and action items to clients.
• Keep Lead Advisors and the client service team informed on active and pending client matters; escalate concerns or client dissatisfaction promptly.
• Provide objective, fiduciary financial advice by analyzing client goals, cash flow, investments, insurance, tax, and estate situation.
• Build, update, and maintain financial plans in eMoney, including scenario and simulation modeling; use eMoney reports in client deliverables.
• Support estate planning engagements.
• Collaborate with Turnkey Asset Management Programs (TAMPs) on portfolio design, asset allocation, and performance monitoring.
• Prepare insurance research, illustrations, and analysis; confirm state licensing and product-training requirements before requesting proposals; follow up on underwriting and communicate details to clients.
• Manage the plan implementation schedule, including planning updates, portfolio changes, and investment and protection policy reviews.
• Identify and log new opportunities, including assets held away, in the CRM; position recommendations to deepen existing relationships.
• Ask for and track referrals; contribute to annual goals for new households, referrals, and net new business.
• Represent PFP at client, prospect, and community events, including special needs community events.
• Document every client interaction in the CRM system within 24 hours using PFP’s task standards.
• Submit complete, accurate service requests to the client service team and coordinate on complex requests before submission.
• Use the firm’s technology stack as designed: Salesforce, eMoney, Wealth.com, Zocks meeting notes, Zoom Phone.
• Follow compliance requirements for the firm, LPL Financial, and Stratos Wealth Partners, including annual compliance training and continuing education.
• Attend periodic planning team meetings and present discussion topics on a regular basis.
• Help train and mentor paraplanners and interns.
• Progress steadily through the CFP® education program and exams, with firm support.
• Contribute ideas that strengthen PFP’s culture, client experience, and processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (preferably finance/business/accounting/economics or related) and/or equivalent experience.
• 2+ years of experience in financial planning or wealth management (example: paraplanner or client service associate) with demonstrated client-facing experience.
• Actively pursuing CFP® certification and currently enrolled in a CFP Board-registered education program.
• SIE, Series 7, Series 66 and California Life, Accident & Health licenses required, or obtained within 12 months of hire (firm-sponsored).
• Experience using financial planning software (eMoney preferred), a CRM (Salesforce, Redtail, or Wealthbox preferred), and Microsoft Office.

Technologies

• eMoney
• Salesforce
• Wealth.com
• Zocks meeting notes
• Zoom Phone
• CRM
• Microsoft Office
• Redtail
• Wealthbox

Benefits

• Annual performance bonus eligibility
• 401k with employer matching
• Generous PTO and Paid Holidays
• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage (70% of employee premium is employer paid; 50% of dependent coverage is employer paid)
• $1,300 Annual Wellness Benefit
• Healthcare and Dependent Care FSAs, plus HSAs for eligible employees
• Firm-sponsored licensing exams and CFP® certification support
• Competitive benefits package

Role Context

• Pettinelli Financial Partners (PFP) is a boutique, team-based wealth management firm where each client is served by a team (Lead Financial Advisor, an Associate Advisor, specialists, and a client service team).
• The Associate Financial Advisor partners with Lead Advisors to deliver comprehensive financial planning, lead meetings and relationships for a growing group of households, and ensure commitments are documented, delegated, and completed.

Other Skills & Experience

• Understanding of the RIA and independent financial advice channel, with a fiduciary mindset.
• Financial planning and wealth management acumen, sound judgment, and curiosity about how client life components fit together.
• Reliable follow-through, ownership of outcomes, and comfort taking on new challenges.
• Strong organization and attention to detail; ability to manage a high volume of tasks and meetings while keeping priorities current.
• Commitment to accuracy and high-quality work.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; comfortable presenting to clients.
• Coachable approach by seeking out and acting on feedback.
• Collaborative team orientation, adaptable to change and open to new ideas.
• Ability to thrive in a small-firm, entrepreneurial environment.
• Personal integrity and professional initiative aligned with PFP’s purpose, vision, and values.

Location: Redwood City, CA (hybrid, in office or hybrid). Compensation: USD 90,000 - 124,000 per year.