EVP of Operations

The Company:

Merit is a fast growing, pioneering financial services firm that invests heavily in the growth and development of team members. Merit seeks to establish, educate, and help individuals reach their financial goals as they transition into and experience retirement. With an unswerving commitment to excellence and reliability, Merit provides objective financial advice and believes in establishing long-lasting relationships. By offering an array of services, clients can receive tailored solutions that promote growth and help them achieve financial goals.

Merit believes in addressing the retirement challenges in America by helping clients reach financial freedom and confidence to the working population and retirees alike. This focus on comprehensive financial wellness enables us to deliver the ultimate client experience.

Headquartered in Alpharetta, GA, with 39 locations across the country, Merit balances tactical advice with innovative strategy. Our 250 hardworking employees are leaders rooted in humility and we are poised to grow. Merit is a multi-generational firm with a foundation built around servant leadership and total team leadership. We have been recognized as a “Best Places to Work” by InvestmentNews and have made the fastest growing companies list in both INC 5000 and Georgia’s Fastest 40. As we expand and work to bring our relationship-driven approach to the financial industry, we are looking for the right individuals to join our team.

The position:

The EVP of Operations is a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for overseeing and optimizing the firm’s operational infrastructure to support its $20B+ AUM platform. This role ensures scalable, compliant, and efficient operations across all business units, with a focus on delivering seamless advisor and client experience. The EVP will lead strategic initiatives, manage cross-functional teams, and drive innovation through technology and process improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

•  Serve as a strategic partner to the COO in shaping the firm’s operational roadmap.
• Lead the development and execution of operational strategies aligned with the firm’s growth objectives, including M&A integration and platform scalability.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and operational excellence by working closely with HQ operations team and the field operations team.

Operational Oversight

•  Direct all day-to-day operations across departments and branches including client service, trading, billing, compliance support, and advisor onboarding.
• Oversee the implementation and optimization of core systems such as One Vest, Salesforce, Orion, and custodial platforms (Fidelity, Schwab, LPL).
• Ensure operational workflows are efficient, compliant, and aligned with best-in-class industry standards.
• Lead M&A due diligence in Operations
• Design, document, and enforce standard operating procedures across client service, onboarding, billing, and integration.
• Work with advisors to ensure operational processes meet their needs

Technology & Process Optimization

• Partner with the CTO and technology teams to evaluate, implement, and support enterprise systems that enhance operational efficiency.
• Leverage automation and AI tools to streamline processes and reduce manual intervention.
• Drive data governance and integrity across platforms to support business intelligence and decision-making.
• Continually assess operational processes, develop KPIs related to efficiency, accuracy, service delivery.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and mentor a high-performing operations team, including regional directors and operational teams across Merit enterprise
• Foster a collaborative environment that promotes accountability, innovation, and professional growth.
• Oversee hiring, training, and performance management for operational staff.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Collaborate with the Chief Compliance Officer to ensure operational adherence to regulatory requirements.
• Oversee principal approval processes for advisory paperwork and discretionary agreements. Implement controls to mitigate operational risk and ensure audit readiness.

Salary + Benefits:

• Competitive, based on experience
• Medical Insurance
• Dental/Vision Insurance
• Life & Personal Accident Insurance 
• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Account (HSA) or Dependent Care FSA
• 401(k) Plan with company matching
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays 

Best Places To Work for Financial Advisors 2018-2024: Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 – Recognized firms were required to be a registered investment advisor (RIA) that has been in business at least one year and having a minimum of 15 full-time/part-time employees. The assessment consisted of a questionnaire on benefits and policies completed by human resources staff along with an engagement & satisfaction survey completed by a minimum of 40% of staff. 50 firms were selected for this award from an undisclosed list of submissions. There was no charge to be included in this award listing.

Georgia Fast 40 2019 and 2022: The Georgia Fast 40 for 2019 and 2022 was awarded by the Atlanta Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth. To be eligible companies must be for profit and headquartered in Georgia and the most recent year-end revenues ranging from $15 million to $500 million and have three years of verifiable revenue and employment growth.

Inc 5000 2019, 2020 & 2021: The Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index, which consists of more than 5000 companies, represents virtually all of the capitalization of the entire U.S. stock market

Compensation: Merit Financial Advisors offers competitive compensation based on experience, qualifications, location, and market data. Where required by applicable law, salary ranges will be provided during the hiring process.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Business, Economics, or related field
• FINRA Series 7 & 66/65 required. FINRA Series 24 preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of senior leadership experience in operations within a high-growth RIA or hybrid firm over $10B+
• Proven success in scaling operations, leading M&A integrations, and managing complex technology ecosystems.
• Deep familiarity with custodians (Fidelity, Schwab), Orion, and Salesforce.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a bias for action.