The OpportunityReporting to the Senior Vice President, Head of Business Development, the Area Vice President, Business Development will play a key role in executing a national growth strategy by identifying, attracting, and recruiting experienced financial advisors and established advisory practices.
Leveraging an extensive network within the Canadian financial services industry, you will develop and execute a regional business development strategy, build relationships with high-performing advisors, and partner closely with senior field leadership to support advisor acquisition and long-term business growth.
This is a highly visible leadership role offering the opportunity to influence strategic recruitment initiatives, shape advisor growth across Canada, and contribute directly to the continued success of a leading national wealth management organization.
What You'll Be Doing- Develop and execute a regional strategy to recruit experienced financial advisors and established advisory practices.
- Build and maintain relationships with top-performing advisors and industry influencers across the financial services sector.
- Lead confidential career discussions and guide advisors through the transition to a new organization.
- Partner with Regional Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, and Division Managers to identify, attract, and secure top advisor talent.
- Support advisor teams with business structuring, succession planning, and acquisition opportunities.
- Provide strategic coaching and recruitment support to field leadership throughout the hiring process.
- Gather and leverage competitive market intelligence to strengthen recruitment strategies and identify growth opportunities.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including Marketing, Talent Acquisition, Client Experience, and onboarding teams, to deliver an exceptional candidate experience.
- Manage a regional business development budget, including travel, client events, and recruitment initiatives.
- Represent the organization at regional and national conferences, leadership forums, and industry events.
- Present market insights and strategic recruitment updates to executive leadership.
What You'll Need to Be Successful- 10+ years of experience in financial services, with a strong background in business development, advisor recruitment, or wholesaling.
- Demonstrated success recruiting experienced financial advisors and established wealth management practices.
- A strong professional network within the Canadian wealth management industry, including relationships with advisors managing $50M+ in assets.
- Deep understanding of mutual funds, investment dealer and insurance channels, advisor compensation models, and practice transition strategies.
- Experience influencing senior leaders and building trusted relationships with advisors and executive stakeholders.
- Strong strategic planning, business development, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
- Excellent presentation, communication, and public speaking abilities.
- Ability to analyze market trends and leverage competitive intelligence to drive recruitment success.
- Current or previous Mutual Fund Dealer or Investment Dealer licensing is preferred.
- Industry designations such as CFP, CFA, CLU, CSC, or Plan. Fin. are considered strong assets.
- Membership in organizations such as Advocis, STEP, or CIFP is an asset.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently throughout the assigned territory.
- Fluency in English is required. Bilingualism (French/English) is considered a strong asset.
Compensation Range- $ 150,000 base with total earnings up to $350,000
