Position Summary
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will act as a trusted technical partner to advisers nationally — supporting comprehensive strategy development, drafting high-quality advice documents, and contributing to advice quality, risk management and continuous improvement.
You will work across advanced strategies involving superannuation, SMSFs, investments, taxation and retirement planning, and will be relied upon for judgement, technical insight and end‑to‑end ownership of advice delivery.
For the right person, this role offers meaningful scope, variety, and influence — without stepping into a client‑owning adviser position.
Primary Responsibilities
Paraplanning & Advice Delivery
- Prepare comprehensive, high-quality Statements of Advice (SOAs) and Records of Advice (ROAs) for HNW and UHNW clients.
- Translate adviser and client objectives into clear, compliant and well‑structured advice strategies.
- Manage advice documentation end‑to‑end, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and consistency with Escala standards.
- Balance quality and throughput, maintaining strong attention to detail.
Technical Expertise & Adviser Partnership
- Apply deep technical knowledge across superannuation, SMSFs, investments, taxation and retirement strategies.
- Provide practical technical guidance and recommendations to advisers on complex matters.
- Stay current with legislative and regulatory change and ensure advice approaches remain contemporary and defensible.
- Build strong, trusted working relationships with advisers and their teams nationally.
Client Interaction & Advice Support
- Attend client meetings where complex strategies require technical explanation or support.
- Clearly articulate advice strategies in a client‑appropriate and professional manner.
- Provide retail financial advice within authorised scope and Escala’s advice framework (if licenced).
Compliance, Quality & Risk Management
- Ensure all advice meets regulatory, AFSL and internal compliance requirements.
- Support and respond to file reviews and remediation activities.
- Contribute to identifying and resolving legacy or higher‑risk advice matters.
- Maintain accurate, well‑documented advice records and uphold best‑interest obligations.
Systems, Process & Continuous Improvement
- Utilise Xplan and related systems for modelling, projections and strategy development.
- Identify opportunities to improve workflows, templates and advice efficiency.
- Share knowledge and insights to lift technical capability and consistency across the business.
Qualifications
- Demonstrated experience delivering complex paraplanning or technical advice in a HNW / UHNW advice environment.
- Strong technical capability and ability to convert complexity into clear, compliant advice.
- Proven ability to manage volume without compromising quality.
- Solid understanding of Australian financial services regulation and advice standards.
- Excellent written communication skills and attention to detail.
- Confidence working closely with advisers as a technical partner.
- Strong Xplan capability, including modelling and projections.
Desirable
- Financial planning qualifications and/or progress toward professional accreditation.
- Experience supporting advisers across multiple offices or adviser teams.
About Escala Partners
Escala Partners is the new standard in personalised wealth management. Everything we do is designed to put our clients’ interests first and realise their financial aspirations. We develop tailored strategies focused on creating and preserving wealth; offer objective, considered advice based on market-leading research; and work collaboratively as a team so we can deliver superior outcomes. This is our point of difference: a completely new experience in wealth management.
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About Focus Partners Australia
Focus Partners Australia is part of Focus Financial Partners, a leading financial services firm based in the United States, comprised of wealth management, family office, and business management services. Focus Partners Australia offers integrated capabilities in investment and portfolio management, accounting, lending, insurance and related services from its offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Guided by a client-first ethos, we leverage the global expertise, platforms and capital strength of Focus Financial Partners to deliver holistic, fiduciary guidance across strategic planning, portfolio management, insurance, credit and tax. By fusing local insight with world-class resources, Focus Partners Australia helps its clients protect, grow, and transition their wealth at every life stage. Discover more about Focus Partners Australia at focuspa.com.au/ or LinkedIn.
Skills Required
- Demonstrated experience delivering complex paraplanning or technical advice in a HNW / UHNW advice environment.
- Strong technical capability and ability to convert complexity into clear, compliant advice.
- Proven ability to manage volume without compromising quality.
- Solid understanding of Australian financial services regulation and advice standards.
- Excellent written communication skills and attention to detail.
- Confidence working closely with advisers as a technical partner.
- Strong Xplan capability, including modelling and projections.
- Financial planning qualifications and/or progress toward professional accreditation.
- Experience supporting advisers across multiple offices or adviser teams.
What We Do
Our mission is to elevate lives by leveraging the capabilities and expertise only the largest financial institutions can provide while delivering a deeply personalised experience. As your trusted partner and advocate, we bring clarity to complexity, empower your aspirations, reimagine the intersection of life and finances. Please visit www.focuspa.com.au
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