The Successor Pipeline & Acquisition Readiness Lead serves as the enterprise owner of successor readiness at Thrivent, responsible for building the systems, standards, and development pathways that prepare financial advisors to successfully acquire, lead, and scale practices. This role ensures that acquiring advisors are not only transition-ready, but fully capable of delivering client continuity, driving growth, leading teams, and sustaining an advice-focused business.
This can be a remote position within the US.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Own and ensure application of the enterprise acquisition readiness standard, translating the Acquisition Readiness Framework into measurable capability development and demonstrated readiness across leadership, growth, and practice ownership.
Design and scale structured successor development pathways aligned to the Acquisition Readiness Framework, including cohort-based, experiential, and graduated responsibility models that build capability toward full acquisition readiness.
Integrate successor readiness into the Advisor Legacy Program, ensuring readiness is assessed early, developed intentionally, and aligned to transition timelines to improve transition outcomes and confidence.
Establish and evolve team-based successor pathways, defining progression from supporting advisor roles into leadership positions across team maturity stages.
Partner with Virtual Advice to build and operationalize an acquisition pathway, including readiness criteria, development milestones, and integration expectations for advisors transitioning into practice leadership.
Create and maintain enterprise visibility into the successor-ready pipeline, including bench strength, capacity gaps, and forward-looking readiness trends.
Establish and track successor readiness and transition performance metrics, using data to assess program effectiveness, inform decisions, and drive continuous improvement.
Collaborate across enterprise stakeholders (Teaming, Transition Planning, Virtual Advice, Recruiting, and Field Leadership) to align on readiness standards, development expectations, and execution.
Leverage and integrate external successor development frameworks into Thrivent-specific systems, accelerating capability while building internally sustainable models.
Describe below the audience this role will interact with and level of influence they will have on those roles.
This role operates at the intersection of strategy, design, and collaboration, interacting with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to ensure seamless transitions and impactful outcomes. Working closely with the Director of Advisor Practice Strategies and the Transition Planning Program Manager this role will:
Collaborate cross-functionally with:
Advisor Practice Strategies and Programs Manager
Teaming Program Manager
National Practice Program Manager
Lead Practice Growth Director
Advisor Practice Coaching / Capability team
Virtual Advice leadership
Recruiting and Capacity teams
Practice Growth Directors and Area Leadership
The role will have responsibility to align stakeholders around a consistent definition of readiness and our development approach
Influence leaders without direct authority through expertise, data, and structured frameworks
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:
Required:
Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, or a related field.
A minimum of 7 years of experience in financial services, with significant experience in succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, teaming, or a related field.
A minimum of 3 years of experience coaching and leading succession and acquisition plans, with a proven ability to develop talent and drive performance in a high-stakes environment.
Demonstrated experience in practice management, succession, acquisition, and transition readiness expectations.
Strategic mindset with the ability to build and maintain enterprise programs.
Ability to identify and analyze trends in advisor succession and acquisition planning to drive data-informed strategies.
In-depth knowledge of teaming and best practices in developing financial advisors to successfully acquire a practice and build the business post-acquisition.
Familiarity with advisor business models, client retention strategies, and regulatory considerations affecting succession and teaming strategies.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills to engage and educate advisors, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams effectively.
Preferred:
Experience creating and executing on new programming across an organization.
Advanced degree or designation (e.g., MBA, CFP®).
Strong understanding of practice valuations, industry trends, and the financial principles underpinning advisor business transitions.
Pay Transparency
Thrivent provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable local, state, or federal law. This policy applies to all employees and job applicants.
Thrivent is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please let us know by sending an email to [email protected] or call 800-847-4836 and request Human Resources.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, or a related field.
- Minimum of 7 years of experience in financial services, with significant experience in succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, teaming, or related field.
- Minimum of 3 years of experience coaching and leading succession and acquisition plans.
- Demonstrated experience in practice management, succession, acquisition, and transition readiness expectations.
- Strategic mindset with ability to build and maintain enterprise programs.
- Ability to identify and analyze trends in advisor succession and acquisition planning to drive data-informed strategies.
- In-depth knowledge of teaming and best practices for developing financial advisors to acquire and grow practices.
- Familiarity with advisor business models, client retention strategies, and regulatory considerations affecting succession and teaming.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills to engage advisors and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Experience creating and executing new programming across an organization.
- Advanced degree or designation (e.g., MBA, CFP®).
- Strong understanding of practice valuations, industry trends, and financial principles underpinning advisor business transitions.
Thrivent Financial Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Thrivent Financial and has not been reviewed or approved by Thrivent Financial.
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Retirement Support — Retirement programs featuring both a 401(k) and a pension are highlighted as a standout element that strengthens total rewards. These offerings are perceived to enhance long-term security across many roles.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off provisions including PTO, company holidays, volunteer time, and paid parental leave are frequently called out as robust. These elements support work–life balance and overall satisfaction.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, vision, and wellbeing resources are consistently described as comprehensive. Plan options, including high-deductible and traditional choices, offer flexibility to fit different needs.
Thrivent Financial Insights
What We Do
At Thrivent, we do work that matters—and we're reimagining financial services in ways that help individuals and communities thrive. With the belief that money is a tool, not a goal, we help over 2 million clients make the most of all they’ve been given through financial advice, insurance, investments, banking and generosity programs. As a Fortune 500 company with a 100-year legacy, Thrivent is committed to helping people build their financial futures and live more generous lives in their communities and beyond. For more information, visit thrivent.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See our social media privacy policy and page guidelines at thrivent.com/privacyandsocial.
