Senior Director of Practice Acquisitions @ Edward Jones

Opportunity Overview

The Senior Director of Practice Acquisitions is responsible for creating, building, and leading the firm's national External Practice Acquisition capability. This leader leads acquisition managers, analysts, and cross-functional partners responsible for evaluating, negotiating, and executing a portfolio of acquisitions of independent financial practices to accelerate the firm's growth strategy.

The Senior Director of Practice Acquisitions leads the development of acquisition strategy, operating model, governance frameworks, and execution capabilities required to acquire and transition advisory practices at scale. The role partners closely with Market Management, Recruiting, Practice Onboarding/Integration, Legal, Finance, and senior business leaders to deliver acquisition outcomes while enhancing the advisor and client experience throughout the acquisition lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Leads and directly manages the success and performance of a team of acquisition managers and analysts responsible for transaction execution.
• Establishes and evolves the firm's national practice acquisition strategy and operating model.
• Leads acquisition evaluation, valuation, diligence, negotiation, and transaction execution activities.
• Develops scalable acquisition programs, governance structures, policies, and performance measurement frameworks.
• Aligns acquisition priorities and execution strategies to the firm's growth strategy and long-term objectives.
• Translates acquisition strategy into measurable goals, objectives, and organizational priorities.
• Communicates acquisition strategy, performance, and recommendations to senior leaders and key stakeholders.
• Partners with Recruiting and Practice Onboarding/Integration leaders to optimize sourcing effectiveness and post-close outcomes.
• Builds organizational capacity required to support increasing acquisition volume and complexity.
• Attracts, develops, and retains a diverse workforce capable of supporting enterprise growth objectives.
• Champions continuous improvement and innovation across acquisition processes and advisor experience.

Problem Solving

• Problems are strategic and transformational in nature, requiring the ability to create new operating models, develop scalable acquisition capabilities, and make decisions impacting the firm's long-term growth trajectory.

Examples include

• Establishing enterprise acquisition frameworks, governance processes, and decision-making standards.
• Developing scalable acquisition capacity to support increasing transaction volume while maintaining execution quality.
• Balancing growth objectives, advisor experience, financial returns, risk management, and resource constraints.
• Solving complex transaction, valuation, and integration challenges with significant enterprise implications.

Decision Making

• Decisions have broad and lasting enterprise impact affecting growth outcomes, advisor satisfaction, client retention, organizational investment priorities, and financial performance.
• Leads the development and continual evolution of the firm's Practice Acquisition strategy and operating framework.
• Establishes acquisition standards, processes, metrics, tools, and best practices.
• Determines prioritization of acquisition opportunities, organizational resources, and capability investments.
• Influences executive leaders when acquisition decisions require significant strategic, financial, or operational considerations.
• Provides recommendations regarding acquisition opportunities, risks, valuations, and expected business outcomes.
• Balances short-term growth objectives with long-term capability development.

Decision Environment: 10% by precedent, 90% broad direction.

Span of Influence

• The Senior Director of Practice Acquisitions is responsible for creating and scaling a national acquisition capability critical to the firm's long-term inorganic growth strategy.
• Leads a team of acquisition professionals and influences a broader cross-functional acquisition ecosystem.
• Partners closely with senior leaders across Market Management, Practice Management, Finance, Legal, and Operations.
• Builds and maintains relationships with practice owners, investment bankers, attorneys, consultants, and industry intermediaries.
• Influences enterprise growth priorities through acquisition strategy, market insights, and transaction recommendations.
• Responsible for capability development, talent strategy, organizational effectiveness, and succession planning within the acquisition function.

Key Outcomes

• Complete 20-50 practice acquisitions annually.
• Deliver $1.5B-$3.0B in acquired AUM annually.
• Improve acquisition experiences, conversion rates, and operational measures year-over-year.
• Support advisor retention and client asset retention following acquisition.
• Build scalable organizational capacity capable of supporting expanded acquisition targets in future years.

Position Requirements

Qualifications Required in the Job

• Masters degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Accounting, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise-scale acquisition, corporate development, M&A, wealth management growth, or strategic transaction programs.
• Demonstrated success negotiating and executing complex transactions involving founder-owned businesses.
• 10+ years of experience in mergers & acquisitions, corporate development, investment banking, wealth management, business development, or related field.
• 10+ years of leadership experience directly managing teams and developing leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to build new operating capabilities and scale organizations.
• Strong financial analysis, valuation, transaction structuring, and negotiation skills.
• Excellent executive-level communication, stakeholder management, and influence skills.
• Experience leading transformational initiatives in large organizations.

Preferred

• Wealth management or registered investment advisor acquisition experience.
• Experience leading national acquisition programs.
• Experience developing acquisition operating models and governance frameworks.
• Familiarity with advisor succession and practice transition models.

Company Description

Join a financial services firm where your contributions are valued. Edward Jones is a Fortune 500¹ company where people come first. With over 9 million clients and 20,000 financial advisors across the U.S. and Canada, we’re proud to be privately-owned, placing the focus on our clients rather than shareholder returns.

Behind everything we do is our purpose: We partner for positive impact to improve the lives of our clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. We are an innovative, flexible, and inclusive organization that attracts, develops, and inspires performance excellence and a sense of belonging.

People are at the center of our partnership. Edward Jones associates are seen, heard, respected, and supported. This is what we believe makes us the best place to start or build your career.

View our Purpose, Inclusion and Citizenship Report.

¹Fortune 500, published June 2024, data as of December 2023. Compensation provided for using, not obtaining, the rating.

Awards and Accolades

At Edward Jones, we are building a place where everyone feels like they belong. We're proud of our associates' contributions to the firm and the recognitions we have received.

Check out our U.S. awards and accolades: Insights & Information Blog Postings about Edward Jones

Check out our Canadian awards and accolades: Insights & Information Blog Postings about Edward Jones

EEO Statement

Edward Jones does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Salary Information

Edward Jones' compensation and benefits package includes medical and prescription drug, dental, vision, voluntary benefits (such as accident, hospital indemnity, and critical illness), short- and long-term disability, basic life, and basic AD&D coverage. Short- and long-term disability, basic life, and basic AD&D coverage are provided at no cost to associates. Edward Jones offers a 401k retirement plan, and tax-advantaged accounts: health savings account, and flexible spending account.

Edward Jones observes ten paid holidays and provides 15 days of vacation for new associates beginning on January 1 of each year, as well as sick time, personal days, and a paid day for volunteerism. Associates may be eligible for bonuses and profit sharing. All associates are eligible for the firm's Employee Assistance Program. For more information on the Benefits available to Edward Jones associates, please visit our benefits page.