Account Director, Corporate Relations

Under limited supervision, the Account Director for Corporate Relations is responsible for CFP Board’s relations with firms, focused on both the growth of CFP® professionals in assigned firms and development revenue to support CFP Board’s strategic initiatives and organizational goals.  

Essential Functions: 

• Partners with firms to increase financial service firm preference for and investment in CFP® certification 
• Creates business development plans, strategies, segmentation, procedures, and metrics for developing broader and deeper relationships with financial service firms 
• Engages with assigned firms to partner on development opportunities to support CFP Board’s mission and workforce objectives. 
• Develops and delivers proposals for development opportunities, ensuring that internal parties approve, if necessary, programs and initiatives before they are presented to outside parties. 
• Serves as primary contact for key leadership in assigned financial service firms; initiates and grows the number and quality of relationships within assigned firms 
• Oversees stewardship for assigned sponsors and ensures timely, periodic meetings with firms to provide progress reports, track invoice delivery, and prepare for renewal discussions. 
• Collaborates with CFP Board staff to develop research, collateral and programs that help increase awareness, preference, and CFP® professional growth among firms 
• Promotes and delivers webinars and in-person conference session presentations to drive more CFP® certificant growth 
• Supports needs of firms, enlists support of CFP Board staff, as necessary, for productive partnerships and relations with firms 
• Supports the development of themes, plans, and program content/agenda and speakers/presenters, for  firm content of CFP Board Conference and the Financial Advice Working group that attracts and increases attendance from financial services firms aligned with annual goals 
• Develops content for white papers and articles 
• Develops and manages business development budget ensuring accurate tracking, projections, and alignment with organizational budgeting goals. 
• Supervises Account Manager role and responsibilities 
• Provides strategic input to organization to further mission and achieve goals 
• Supervises Account Manager role and responsibilities 
• Collaborates with other areas of CFP Board on special projects, IT requests, working groups or ad hoc assistance 
• Perform other duties as assigned 

Background/Skills/Abilities Preferred 

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in business or related field  
• CFP® professional in good standing, with 8+ years relevant experience in the financial services industry 
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain quality relationships and collaborate with senior-level stakeholders (internal and external) and strategic partners 
• Knowledge of industry channels and business models preferred 
• Relationship builder with the flexibility and finesse to ‘manage by influence’ 
• Ability to use data to build consensus, get strategic partners on board, and to show results 
• Budget management experience 
• Exemplary verbal, presentation, and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate with precision and effectiveness across all levels and functions 
• Excellent implementation skills including the ability to set and achieve goals, prioritize, and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously 
• Ability to think strategically, tactically, and creatively 
• Proven experience developing and implementing marketing and sales plans, strategies, procedures, and measurement systems 
• Successful record of understanding sensitivities to organizational structures and politics and identifying anchors and brackets within firm personnel  
• Strong sense of the organization’s mission and position in financial services marketplace 
• Ability to take personal responsibility and ownership for delivering on organizational commitments. 
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills, ability to multi-task, work collaboratively across the organization, and meet critical deadlines 
• Models high ethical standards and demonstrates an appropriate executive presence which instills confidence 
• Ability to travel (estimated 30%-40%).  Due to the amount of travel required, this position is eligible to work remotely with scheduled visits to CFP Board headquarters as required 

About CFP Board 

CFP Board is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board consists of two affiliated organizations focused on advancing the financial planning profession for the public’s benefit. CFP Board of Standards (501(c)(6)) sets and upholds standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM certification — widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planners — so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning.  

CFP® certification is held by nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. CFP Board Center for Financial Planning (501(c)(3)) addresses diversity and workforce development challenges and conducts and publishes research that adds to the financial planning profession’s body of knowledge. 

This position works on programs which are part of the 501 (c)(6).

This position is based in the Washington D.C. office and works a hybrid schedule which could be changed at any time. 

CFP Board believes that diversity of experience and perspective are strengths and seeks to continue to grow a highly committed, skilled, and collaborative staff.