Compliance Manager

Merit Financial Advisors

Location: Alpharetta, Charlotte, Frisco, Boca Raton, Dallas, Denver

Position Summary
This position reports directly to the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) and is primarily responsible for overseeing the development and maintenance of the Compliance Department’s testing program, which encompasses both branch exams and the 206(4)-7annual assessment. The two elements of the testing program will need to be more fully developed and consistent with each other. The Compliance Manager would be primarily responsible for the branch exams, while partnering with Compliance colleagues on the annual assessment program. The position would require a Series 24 license, or the candidate should be in the process of obtaining one in order to serve as a delegate to the OSJ supervisor. The position would also be required to contribute to the other elements of the Compliance Program which are tangential to testing; updating of policy and procedures and Form ADV, as well as performing email review. The position is also responsible for developing the firm’s regulatory compliance risk management framework, refreshing the residual risk assessment based on test results, and using it to drive a risk-based approach for the testing program. The Compliance Manager may be asked to perform other responsibilities or special projects at the request of the CCO.

To be successful in this role, the candidate will need to have considerable compliance experience with an SEC registered investment adviser and be familiar with the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The individual will also need to have compliance experience with a broker-dealer and be familiar with FINRA’s rules. The ideal candidate will have exposure to a hybrid adviser, preferably in the LPL network. This position will require regular travel in order to perform branch exams.

This position will act as a sole contributor and not have any direct reports. The candidate should have strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain the branch exam program, including the checklist and exam schedule.
• Conduct onsite and/or remote branch exams in accordance with the exam schedule.
• Develop management reporting of branch exam results that provides summary metrics, highlights trends and underlying root causes, and makes firmwide recommendations.
• More fully develop and maintain the annual assessment program and calendar.
• Perform testing in accordance with the annual assessment program.
• Ensure that the scope and objectives of testing program adequately addresses Rule 206(4)7 and the firm’s compliance policies and procedures.
• Partner with Compliance colleagues to ensure that Form ADV and the firm’s policies and procedures are updated to reflect the results of the testing program.
• Develop management reporting of annual assessment results that make meaningful, constructive and impactful recommendations to the business and provides implementation status of agreed upon action plans.
• Ensure that the testing program has the necessary systems tools in order to operate effectively and with scalability.
• Partner with other Compliance colleagues to draft the annual assessment for review by the CCO and presentation to the Executive Leadership Team.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities):

• Bachelor’s degree in business-related area of study.
• Minimum of 7 to 10 years of recent compliance experience with a Registered Investment Adviser and/or Broker-Dealer.
• Working knowledge of SEC, FINRA, and state securities rules, regulations, issues, and concerns.
• Active FINRA Series 65 or Series 66, Series 7, and Series 24 license preferred.

Key Skills and Competencies:

• Analytical skills
• Communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Influence skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Teamwork

We are an equal employment opportunity provider.

Please contact Zach Kohlman at 770.391.4564 or zkohlman@meritfa.com.