AVP, Industry Research & Competitive Strategy – Affiliation Models

Where Ambition Meets Innovation

Build a career that matches all your initiative with an impressive dose of innovation. From cutting-edge resources and a collaborative environment to the freedom to make an impact and more, you’ll find the ingredients you need at LPL Financial to shape your success while helping clients pursue their financial goals.

Job Overview:

The Assistant Vice President, Industry Research & Competitive Strategy reports to the SVP of Offering Strategy and plays a critical role in shaping LPL’s long‑term affiliation strategy. This role is responsible for continuously assessing the advisor marketplace, monitoring competitive dynamics, and evaluating regulatory developments to ensure LPL is well‑positioned to meet the evolving needs of advisors and firms.

This leader will serve as the LPL Business Line Strategy team's central insight engine—translating market intelligence into strategic recommendations that help define the future of our affiliation models and advisor value propositions.
 

Responsibilities:

Industry & Competitive Research

• Serve as the point person for continuous research on the independent, hybrid, and corporate RIA marketplaces.

• Evaluate competitor platforms, pricing, capabilities, technology stacks, service models, and go‑to‑market strategies.

• Track competitive moves, new entrants, and ecosystem changes to identify risks, opportunities, and white space.

• Build and maintain structured intelligence frameworks, dashboards, and reporting on industry trends.

Regulatory & Policy Monitoring

• Monitor regulatory and legislative developments that impact advisor business models, affiliation options, or broker‑dealer/RIA operations.

• Analyze proposed rules, industry commentary, and regulatory guidance to assess implications for LPL and its advisors.

• Partner with Compliance, Legal, and Government Relations to synthesize regulatory insights into strategic business recommendations.

Affiliation Strategy Support

• Translate marketplace insights into actionable strategy to evolve LPL’s affiliation offerings.

• Assess how macro trends—advisory models, product shifts, fee structures, custody dynamics—impact advisor preferences and expectations.

• Support the development of new affiliation constructs, enhancements, or differentiators that strengthen LPL’s competitive position.

• Provide strategic input to product, pricing, technology, and experience teams based on external market perspectives.

Cross‑Functional Partnership & Execution

• Partner with Product, Business Development, Finance, Advisor Growth, and Marketing organizations to ensure strategic alignment across initiatives.

• Support executive decision‑making through data‑driven analysis and well‑structured recommendations.

• Develop concise, executive‑level deliverables that translate complex insights into clear narratives and strategic options.

• Collaborate with recruiting and advisor engagement teams to ensure market intelligence informs messaging and advisor dialogues.

Project Management & Communication

• Lead or support enterprise initiatives tied to affiliation evolution, competitive positioning, or advisor experience.

• Manage multiple concurrent research and strategy workstreams, ensuring timely, high‑quality deliverables.

• Communicate research findings, strategic implications, and recommended actions to stakeholders across the organization.

What We’re Looking For:

We’re looking for strong collaborators who deliver exceptional client experiences and thrive in fast-paced, team-oriented environments. Our ideal candidates pursue greatness, act with integrity, and are driven to help our clients succeed. We value those who embrace creativity, continuous improvement, and contribute to a culture where we win together and create and share joy in our work

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree

• 5+ years of experience in financial services, consulting, strategy, competitive intelligence, or research

Core Competencies:

• Deep understanding of wealth management ecosystems, advisor business models, and industry trends

• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem‑solving skills

• Ability to synthesize large amounts of information into clear, concise findings

• Strong communication and presentation skills

• Ability to influence stakeholders and work cross‑functionally in a dynamic environment

Preferences

• Advanced degree in strategy, business, finance, economics, or related field

• Experience with competitive intelligence frameworks or market research methodologies

• Familiarity with business intelligence tools, data visualization platforms, and emerging industry technologies