Advisory Specialist

Advisory Specialist Overview

Guidance breaks down when no one owns the space between a client's financial complexity and the regulatory obligations that govern it. The Advisory Specialist exists to fill that gap - managing portfolios of high net worth accounts while ensuring every client engagement meets fiduciary standards, from trust administration to wealth transition oversight. Day to day, the work combines portfolio consultation, compliance documentation, and structured stakeholder communication across legal, compliance, and client-facing teams.

• Manage assigned client portfolios to ensure fiduciary obligations and regulatory compliance standards are met continuously.
• Lead advisory engagements covering trust administration, estate planning, and wealth transition for high net worth clients.
• Analyze regulatory correspondence, trust documents, and compliance requirements to identify risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate cross-functional compliance activities with legal, operations, and senior leadership teams toward timely resolution.
• Design and maintain compliance program documentation, including risk assessments and procedural review schedules.

• Hard
  
  Skills:
  
  Fiduciary and trust law knowledge, financial modeling and portfolio analysis, regulatory compliance documentation, risk assessment and mitigation planning, data synthesis and business intelligence reporting.
• Soft Skills:
  
  Communication, Problem-Solving, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Negotiation.

• Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) – primary credential validating fiduciary and trust administration expertise.
• FINRA Series 65 – required for advising on investment products under registered investment adviser frameworks.
• Certified Financial Planner (CFP) – broadens advisory scope to include comprehensive financial planning and estate strategy.
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) – signals advanced investment analysis capability, valued at senior and portfolio-focused levels.

Advisory Specialist salaries in the United States typically range from $114,480 to $200,592 per year, based on the most recent data from Glassdoor.

Top-paying cities include:

• New York, NY – $150,000+ per year
• Chicago, IL – $140,000+ per year
• Los Angeles, CA – $123,000+ per year

• Junior Advisory Associate
• Advisory Specialist
• Senior Advisory Specialist
• Compliance Manager or Senior Fiduciary Officer