Head of UHNW Operations (Century City, CA)

District Partners has been exclusively engaged by one of the nation's fastest-growing and most sophisticated wealth management platforms to identify a Head of UHNW Operations. We are seeking a Head of UHNW Operations to serve as a trusted partner to the Chief Operating Officer and a key leader embedded within the UHNW business. This individual will play a central role in shaping how the division operates, evolves, and integrates within the broader enterprise, ensuring that strategic decisions translate into meaningful, sustainable execution.

The position represents a unique intersection of business strategy, organizational transformation, operational leadership, and stakeholder engagement. The successful candidate will develop a deep understanding of the UHNW business, its people, and its distinct client service model, serving as a trusted connection between UHNW leadership, advisory professionals, and enterprise functions.

Beyond supporting an ongoing integration, this leader will help define the division's future operating model, identify opportunities for organizational and process improvement, and drive the implementation of strategic initiatives across the business. They will serve as both a strategic thought partner and a hands-on execution leader, bringing structure to complex challenges, building organizational alignment, and ensuring initiatives deliver measurable results.

This is not a traditional operations management position. While maintaining operational continuity and supporting existing business processes are important responsibilities, the broader mandate is to lead change, improve how the business operates, and build the organizational capabilities required for long-term growth. Success will require exceptional judgment, emotional intelligence, business acumen, and the ability to develop genuine trust and credibility with stakeholders at every level, from senior executives and sophisticated advisory teams to client service professionals and enterprise support functions.

What You'll Be Owning:

Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership

• Serve as a trusted partner to the COO and UHNW leadership, providing visibility into business priorities, operational challenges, organizational dynamics, and opportunities for improvement.
• Act as a key point of connectivity between the UHNW division and the broader firm's enterprise, ensuring effective communication, alignment, and execution of strategic priorities.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of UHNW's business model, advisory practices, client segments, organizational structure, and unique service requirements to inform strategic recommendations.
• Translate enterprise-wide strategic objectives into actionable initiatives tailored to the needs and characteristics of the UHNW business.
• Proactively identify emerging business needs, organizational friction points, and opportunities to enhance effectiveness, scalability, and the advisor and client experience.
• Support leadership in evaluating strategic decisions, organizational priorities, and resource allocation, providing structured analysis and practical recommendations.
• Establish appropriate operating rhythms, governance structures, and communication channels to improve visibility, accountability, and cross-functional coordination.

Organizational Transformation & Change Management

• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of change initiatives across UHNW, including post-acquisition integration, organizational evolution, technology adoption, operating model redesign, and process transformation.
• Develop and implement structured change management strategies, including stakeholder assessments, communication plans, impact analyses, readiness evaluations, and adoption frameworks.
• Build strong relationships with advisors, relationship managers, client service professionals, and business leaders to understand their perspectives, earn buy-in, and facilitate successful adoption of new initiatives.
• Assess how proposed changes will affect different employee populations, recognizing the distinct responsibilities, workflows, motivations, and service expectations across advisory teams, family office professionals, client service specialists, operations associates, and corporate functions.
• Serve as a visible, accessible resource throughout periods of transition, helping individuals and teams understand not only what is changing, but why it matters and how it will improve the business.
• Anticipate sources of resistance, address concerns constructively, and develop practical approaches to build organizational confidence and alignment.
• Establish mechanisms to evaluate change readiness, monitor adoption, capture stakeholder feedback, and refine implementation approaches.
• Drive initiatives from initial assessment and recommendation through hands-on implementation, adoption, and ongoing performance measurement.

Business Integration & Operating Model Evolution

• Play a leading role in the continued integration operation, representing the UHNW division's strategic priorities, operational requirements, and differentiated service model.
• Partner with Wealth Management Operations, Technology, Finance, Human Resources, and other enterprise functions to evaluate opportunities for alignment, standardization, and shared capabilities.
• Assess existing UHNW workflows, organizational structures, systems, and processes to identify opportunities for simplification, greater efficiency, and improved scalability.
• Lead current-state assessments and future-state operating model design, working collaboratively with functional subject matter experts to translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Evaluate which processes and capabilities should be integrated into the broader enterprise and which should remain differentiated to preserve UHNW's distinct client experience and service requirements.
• Facilitate cross-functional decision-making by balancing enterprise efficiency, business needs, advisor experience, client complexity, and operational risk.
• Coordinate implementation of approved operating model changes, ensuring clear ownership, communication, execution milestones, and accountability.
• Support the integration and onboarding of newly acquired advisory teams into the UHNW business, helping establish repeatable frameworks that balance efficiency with the unique needs of incoming teams.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain accountability for operational effectiveness within the UHNW division, partnering with existing operations leadership and functional teams to ensure business continuity, service quality, and timely resolution of escalated issues.
• Identify opportunities for process optimization, automation, workflow redesign, and improved coordination across teams and functions.
• Apply structured problem-solving and continuous improvement methodologies to assess root causes, eliminate unnecessary complexity, and improve business outcomes.
• Develop scalable processes, standard operating procedures, and operating frameworks that support consistent execution while preserving necessary flexibility for sophisticated UHNW relationships.
• Work closely with Technology and functional leaders to evaluate how systems, data, and technology-enabled solutions can improve efficiency and the advisor and client experience.
• Provide hands-on leadership when needed to resolve complex operational challenges, navigate transitions, and implement interim solutions.
• Establish relevant performance indicators and mechanisms to measure operational effectiveness, transformation progress, stakeholder adoption, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure that strategic initiatives move beyond planning and recommendation into practical, sustained implementation.

Stakeholder Engagement & Organizational Alignment

• Establish trusted relationships across UHNW advisory teams, senior leadership, and enterprise functions, becoming a credible and reliable resource for both strategic and operational matters.
• Develop fluency in the UHNW advisory business, including the differences between traditional wealth management, complex UHNW advisory relationships, and family office service models.
• Understand the distinct needs of advisors serving complex client relationships, including multigenerational families, entrepreneurs, executives, and clients with sophisticated investment, estate, tax, and entity structures.
• Translate the needs and perspectives of advisory professionals into actionable business requirements and strategic recommendations for enterprise leadership.
• Communicate complex business initiatives clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, tailoring messaging to the priorities, responsibilities, and perspectives of each stakeholder group.
• Build consensus across stakeholders with competing objectives, demonstrating sound judgment, diplomacy, and the ability to influence without relying solely on formal authority.
• Create effective feedback loops between front-line teams and leadership, ensuring business decisions are informed by the practical realities of the people responsible for executing them.
• Serve as a trusted advocate for the division while maintaining an enterprise-wide perspective and commitment to broader organizational priorities.

Leadership & Capability Building

• Provide leadership and direction across initiatives and cross-functional work-streams, establishing clear objectives, ownership, timelines, and measures of success.
• Build and maintain frameworks for project prioritization, organizational accountability, decision-making, and change implementation.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, transparency, collaboration, and disciplined execution.
• Develop scalable approaches to business transformation and operational excellence that can support the division's continued growth.
• Help establish the foundational capabilities, processes, and governance necessary to support the potential future expansion of a dedicated strategy and transformation function.
• Demonstrate the ability to lead and develop direct reports as the scope and organizational needs of the function evolve.

What You'll Bring to the Table:

Required

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• 7+ years of relevant professional experience in management consulting, business transformation, organizational change management, strategic operations, process improvement, or related disciplines
• 2+ years of demonstrated leadership experience, including leading complex initiatives, cross-functional teams, transformation workstreams, or direct reports
• Advanced degrees may be credited toward the overall experience requirement, with a relevant master's degree or MBA equivalent to up to two years of qualifying professional experience. Demonstrated leadership experience remains required
• Demonstrated experience leading and implementing organizational change initiatives, including stakeholder engagement, communication, adoption planning, and sustained execution
• Proven experience evaluating, redesigning, and optimizing business processes, whether through management consulting engagements or internal transformation roles within professional services, financial services, or similarly complex organizations
• Experience taking strategic initiatives from initial assessment and recommendation through implementation, stakeholder adoption, and measurable business outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior executives, functional leaders, and front-line stakeholders, including navigating competing priorities and building organizational consensus
• Strong project and program leadership capabilities, including the ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives, establish accountability, and coordinate cross-functional execution
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and structured communication skills, with the ability to translate ambiguous business challenges into practical, actionable solutions
• Demonstrated business acumen and sufficient familiarity with wealth management, investment advisory, or comparable high-touch professional services environments to effectively engage with sophisticated advisory professionals and business leaders
• Ability to understand the distinctions between traditional wealth management and UHNW/family office client service models, including variations in client complexity, personalization, advisor responsibilities, and service expectations
• Willingness and ability to operate as a player/coach, being a hands-on contributor in a dynamic, evolving organization

Preferred:

• Experience with a recognized management consulting firm, particularly within financial services, wealth management, asset management, or organizational transformation practices
• Experience leading enterprise transformation, organizational change, or process optimization initiatives within a registered investment adviser (RIA), private bank, asset manager, family office, or other wealth management organization
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, post-merger integration, or large-scale operating model transformation
• Master's degree, MBA, or other relevant advanced degree
• Formal training, practical experience, or certification in recognized change management methodologies, including Prosci/ADKAR
• Lean Six Sigma certification or demonstrated application of Lean, Six Sigma, or comparable continuous improvement methodologies
• Experience with organizational design, strategic workforce planning, stakeholder impact assessment, or operating model development
• Familiarity with enterprise systems, technology transformation, and process automation initiatives within financial services.
• Experience working with Addepar
• PMP or other relevant project/program management certification

Key Attributes:

• Strategic Thinker, Practical Executor: Sees the broader business implications of decisions while remaining willing and able to roll up their sleeves and drive implementation.
• Trusted Relationship Builder: Develops genuine credibility with sophisticated advisors, senior executives, and employees across the organization through sound judgment, discretion, empathy, and demonstrated follow-through.
• Influential Change Leader: Understands that successful transformation depends on people as much as processes, and knows how to build confidence, secure buy-in, and navigate resistance constructively.
• Business-Minded Problem Solver: Approaches challenges with analytical rigor, intellectual curiosity, and a practical understanding of business realities rather than relying on theoretical solutions.
• Organizationally Astute: Recognizes the distinct cultures, incentives, responsibilities, and perspectives that exist across advisory teams, client service functions, corporate departments, and leadership groups.
• Diplomatic but Decisive: Balances the need to preserve UHNW's differentiated capabilities with the opportunity to create efficiencies and alignment across the broader enterprise.
• Comfortable with Ambiguity: Thrives in evolving environments where priorities, organizational structures, and processes may be changing simultaneously.
• Accountable and Outcome-Oriented: Takes ownership of initiatives from conception through implementation, measuring success through meaningful business results rather than completion of project milestones alone.
• Future-Oriented Leader: Possesses the leadership capacity and organizational vision to help establish and potentially build a broader strategy and transformation capability over time.