Financial Analyst

About our Firm

Founded in 1999 by Laura Kuntz, Laurel Wealth Planning, LLC (LWP) is an independent, fee-only fiduciary firm dedicated to providing objective, integrated wealth management. Celebrating over 25 years of deliberate growth, we serve more than 170 client groups across the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and nationwide from our main office in Edina, Minnesota.

We specialize in guiding clients through life’s major transitions—including retirement, divorce, loss, and legacy planning—with a strong niche in serving women decision-makers and values-aligned ESG+ investing. Driven by our proprietary Laurel Wealth Harmony™ Process, we maintain a high professional-to-client ratio of 1 professional to 20 clients to ensure every client receives personalized attention, deep care, and proactive guidance.

Our team brings together advanced credentials (CFP®, CPA, PFS, MBT) in a collaborative environment where team members can grow from associate roles into senior leadership. Grounded in our core values of client care first, honor, full reliability, and win-win teamwork, we offer a warm culture that works hard for our clients while enjoying team lunches, events, and shared milestones. We are seeking a like-minded professional to join our dedicated team.

Financial Analyst

An individual in this role supports the firm through a combination of investment and trading activities, client meeting preparation, and operational initiatives. Approximately half of the role focuses on investment analysis, portfolio management, and trading execution. The remainder supports client service preparation, operational excellence, compliance, process improvement, and strategic firm initiatives. This position is ideal for a professional who enjoys solving complex problems, working with detailed financial information, and contributing across multiple areas of a growing firm.

The ideal candidate combines strong analytical ability with sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, and a commitment to producing accurate, high-quality work. They are proactive, collaborative, and enjoy thinking through complex scenarios rather than simply executing tasks.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Investment, Trading & Portfolio Support
   1. In coordination with Wealth Managers and the Investment Committee, analyzes client portfolios and supports investment recommendations based on firm models, client circumstances, and approved planning strategies.
   2. Evaluates client-specific circumstances that may require deviations from portfolio models, including tax considerations, municipal bond preferences, charitable giving strategies, capital gains management, withdrawal needs, transaction costs, and other planning objectives.
   3. Reviews portfolio details carefully, including asset allocation, cash needs, tax considerations, account restrictions, concentrated positions, legacy securities, and other client-specific factors.
   4. Uses sound judgment to identify trade-offs and considerations that may impact the client’s overall plan.
   5. Supports trading operations, including monitoring account activity, net cash, pending trades, open orders, asset allocation, share classes, model maintenance, and related alerts.
   6. Assists with implementation of firm-wide trades, including swaps, buy lows, rebalancing activity, and other approved investment actions.
   7. Documents trading activity, account notes, restrictions, and relevant follow-up items clearly and accurately.
2. Client Meeting Preparation & Planning Support
   1. Prepares client and prospective client meeting materials, including agenda drafts, portfolio reports, financial planning updates, and supporting documentation.
   2. Reviews meeting materials for accuracy, completeness, consistency, and clarity before they are shared with Wealth Managers or clients.
   3. Conducts research related to investment strategies, retirement planning, tax considerations, education planning, insurance, charitable planning, and other financial planning topics.
   4. Supports implementation of approved planning and investment recommendations.
   5. Helps identify questions, gaps, or inconsistencies that should be resolved before client meetings.
   6. Assists with special projects and initiatives that enhance the firm’s planning process, client experience, and operational efficiency.
3. Operations, Compliance & Firm Support
   1. Partners with the Operations Manager to support operational, compliance, and process improvement needs across the firm.
   2. Assists with recurring compliance, regulatory, and operational reporting requirements.
   3. Supports documentation and monitoring related to account activity, transfers, rollovers, contributions, distributions, billing, and client records.
   4. Assists with maintenance of compliance records, regulatory filings, employee certifications, continuing education tracking, and other firm documentation.
   5. Participates in vendor due diligence, compliance reviews, mock audits, advertising reviews, business continuity planning, and other risk management activities.
   6. Contributes to special projects that improve firm operations, client experience, internal processes, and scalability.

Growth Opportunity

Wealth Management

• Associate Wealth Manager
• Wealth Manager
• Senior Wealth Manager

Alternative Career Track – Client Service, Operations & Compliance

Depends on contribution in current role and firm needs.

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in financial planning, finance, economics, business, accounting, or a related field. Candidates with a liberal arts or other non-financial degree must possess a Series 65 license, CFP®, CFA®, or similar financial credential.
• 1 to 3 years of investment, financial planning, client service, or wealth management industry experience preferred.
• Series 65 license required, or ability and willingness to obtain within three months of employment.
• Experience with trading, portfolio reporting, financial planning software, or custodial platforms is helpful.
• CFP®, CFA®, or other relevant professional credentials, or progress toward obtaining such credentials, preferred.
• Strong academic performance, reflected by a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates a high degree of initiative, intellectual curiosity, dedication, and personal ownership of outcomes.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Consistently reviews and verifies work for completeness, accuracy, and quality before finalization.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyze information, identify potential issues, and recommend solutions.
• Ability to evaluate multiple scenarios and understand the impact of decisions on clients, investments, and firm operations.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and a high degree of personal accountability.
• Possesses the ability to read, interpret, and analyze financial information.
• Working knowledge of financial planning, investment, and wealth management terminology and concepts.
• Writes clearly and informatively and presents numerical and financial data effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high-quality work.
• Ability to identify process improvement opportunities and contribute ideas that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and client experience.
• Works effectively both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Adapts well to changing priorities and supports evolving business needs.

Preferred

• Experience with Tamarac, Morningstar, custodial platforms, portfolio reporting systems.
• Interest in using technology, automation, and artificial intelligence tools to improve accuracy, efficiency, and client service.

Compensation

Base salary: based on skills and experience.
Bonus: based on team success.

Benefits 

• Individual & family health insurance benefit, contribution to HSA.
• Company-paid disability income and life insurance.
• 401(k) plan with immediately-vested company contribution.
• Hybrid work schedule after 6 months with strong performance.
• Free parking.
• Free workout center, track, and pool.

Educational Support

• Tuition reimbursement for approved undergraduate and graduate courses.
• Company paid licensing and credentialing.