Senior Paraplanner – Technical & Advice support

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will act as a trusted technical partner to advisers nationally — supporting comprehensive strategy development, drafting high-quality advice documents, and contributing to advice quality, risk management and continuous improvement.

You will work across advanced strategies involving superannuation, SMSFs, investments, taxation and retirement planning, and will be relied upon for judgement, technical insight and end‑to‑end ownership of advice delivery.

For the right person, this role offers meaningful scope, variety, and influence — without stepping into a client‑owning adviser position.

Primary Responsibilities

Paraplanning & Advice Delivery

• Prepare comprehensive, high-quality Statements of Advice (SOAs) and Records of Advice (ROAs) for HNW and UHNW clients.

• Translate adviser and client objectives into clear, compliant and well‑structured advice strategies.

• Manage advice documentation end‑to‑end, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and consistency with Escala standards.

• Balance quality and throughput, maintaining strong attention to detail.

Technical Expertise & Adviser Partnership

• Apply deep technical knowledge across superannuation, SMSFs, investments, taxation and retirement strategies.

• Provide practical technical guidance and recommendations to advisers on complex matters.

• Stay current with legislative and regulatory change and ensure advice approaches remain contemporary and defensible.

• Build strong, trusted working relationships with advisers and their teams nationally.

Client Interaction & Advice Support

• Attend client meetings where complex strategies require technical explanation or support.

• Clearly articulate advice strategies in a client‑appropriate and professional manner.

• Provide retail financial advice within authorised scope and Escala’s advice framework (if licenced).

Compliance, Quality & Risk Management

• Ensure all advice meets regulatory, AFSL and internal compliance requirements.

• Support and respond to file reviews and remediation activities.

• Contribute to identifying and resolving legacy or higher‑risk advice matters.

• Maintain accurate, well‑documented advice records and uphold best‑interest obligations.

Systems, Process & Continuous Improvement

• Utilise Xplan and related systems for modelling, projections and strategy development.

• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, templates and advice efficiency.

• Share knowledge and insights to lift technical capability and consistency across the business.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience delivering complex paraplanning or technical advice in a HNW / UHNW advice environment.

• Strong technical capability and ability to convert complexity into clear, compliant advice.

• Proven ability to manage volume without compromising quality.

• Solid understanding of Australian financial services regulation and advice standards.

• Excellent written communication skills and attention to detail.

• Confidence working closely with advisers as a technical partner.

• Strong Xplan capability, including modelling and projections.

Desirable

• Financial planning qualifications and/or progress toward professional accreditation.

• Experience supporting advisers across multiple offices or adviser teams.

About Escala Partners

Escala Partners is the new standard in personalised wealth management. Everything we do is designed to put our clients’ interests first and realise their financial aspirations. We develop tailored strategies focused on creating and preserving wealth; offer objective, considered advice based on market-leading research; and work collaboratively as a team so we can deliver superior outcomes. This is our point of difference: a completely new experience in wealth management.

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About Focus Financial Partners

Focus is a leading financial services firm comprised of integrated wealth management, family office, and business management services. Blending deep expertise and expansive resources with a boutique, client-first fiduciary philosophy, Focus helps individuals, families, and institutions navigate complex financial situations with highly personalized solutions tailored to their unique needs. To learn more about Focus, visit www.focusfinancialpartners.com or follow the company on LinkedIn.

Focus is an equal opportunity employer and bases its employment decisions on the employee or candidate’s skillset, and without regard to an employee or candidate’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state and/or federal law.

Focus complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [email protected].

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For Montana Applicants: If hired, the employment relationship is governed by the Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act. Mont. Code Ann. Section 39-2-901.

For Rhode Island Applicants: Focus is subject to Chapters 29-38 of Title 28 of the General Laws of Rhode Island and is therefore covered by the state’s workers’ compensation law. If you willfully provide false information about your ability to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, you may be barred from filing a claim under the provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act of the State of Rhode Island if the false information is directly related to the personal injury that is the basis for the new claim for compensation. The Company complies fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act.