Senior Manager, Practice Operations & Performance

<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Position Summary&nbsp;</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Senior Manager – Practice Management &amp; Performance is accountable for the day‑to‑day operational performance, capacity management, and leadership of advice operations teams, ensuring the practice operates efficiently, consistently, and at scale.&nbsp;This role leads Team Leaders across Paraplanning and Client Services and an Operations Manager. The role translates business strategy, standards, and regulatory obligations into effective practice‑level delivery, enabling advisers to focus on client outcomes and growth.&nbsp;The role balances people leadership, commercial insight, and operational discipline to ensure the business is achieving its goals.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This role is located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Primary Responsibilities</strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">People Leadership &amp; Team Performance</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lead, coach and develop Operations Manager and Team Leads to drive accountability and consistent delivery of outcomes</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Build a culture of accountability, collaboration and client-centricity</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Set clear expectations for workflow discipline, service quality, and capacity management</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Support Ops Mgr and Team Leads to:</span> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Allocate work effectively</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Build capability and role clarity within their teams</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Address performance, quality, or capacity issues early</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and commercial awareness</span></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Practice Operations &amp; BAU Excellence</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ensure advice operations run smoothly and consistently across the business</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Monitor BAU execution, identifying inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and operational risk</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Act as the escalation point for complex operational or resourcing issues</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Stabilise operations during periods of growth, adviser change, or increased demand</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Adviser Productivity &amp; Capacity Management</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Partner with advisers and leaders to improve utilisation and sustainable workloads</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Remove operational friction that impacts advisor productivity or client experience</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Oversee capacity planning across Paraplanning and Client Services teams</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Balance adviser demand with team capability and capacity</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Operational Reporting &amp; Commercial Insights</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own operational and performance reporting, including:</span> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Workflow health and WIP</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Capacity and utilisation metrics</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Client, FUM, and revenue‑related operational indicators</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Translate reporting into clear insights and actionable recommendations for leaders</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Operational Risk, Quality &amp; Governance</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ensure operational teams work within agreed compliance, AFSL, and governance frameworks</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Technology &amp; Systems Enablement</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Act as a senior operational owner of advice systems (e.g. Xplan and related platforms)</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ensure tools are used consistently and effectively by operational teams</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Partner with Technology and Service Design to embed agreed changes into BAU</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Identify system or process issues impacting productivity or quality</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;">Continuous Improvement &amp; Change Execution</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lead or support operational improvement initiatives impacting BAU performance</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Own implementation and adoption of agreed changes across teams</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ensure improvements are practical, embedded, and sustained</span></li> </ul> <h2><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Qualifications</strong></span></h2> <ul> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">8+ years leadership experience in financial advice operations, paraplanning, or client services</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Proven experience in implementing and embedding change initiatives</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Experience leading process alignment across the wider business in a way that supports teams and enhances the client experience</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Proven ability to lead others and indirectly manage larger operational teams</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Strong commercial and capacity‑planning mindset</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">High confidence engaging with advisers and senior stakeholders</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ability to balance people leadership with operational execution</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Strong people leadership capability, with the ability to coach, influence, and hold leaders accountable for outcomes</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sound operational judgment, balancing efficiency, quality, and client experience in day‑to‑day decisions</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Commercial mindset, with a clear understanding of how operational performance supports adviser productivity and business results</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Confident capacity and workload management across competing priorities and adviser demand</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">High level of data literacy, able to interpret information, identify trends or risks, and support sound decision‑making</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Disciplined and structured approach to BAU execution, with strong follow‑through</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Comfortable operating within governance and risk frameworks, reinforcing consistent and compliant ways of working</span></li> <li style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Calm, resilient, and pragmatic leader, able to cut through complexity and drive practical outcomes</span></li> </ul><div class="content-conclusion"><p><strong>About&nbsp;Focus Partners Australia</strong><strong> </strong></p> <p>Focus Partners Australia is part of Focus Financial Partners, a leading financial services firm based in the United States, comprised of wealth management, family office, and business management services. Focus Partners Australia offers integrated capabilities in&nbsp;investment and portfolio management,&nbsp;accounting, lending,&nbsp;insurance&nbsp;and related services from its offices in Sydney, Melbourne,&nbsp;Brisbane&nbsp;and the Gold Coast. Guided by a client-first ethos, we&nbsp;leverage&nbsp;the global&nbsp;expertise,&nbsp;platforms&nbsp;and capital strength of Focus Financial Partners to deliver holistic, fiduciary guidance across strategic planning, portfolio management, insurance,&nbsp;credit&nbsp;and tax. By fusing local insight with world-class resources, Focus Partners Australia helps its clients protect, grow,&nbsp;and transition their wealth at every life stage.&nbsp;Discover more about Focus&nbsp;Partners Australia at <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/focuspa.com.au/___.YzJ1OmZvY3VzcGFydG5lcnM6YzpvOjkxYzFmM2NmYWZiOTRiOTNmNTdiYmU2MDQ4MDYzNmIzOjc6OWM0YjoxZWVhMTA2ZDllOGU2N2M3NGMxYTg1MTQ3MTcyOGMyMzBhNTUzNjc3ZTVlMzFkOWYxY2M0NjRkN2U3ZmY1ODhiOmg6VDpG">focuspa.com.au/</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/www.linkedin.com/company/focus-partners-australia/___.YzJ1OmZvY3VzcGFydG5lcnM6YzpvOjJjMDY5MTk3Y2RjNzE0MDI5MmUzMDIyMTE5OTk2YjkyOjc6NDhiZTpkOWUyNDI5OGQ3NTIwYjU1MzI5MGU0MWI5NzNkNWMzNWY1MTgzYWNkNjJiNmFhNDg2YzFiMjkwMWQ4OWYxZjJmOnA6VDpG">LinkedIn</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div>