Business Development Director

Nearly 23 years ago, 23-year-old Matthew Dicken grew frustrated with the issues plaguing the financial services industry and set out on a mission to change the industry standard and prioritize clients in retirement planning. What started as a small two-person team in a 1,200 sq. ft. office in Louisville, KY, has evolved into the Strategic Wealth Designers we now know, with 18 locations across the U.S. and almost 100 employees. As we continue to grow, we’re looking for passionate individuals to help take us to even greater heights.

At Strategic Wealth Designers (SWD), we don’t hire to fill seats. We hire people who move the needle. We set a high bar and expect you to raise it. We measure ourselves by results and build systems that scale rather than excuses that justify misses. We value discipline, extreme ownership and real outcomes.

The Mission

You’re not here to manage sales verticals.

You’re here to build, scale and own the growth engine behind our non-traditional product lines.

You will architect and lead revenue verticals that:

• Convert efficiently and consistently
• Build long-term enterprise value

This is not a “support sales” role.

This is an own the growth infrastructure role.

If vertical revenue scales profitably and predictably, you did your job.

If funnels stall, conversion drops, or partnerships underperform, you own it, diagnose it and fix it.

You are responsible for turning opportunity into structured, measurable growth.

What Winning Looks Like

You’ll know you’re winning when:

• Each vertical has clear KPIs and consistently hits growth targets
• Lead flow is predictable and conversion rates improve quarter over quarter
• Strategic partnerships generate measurable, repeatable revenue
• Sales teams have clear process, accountability and performance visibility
• Marketing alignment produces qualified opportunities, not just activity
• Infrastructure is strong enough to scale across multiple verticals

We don’t build verticals to say we have them.

We build them to scale them.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

The Business Development Director will oversee the strategic growth, infrastructure development and performance of revenue-driving verticals within the firm. This is a leadership role focused on scalable growth, systems, accountability and execution. This is not a direct sales production role.

You are the filter between opportunity and execution.

Sales Vertical Growth and Oversight

You will own and optimize revenue-driving verticals including but not limited to:

• Property & Casualty
• Referral business
• Insurance
• Securities Based Lending
• Cash Management Solutions

You will:

• Develop and execute strategic growth plans for each vertical
• Establish revenue targets, KPIs, and performance dashboards
• Diagnose process inefficiencies and eliminate conversion bottlenecks
• Build scalable sales frameworks and standards
• Ensure clean execution across each funnel

You don’t just oversee verticals, you make them perform.

Business Development & Expansion

• Identify and evaluate new vertical opportunities aligned with firm growth
• Develop outbound and inbound lead generation strategies
• Build structured cross-sell opportunities across advisory relationships
• Conduct market research to anticipate trends and competitive threats
• Translate opportunity into actionable initiatives

We build it intentionally.

Partnership Development

• Identify, negotiate, and onboard new referral and acquisition opportunities
• Strengthen and systematize existing referral relationships
• Build a measurable referral tracking and replication framework
• Ensure partnerships produce consistent and predictable lead flow

If a partnership doesn’t produce measurable growth, you refine it or replace it.

Leadership and Accountability

• Provide clear direction and performance accountability to vertical leaders
• Define scalable processes, reporting standards and execution rhythms
• Monitor pipeline performance and revenue realization
• Hold teams accountable to outcomes, not activity

You build leaders who build results.

Cross-Functional Alignment

• Partner with marketing to ensure campaign effectiveness and conversion optimization
• Coordinate with Advisors, Operations, and Compliance to ensure seamless client experience
• Present performance insights and growth opportunities to Senior Leadership
• Ensure all initiatives meet regulatory and licensing standards

Growth without alignment creates friction.

You eliminate friction.

• 5 plus years of business development, sales leadership or partnership management experience, preferably within financial services, insurance or a multi-line advisory firm.
• Proven track record of building and scaling revenue-generating verticals within a small to mid-sized company.
• Experience with Property & Casualty, Medicare, and/or Insurance strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of client acquisition strategies and cross-sell opportunities (preferably within an advisory firm)
• Demonstrated ability to build scalable processes from concept to execution
• Experience leading teams and holding performance accountability
• Strong analytical thinking with the ability to diagnose inefficiencies
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with marketing, compliance and operations

Who You Are

• A strategic growth operator
• You think in outcomes, not activity
• You see process gaps before they impact revenue
• You hold others accountable without hesitation
• You move from idea to execution quickly
• You are comfortable in both strategy and tactical implementation
• You build systems that make growth repeatable

You don’t just support growth.

You build the infrastructure that makes it predictable.

Who This is Not For

This is not for someone who:

• Wants to sell instead of lead
• Avoids accountability for revenue outcomes
• Focuses on activity instead of measurable growth
• Struggles to balance strategy with execution
• Waits for something to happen instead of seeking out opportunities for growth

Compensation

Base salary starting at $150,000, with total compensation up to $300,000 based on firm profitability and growth in revenue generated from ancillary services, plus a generous benefits package.

We offer a comprehensive benefit package designed to support your health, family and growth. Some key offerings:

• Employer sponsored Medical, Dental & Vision plans along with additional ancillary options
• Employer match program for 401(k), eligible for both Tradition and Roth accounts
• $2,500 annual Professional Development budget to support your growth
• Generous Paid Time Off package and Company-wide Holidays

Our Core Values

• Absolute Ownership: We take full responsibility for outcomes, follow through on our commitments, and solve problems without passing the buck.
• Selflessness: We put the team and clients first, collaborate openly, and measure success by shared wins, not individual credit. We recognize that our strength lies in unity.
• Tenaciously Driven: We pursue excellence relentlessly, push past obstacles, and refuse to settle for the status quo.
• Coachable Mindset: We stay open to feedback, committed to learning, and focused on continuous improvement no matter how skilled or experienced we are.
• Compassionate Honesty: We speak the truth with empathy, delivering clear, respectful feedback that strengthens trust and relationships.

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