Summary
Description
Operations Manager – Employee Benefits & Financial Planning
Location: Denver, CO Employment Type: Full-Time Reports To: President & CEO
About Us
Kilgore Cihon Advisor Group is a client-focused employee benefits and financial planning firm dedicated to delivering comprehensive, personalized solutions to employers and individuals. We pride ourselves on exceptional service, industry expertise, and a collaborative team culture. We are seeking an experienced and proactive Operations Manager to help scale our operations, strengthen internal processes, and support our financial and benefits advisors in delivering an outstanding client experience.
Position Overview
The Operations Manager is the central operational owner of the firm, responsible for the day-to-day operational functions of the firm, ensuring smooth workflow, effective systems, regulatory compliance, and exceptional client service. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented professional with strong organizational skills and experience in health insurance, life insurance, securities & financial planning, or a related professional environment.
This is a hands-on, execution-heavy role for someone who thrives on structure, follow-through, and improving how work gets done. The ideal candidate is highly organized, comfortable fielding and prioritizing incoming requests, and motivated to continuously strengthen systems, documentation and operational discipline across the firm.
Key Responsibilities
Office & Operations Management
• Own the daily administrative and operational flow of the office, an ensure efficient execution of administrative, service, and support activities.
• Implement and optimize internal processes, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and workflow systems.
• Manage vendor relationships, technology platforms, and third-party service providers.
• Identify operational gaps, inefficiencies, or recurring issues and proactively implement improvements
• Act as the “air traffic controller” for the office, keeping people, processes, and priorities aligned
Team & Project Management
• Supervise and support administrative and operations staff; provide training, feedback, and performance support.
• Coordinate cross-departmental projects to support employee benefits renewals, financial planning cycles, and client reviews & deliverables.
• Monitor workload distribution, service standards, and productivity metrics.
Client Service Coordination
• Ensure timely preparation and accurate delivery of client materials, proposals, onboarding packets, client communication and plan documents.
• Troubleshoot service issues and escalate when necessary.
Compliance & Risk Management
• Ensure adherence to industry regulations (e.g., ERISA, HIPAA, DOL, IRS guidelines) and firm policies.
• Maintain accurate documentation, audit trails, and compliance files.
• Partner with leadership to manage licensing, continuing education, and carrier appointments.
Technology, Systems & Process Ownership
• Own day-to-day administration of CRM (RedTail), benefits administration tools (Employee Navigator, Ease, etc.), financial planning software (eMoney, AssetMap, etc.), and workflow systems.
• Document workflows and system processes so knowledge is not siloed.
• Evaluate and implement new software solutions to improve operational efficiency.
• Ensure data integrity, security, and consistent use of systems across the firm.
Financial & Reporting Support
• Support the preparation of business performance dashboards and KPI tracking.
• Work with accounting/finance to ensure accurate billing, commissions, and reconciliation processes.
Qualifications
Required
• 5+ years in an office administration, operations or service management role within a professional services environment.
• Strong knowledge of benefits administration, financial planning processes, or related industry.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to streamline processes and improve operational efficiency.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to work collaboratively with multiple teams.
• Proficiency with CRM systems, benefits platforms, financial planning software, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Enjoys being the person who brings order to complexity
Preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, HR Management, or related field.
• Experience in employee benefits, financial planning, insurance, or a regulated professional services environment
• Experience in a multi-advisor or multi-consultant environment.
• Familiarity with industry tools (e.g., Employee Navigator, Ease, Orion, eMoney, AssetMap or similar platforms).
What Success Looks Like in the First 90 Days
By the 90-day mark, the Operations Manager is fully owning the day-to-day operational rhythm of the firm and bringing clarity, structure, and follow-through to office administration and service execution.
First 30 Days: Learn, Observe, Stabilize
• Develop a clear understanding of the firm’s services, clients, systems, and workflows
• Build working relationships with advisors, leadership, and administrative staff
• Take ownership of incoming service requests and administrative tasks, ensuring nothing is dropped
• Identify immediate operational pain points, inefficiencies, or bottlenecks
• Begin documenting existing processes and workflows
Days 31–60: Take Ownership, Improve Flow
• Serve as the primary point of coordination for service requests and operational work
• Implement quick wins that improve turnaround time, organization, and communication
• Standardize and document core office and service processes
• Improve visibility into work in progress, priorities, and deadlines
• Ensure systems and data are organized, accurate, and consistently used
Days 61–90: Strengthen Systems, Raise the Bar
• Establish clear service standards, workflows, and accountability across the office
• Reduce recurring service issues through better processes and documentation
• Ensure leadership and advisors experience a noticeable improvement in operational reliability and responsiveness
• Identify and recommend longer-term operational improvements, tools, or staffing needs
• Function independently as the operational backbone of the firm, requiring minimal oversight
• Obtain Life & Health License
What We Offer
• Competitive salary and benefits package – $55,000 – $62,500
• Professional development and industry certification support
• Collaborative, mission-driven team environment
• Opportunities to contribute to strategic growth and operational excellence
