Talent That Builds Trust

Jana Gregorek, Director of Talent Acquisition, Moneta

Jana Gregorek, Director of Talent Acquisition, Moneta

Jana Gregorek is Director of Talent Acquisition at Moneta in St. Louis, spearheading recruiting for nationwide expansion. With a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaing, and anMBA from Washington University in St. Louis, CLU®andChFC® designationss, and prior roles at Edward Jones and Visionary Wealth Advisors, , her background uniquely positions her to drive organizational growth and transformation, mentor and develop future leaders, and champion initiatives that advance women in the financial services industry.

For the magazine HR Tech Outlook, she shared invaluable insights on aligning talent acquisition with long term growth, prioritizing trust, and building sustainable pipelines for future success.

1. How did you get into the Talent Acquisition space?

This year marks my 20th year in the financial services industry. I’ve spent my career leading teams, business units, and growth initiatives across a large broker-dealer, a small Registered Investment Advisory firm, and now Moneta, a privately owned mid-sized RIA serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients with 600 employees.

The common thread throughout my career has been my passion for building high-performing teams, recruiting top talent to the firms I’ve represented, and mentoring individuals to become the best versions of themselves. Today, I get to focus on the part of the business I’ve always enjoyed most, leading the talent acquisition strategy at Moneta. I oversee a high-performing senior team that adds more than 100 employees annually across all levels of the organization, from administrative professionals to advisors to C-suite executives.

2. How do you align talent acquisition strategy with long-term business growth?

Moneta is a relationship-driven business where people are at the forefront of everything we do. Without our partners, advisors, client service professionals, and enterprise services teams, we would not have the long-term trust we’ve built with our clients.

Talent acquisition must begin with the firm’s long-term growth strategy, not just current openings. I spend time with leadership understanding where the business is headed, whether that’s geographic expansion, new advisory teams, M&A activity, succession planning, or scaling existing teams, and then proactively building talent pipelines to support that vision. That includes developing advisor and leadership talent pools and strengthening internship programs that serve as true succession planning vehicles. When done well, talent acquisition doesn’t react to growth; it enables and accelerates it.

"True talent acquisition success is measured not by speed but by long term impact, building trust, retaining top performers, and enabling sustainable business growth."

I also take a long-term relationship perspective within the industry by serving as a founding board member of Women Leaders in Finance St. Louis, whose mission is to increase and retain women in financial services, and as a co-chair of the annual Wealth and Asset Management Conference hosted by Washington University in St. Louis. These roles allow me to connect with top talent across the industry, strengthen our brand presence, and position Moneta as a thought leader and employer of choice.

3. What skills matter most when hiring in a competitive advisory and financial services market?

While technical knowledge and credentials are important, the most critical skills in wealth management are relational and strategic. We look for emotional intelligence, strong communication, ethical judgment, intellectual curiosity, and a long-term, client-first mindset. Financial services is built on trust, so candidates must demonstrate the ability to build credibility and navigate complex client dynamics. Technical systems can be taught, but trust-building and client intuition are much more difficult to develop.

4. How do you balance speed and quality in high-stakes hiring decisions?

Speed and quality are balanced through preparation and clarity. By building proactive pipelines, defining clear job descriptions and competency models, and partnering with teams to truly understand the talent they are looking for, as well as training hiring managers interviewing best practices, we can reduce delays without compromising standards.

My team has built their careers in the business and have sat in the seats they are hiring for, so they understand the role and the caliber of candidates our teams and clients expect. In high-stakes roles, particularly revenue-generating advisory positions, quality must remain the priority, as the cost of a mis-hire far outweighs the cost of taking a few additional weeks. When expectations and evaluation criteria are clearly defined upfront, decisions can move efficiently without sacrificing rigor.

5. What role does employer branding play in attracting top-tier talent today?

Employer branding plays a central role in attracting high-caliber talent, particularly in financial services where professionals are continually evaluating culture, stability, leadership, and long-term growth opportunities. When individuals consider a career move, they often begin by asking their trusted network, “Who should I be talking to?” We want Moneta to be top of mind in those conversations.

My team positions itself as a trusted resource within the industry, as someone professionals can speak with objectively about their careers and potential opportunities, whether inside or outside Moneta. Ultimately, candidates want transparency, purpose, and a clear path for growth. Strong employer brands are built through authentic leadership visibility, university partnerships, alumni engagement, and consistent employee experiences. Our work is significantly more effective when the external brand accurately reflects the internal culture.

6. How do you measure the real success of a talent acquisition team beyond time-to-fill?

Time-to-fill is an operational metric, but true success is measured by long-term impact. My team operates as consultants rather than transactional recruiters. We are not focused on filling roles as quickly as possible. Instead, we partner closely with hiring leaders to assess needs, rigorously evaluate candidates, and present highly vetted recommendations.

Once hired, we measure success through quality of hire, performance and retention, hiring manager satisfaction, and the strength of our overall talent pipeline. I also evaluate intern-to-full-time conversion and the contribution of hires to firm growth. Ultimately, the success of a talent acquisition team is reflected in whether the people we bring in help the firm scale, innovate, and lead the industry over time.