Role Description
The Client Support plays a key role in supporting the smooth running of day-to-day support ensuring the delivery of high-quality administrative and customer service support to financial advisers and their clients, in accordance with regulatory requirements and business standards.
Core Experience & Competencies
- Previous experience in a similar role within an IFA business or financial services industry is preferable.
- Experience in client administration and support.
- Team player with a collaborative approach.
- Previous Experience of Intelligent Office (IO) is preferable.
- Strong customer service ethos – able to build relationships of trust across a diverse client base.
- Process driven – able to follow defined processes to evidence adherence to PFS standards and policies, regulatory requirements and any other compliance demands.
- Attention to detail – working with the Adviser & Team Leader(s) to ensure that clients have all the information they need in order to review and make decisions about their investments; that providers have the correct details to carry out client instructions; and that all information is recorded in IO.
- Problem solving – able to find solutions to issues and non-standard situations as they arise, ensuring appropriate escalation and recording in line with complaints processes and/or feedback to ensure continuous improvement on PFS processes.
- Collaborative Communicator – building relationships across the various teams and able to work with colleagues at all levels of the organisation.
- Able to prioritise and manage workload – work with Team Leader(s) to understand and prioritise client-based workload while balancing day to day administrative tasks such as the maintenance of client data, documentation etc.
Responsibilities
- Participates in weekly meeting with Team Leader(s) where workloads are prioritised.
- Acts as key point of contact for clients; organising and dealing with correspondence via telephone, email or letter.
- Responsible for the timely creation and ongoing update of accurate client records, both personal/fact find details and investment details within IO including support from the Team Leader(s) when required.
- Ensures that all client interactions are recorded using standalone tasks and purpose-built workflows within IO (e.g. new client, client review, new instruction, client on & off-boarding), providing an audit trail of activities and the ability to delegate workload to other administrators with relevant background details when required.
- Works with the Team Leader(s) ensure that client review reports are generated from the relevant system and that all information is validated and checked.
- Works with the Team Leader(s) to ensure that basic client reports are generated from IO using the agreed templates and that all information is validated and checked.
- Supports the Team Leader(s) and Paraplanner(s) in utilising other agreed toolsets to provide data for client identification, risk profiling, lifestyle planning, investment analysis etc.
- Acts as main point of contact between providers and Team Leader(s) in the transfer, set up and administration of investments and policies on behalf of clients. This includes dealing with letters of authority, processing new applications, following up with ongoing transactions, resolving issues etc. ensuring that the client is kept informed on progress and is notified when transactions are completed.
- Ensures that client fees and commission (initial, ongoing and ad-hoc) are set up and maintained correctly in IO to support accurate monthly payments to Pembroke and provide an accurate view for client reporting.
- Ensuring that all client communications and documentation are scanned and filed in IO in a timely manner to ensure compliance with PFS file checking processes.
- Supports the Team Leader(s) and Paraplanner(s) in maintaining up to date client records to ensure compliance with Anti-Money Laundering / Know Your Client, GDPR and other statutory/regulatory rules. Ensures details and supporting documents are recorded in IO.
- Provides support for Team Leader(s) and Support Team Manager in defining and carrying out organisational projects/initiatives.
- General office duties including answering phones, photocopying, filing and scanning as required.
- Acts as cover for Receptionist or other support team members when out of office (breaks, annual leave, sick leave etc.)