Financial Planning Associate

To apply for this position, please send an email to [email protected] and complete this profile.

Role Description

Responsible for providing support to the advisory team in the delivery of advice to clients.  Prepares financial modeling and financial advice documents under guidance of more senior level advisors.  May participate in client meetings with financial advisors.  Completes follow-up work from client meetings.  Does not have actual accountability for the advice delivered.

Provides non-advice-related support to clients, including organizing client meetings, collecting client data, responding to administrative client queries, and preparing client letters and standard reports.

Researches and analyzes investment alternatives and assist with recommendations to the investment committee.  This is a support position, not a decision-making role, though this person may implement decisions (i.e., place trades or update models).

Operational Directives

About 80-85% of your job responsibility.

• Administrative/Operations
  • writing and maintenance of internal procedures
  • support firm-level strategic initiatives
  • support firm-level technology transitions, enhancements and/or migrations
• New client set-up
  • set-up and maintenance of client accounts
  • compilation and completion of client, custodian, and firm paperwork
  • set-up in SalesForce, NetDocuments and Orion
• Initial financial plan and updates
  • data gathering
  • modeling
  • case design
  • scenario building
  • plan development
  • presentation development
  • follow-up work including insurance and estate planning related issues
• Ongoing account maintenance and client service requests
  • review and maintenance of client transactions and activity
  • asset transfers
  • preparation of reports
  • general client service requests
  • general support of portfolio and investment strategies
  • general support of ongoing servicing
  • general support of estate planning presentations and follow-up
  • processing checks received for deposits to client accounts
  • follow up on compliance-related activities such as custody audit, annual offering,
    Form CRS
• 401k Fiduciary Risk Management Process (may or may not apply to every role)
  • data gathering
  • electronic (or print) binder development
  • completion of client, custodian, and firm paperwork and checklists
  • asset transfers
  • updates to binder and worksheets
  • participant support
  • preparation of comparative illustrations for new business development in the 401k arena
  • assistance with education/enrollment meetings and participant enrollment support
  • quarterly report generation
  • update of materials for delivery to 401k participant and employers
• Investment research and trades
  • preparation of investment updates for investment committee meetings
  • attendance and input in investment committee meetings
  • data gathering for investment options, investment research, and Fi360 screens
  • summarize investment changes rationale for client reporting
  • cash flow and split account analysis
  • download and review of hand-managed account information
  • download of custodial statements
  • implementation of model changes as assigned
  • research and drafting of economic updates
  • performance reporting through Orion
  • trading/rebalancing through iRebal
• Marketing and business development
  • begin understanding our value proposition and how to communicate that to prospects
  • assist with networking objectives
  • present blog ideas
  • begin building professional resume and evidence of depth/breadth of knowledge and experience

Strategic Priorities

These grow capacity (better way to do it) or capability (new skill).  They comprise approximately 15-20% of your job.  They are intended to answer the question: What are the things that are necessary for us to do (working on the business) in order to position the company for growth?  

• These will be outlined in further detail in our bonus program
• Writing and streamlining procedures (including rebranding if/where applicable)
• Assisting with firm-initiatives such as CRM workflow buildout, annual client service projects

Career Development Initiatives

We strongly encourage career development.  So much so, that we will make available paid
time off for the exclusive purpose of career development (this includes conferences, all-day
CE meetings, classes to earn new credentials, take licensing exams, etc.) subject to mutual
agreement and approval.  Some activities may be eligible for reimbursement.  

• Assigned annually based on independent development plan

To expand within the Financial Planning Associate role:

• Credentials – The AIF® would give you additional knowledge in the area of fiduciary
  matters and the Global Fiduciary Standards of Excellence.  The CFP® would give you a
  broader and deeper knowledge-base for performing the duties of your job and give you
  credibility in the eyes of clients and other advisors.
• Become a technical specialist – the following are areas of internal expertise that we have
  identified as being useful to our firm in our continued growth.  If you have interest in pursuing additional study and/or taking on additional responsibility in one or more areas, we should discuss your interests.
• Tax specialist – the firm’s point person on all tax-related matters.
• 401k specialist – the firm’s point person on all 401k matters.
• Fee-only product specialist – the firm’s point person on all matters pertaining to fee-only products such as annuities and insurance.  Certification for fee-only insurance advice and licensing would be critical to this specialty.
• Technology support – the firm’s point person for day-to-day technology issues, supporting the implementation of new software and hardware and troubleshooting.

To be eligible to become a Senior Financial Planning Associate (minimum requirements):

• You must be proficient at all operational directives for the Financial Planning Associate role with 5 years of experience in this role.
• You must be willing to train and mentor more junior positions.
• You may be insurance licensed. (optional)
• You must be Series 65 licensed or have a CFP®.
• You must have at least one of the following credentials (AIF®, AIFA®, APMA®, FPQP™, CPRC, CFP®)

To be eligible to become a Financial Advisor (minimum requirements):

• You must be proficient at all operational directives for the Financial Planning Associate role. 
• You must be willing to train and mentor more junior positions.
• You may be insurance licensed. (optional)
• You must be Series 65 licensed or have a CFP®.
• You must have at least one of the following credentials (CFP®, AIF®, AIFA®, CIMA®, PPC™, CPA, PFS, or CFA®).
• This is an advice-giving role, so you must be comfortable/confident and
  knowledgeable enough to give competent advice to clients.

Note:  You may be asked to interview for a more lead advisor role.