Financial Planning Consultant at Alexander Forbes

Job description

Alexander Forbes is searching for a Financial Consultant to provide holistic financial planning advice to clients, by identifying their investment and lifestyle needs and objectives. To identify new business opportunities within existing and potential client bases. To develop and implement strategies and manage relationships with key personnel within assigned corporate accounts

Minimum Requirements...

Formal Qualifications needed to perform role:

• Matric
• Tertiary qualification i.e. BCom (majors in Financial Management or Financial Planning or Investments)
• CFP license (member of the FPI or studying towards it)
• Advanced FPI qualification, Diploma in Tax/Estate Planning etc (an advantage)
• RE1 exam successfully completed
• At least 5 years relevant experience

Behavioural Competencies:

• Manage relationships with team, clients & service providers; effective communication
• Be able to handle pressure
• Excellent and proven selling ability
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in required language
• Articulate with confident presentation skills
• Strong client service orientation
• Attentive to detail and accurate
• Organized with effective time management skills
• Proactive – use initiative
• Ability to work independently
• Strong work and compliance ethics
• Empathetic towards clients with sound listening skills

Technical/Investment knowledge

• Good understanding of the Financial Services industry – including service providers and the retail market
• Good understanding of legislation governing investment markets (local and offshore), investment vehicles and retirement funds
• God understanding of the tax implications of the various investment options available
• Thorough understanding of features and appropriateness of various products: Presentation Funds, Retirement Annuities, Annuities, Endowments, Life and Disability Assurance Policies, Unit Trusts, Trusts
• Ability to provide Estate Planning advice and prepare standard Wills

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Meet clients in person to provide them with financial planning advice and solutions
• Identify a clients investment needs, risk tolerance and profile, other investments (and other assets), personal circumstances, income requirements, investment time horizon etc
• Make a written recommendation based on a clients responses to the risk profile questionnaire and subsequent discussions
• Provide the client with information on the performance of the various investment portfolios available
• Educate the clients with regards to basic investment principles, i.e. risk versus reward, market sentiment, trends, performance (offshore and local), benchmarks etc
• Ensure that the clients investment portfolio is consistent with FPC’s investment philosophy
• Provide ongoing financial planning advice to “retained” clients
• Develop and implement strategies to obtain and manage business opportunities arising within assigned Corporate accounts
• Manage and strengthen relationships with key staff in assigned Corporate
• Resolve client concerns, queries and/or complaints
• Source new business from retained clients and by means of referrals
• Implement and process advice in the line with FPC systems and policies
• Support AF’s client related strategies and deliver key goals as contained in an approved business plan