Senior Paraplanner

Job Description

Purpose of the role

To provide customer support and resolution of client inquiries and issues through various channels, ensuring a seamless and consistent experience for every customer. 

Accountabilities

• Support to clients with everyday banking tasks such as deposits, withdrawals, transfers, bill payments, as well as updating personal information, contact details and account preferences.
• Provision of support to clients with products and services, such as online banking, mobile app functionalities, and any technological difficulties related to their bank accounts, explaining the key features, benefits, and other comparisons that might suit their needs.
• Guidance to new customers through account opening procedures, explanation of account terms and conditions, and setting up of online access and other services.
• Management and maintenance of client relations by resolving various customer concerns and inquiries, including account balances, statements, transactions, fees.
• Maintenance of confidentiality and security of client data by following strict data security protocols and ethical practices.
• Provision of timely updates on changes in banking policies, fees, and product offerings through various channels like email, newsletters, and online announcements.
• Education of clients about financial concepts, budgeting, and responsible banking practices through workshops, webinars, and educational materials.

Assistant Vice President Expectations

• To advise and influence decision making, contribute to policy development and take responsibility for operational effectiveness. Collaborate closely with other functions/ business divisions.
• Lead a team performing complex tasks, using well developed professional knowledge and skills to deliver on work that impacts the whole business function. Set objectives and coach employees in pursuit of those objectives, appraisal of performance relative to objectives and determination of reward outcomes
• If the position has leadership responsibilities, People Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.
• OR for an individual contributor, they will lead collaborative assignments and guide team members through structured assignments, identify the need for the inclusion of other areas of specialisation to complete assignments. They will identify new directions for assignments and/ or projects, identifying a combination of cross functional methodologies or practices to meet required outcomes.
• Consult on complex issues; providing advice to People Leaders to support the resolution of escalated issues.
• Identify ways to mitigate risk and developing new policies/procedures in support of the control and governance agenda.
• Take ownership for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work done.
• Perform work that is closely related to that of other areas, which requires understanding of how areas coordinate and contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the organisation sub-function.
• Collaborate with other areas of work, for business aligned support areas to keep up to speed with business activity and the business strategy.
• Engage in complex analysis of data from multiple sources of information, internal and external sources such as procedures and practises (in other areas, teams, companies, etc).to solve problems creatively and effectively.
• Communicate complex information. 'Complex' information could include sensitive information or information that is difficult to communicate because of its content or its audience.
• Influence or convince stakeholders to achieve outcomes.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

Key Accountabilities

• They will work closely with a range of internal stakeholders to deliver a high quality of service to PBWM clients.
• Support Wealth Planners in the preparation of Financial Planning advice including the creation of professional, compliant suitability reports and associated administrative tasks. Being the SME in the team and working on complex advice cases.
• They will carry out analysis, cash flow modelling and various Paraplanner tasks, and provide all supporting documentation for advice, using various systems.
• The role holder will be the first point of contact for the team that they work within driving technical development and supporting with escalations and complex issues.
• They will deal with PBWM Wealth Planners via telephone and digital channels ensuring they receive the highest standard of service in all interactions.

• They will ensure all client/provider contacts and relevant client information are recorded accurately on all applicable systems and will be responsible for responding in a timely and professional manner to client requests, owning task execution end to end.
• They will work pro-actively with Operations, support functions and third parties to ensure delivery, resolve issues and mitigate errors.
• They will be accountable for the administration activities supporting wealth planning including onboarding and ongoing services across all client journeys.
• They will be required to maintain high levels of accuracy to ensure all requests are completed correctly within agreed SLAs.
• Ability to work in a fast pace/high pressured environment and juggle both quantity and quality is key.
• They will be required to maintain high levels of accuracy to ensure all requests are completed correctly within SLAs.
• They will demonstrate heightened expertise and skills and perform to a high standard.
• Leading on projects and process improvements/efficiencies.
• Education and support with Wealth Planning upskilling, across new joiners as well as the wider business.
• The Senior Paraplanner will take on additional responsibility than the Paraplanners, with regards to driving technical development and upskilling/educating colleagues in the wider business.
• Attendance of client meetings, being the key contact for clients in a Wealth Planners absence, supporting with client queries.
• Work to identify Wealth Planning needs and attendance of client book reviews.

Person Specification

• Possesses integrity
• Positive and self-motivated
• Good interpersonal skills and adopts a team focus
• Excellent ability to plan and organise work and set priorities, and to multi-task
• The ability to make clear presentation of information both written and orally
• The ability to solve problems using a rational approach
• Effective listening and communication skills
• Interest in financial planning
• Ability to work under pressure with a heavy workload
• Excellent customer service skills & sensitivity to the needs and profile of high net worth clients
• Team Player
• Possesses a technical and commercial approach to tasks, working closely with Wealth Planner and PB/WM/WMAs supporting with opportunity spotting
• Educating colleagues in PBWM and the wider business of Wealth Planning and the proposition
• Supporting on various projects and process improvements
• Possesses the initiative to think things through and the prudence to escalate

Essential Skills/Basic Qualifications:

• High level of knowledge of financial planning, banking and financial system
• An understanding of financial services Risk and Control procedures
• Awareness of regulatory issues/procedures
• Ability to demonstrate integrity and adherence to compliance policies and procedures
• General understanding of Barclays Wealth Planning products and services, and of the wider Barclays Group
• Strong investment, fiduciary and banking product knowledge
• Able to demonstrate up to date knowledge of relevant changes in the marketplace, products, legislation and regulation and understands the implications to the role (e.g. anti-money laundering & KYC). Also able to demonstrate integrity and adherence to compliance policies and procedures

Desirable skills/Preferred Qualifications:

• Technically minded with strong PC skills (Word, Excel, Power point)
• Minimum 3 years experience as a Paraplanner for a Registered Individual
• CII Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning as a minimum, ideally working towards CII Level 6 Chartered Status/Advanced Diploma