Eventus Recruitment are seeking an IFA Report Writer to join an independent, whole of market financial planning firm in St Helens, Merseyside. This is a full-time, permanent job paying £32,000 to £35,000 depending on experience, with a 5% employer pension, a profit-share bonus of 5% of salary and 26 days' holiday plus bank holidays rising to 30 with service. It is office-based in St Helens, Merseyside, Monday to Friday, with a flexible start between 8 and 10 and finish between 4 and 6. The firm is growing its team and offers a route from report writing into paraplanning and, if wanted, on into advice.
Role Responsibilities
The IFA Report Writer turns the adviser's recommendation into the suitability report the client reads and the regulator expects. The advisers do the meeting and make the recommendation, and you take it from their notes, the fact find and the risk profile to a clear, compliant report. It is the writing side of paraplanning, so this suits someone who already understands pensions and investments and would rather spend the day writing well than researching providers.
Key responsibilities include:
- Drafting suitability reports from the adviser's notes, fact find and risk profile
- Producing annual review reports and ongoing client letters
- Checking each report matches the recommendation and the supporting evidence
- Raising gaps or queries with the adviser before a report goes out
- Preparing the illustrations, key features and fee paperwork that go with each report
- Working alongside the paraplanner and advisers on how cases are written up
- Keeping client and case records accurate on the back office system
Person Specification
The successful IFA Report Writer will ideally have written suitability reports in an IFA or financial planning firm already, and report writers, technical administrators and trainee paraplanners are equally welcome. What matters most is a working knowledge of the advice process and the products a report covers, so the adviser's notes make sense to you without a translation.
You should also be able to demonstrate the following:
- Report writing or technical administration experience within an IFA or financial planning firm
- Sound knowledge of pensions, ISAs, general investment accounts and bonds
- Organisation to keep several reports moving to deadline at once
- The confidence to question an adviser's notes when something does not add up
- Working knowledge of Intelliflo Office, or another back office system
- Accuracy and attention to detail in regulated documents
- Clear, plain written English that a client can follow
- Interest in CII study, with papers passed or under way a bonus
Benefits and Rewards
This IFA Report Writer job pays £32,000 to £35,000 depending on experience. It is full-time and permanent, Monday to Friday, office-based in St Helens, Merseyside, and comes with:
- Salary of £32,000 to £35,000, the top of the range for strong Intelliflo experience
- 5% employer pension through a salary sacrifice scheme
- Profit-share bonus of 5% of salary
- 26 days' holiday plus bank holidays, rising to 30 with service
- Option to buy or sell holiday, plus a day off for your birthday
- Life cover at 3x salary after one year's service
- Private medical insurance after a qualifying period
- Enhanced company sick pay once probation is passed, rising with service
- CII and Diploma study support
- A route into paraplanning and, if wanted, on into advice
- Flexible start between 8 and 10 and finish between 4 and 6
- Free parking
About the Company
The employer is a founder-led, independent financial planning firm in St Helens, Merseyside, that advises whole of market across pensions, investments, inheritance tax, mortgages and protection. It has grown over two decades largely on referral, the founder still holds client advice relationships, and the team of 18 is planned to reach around 30 over the next three years. Paraplanning and administration are both in-house, so this job joins a team already built around supporting the advisers.
The firm has confirmed a route from this job into paraplanning and on into advice. A recent administrator who I placed there is halfway through her Level 4 Diploma and already doing paraplanning work, and one of the firm's current advisers joined as an administrator, moved into paraplanning and now advises clients, qualifications supported along the way.
Next Steps
Apply now if your skills and experience align with this job. Alternatively, for a confidential conversation about this or other opportunities, contact Duncan McIlroy at Eventus Recruitment Group via email at duncan.mcilroy@eventusfinance.com or phone 07950 472 004. If this particular job isn't quite right but you're considering your next move, I'm always happy to have an off-the-record chat about the market.
The Eventus Recruitment Group are award-winning recruitment specialists operating across the UK and Ireland in the Legal, Finance and Financial Services sectors. Please note, the years' experience and / or salary are listed in our advertisements as a guide. We are happy to consider applications from all candidates who are able to demonstrate the skills necessary to fulfil the role. As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Our privacy policy can be found at the bottom of our website.