Merrill Wealth Management Client Associate, Advisor Development Program

About the Role

Merrill Wealth Management is a leading provider of comprehensive wealth management and investment products and services. The Advisor Development Program is designed for individuals excited to make a career transition and follow their passion of becoming a Financial Advisor. The Wealth Management Client Associate – Advisor Development Program (WMCA - ADP) role is an entry role into this program, with the destination role being a full-scale Financial Advisor at Merrill.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing client service support to Financial Advisors (FAs).
• Obtaining Securities Industry licenses: Securities Industry Essentials (SIE), Series 7, and Series 66 Exams (or 63 & 65 in lieu of 66 if previously held) within 120 days.
• Supporting enterprise strategic objectives, operational excellence goals, and client advocacy within the FA’s business.
• Customizing solutions based on FA's specific needs.
• Serving as the most frequent point of contact to address all service needs of clients.
• Acting as a resource for FAs on the team.
• Developing a book of business to meet and exceed established performance hurdles.
• Effectively prioritizing and sourcing prospective clients, capitalizing on referrals, assessing customer needs, and referring customers to appropriate internal specialists.
• Executing highly customized solutions to meet client needs.
• Recommending investment products and services suitable for prospects based on their objectives, resources, time horizon, risk profile, and preferences.
• Balancing investment growth, referral activities, customer follow-up, prospect building, administrative compliance, and personal growth.
• Organizing and managing resources (time, people, budget) to run a productive practice.
• Seeking the expertise of specialists, where appropriate, to identify planning and investment strategies for a client.
• Completing mandated training, assessments, performance goals, and continuing education requirements.
• Partners with Financial Advisors, Client Relationship Managers, and Market Supervision Managers on all aspects of client servicing, risk, investments, and banking products, while receiving appropriate guidance and escalating issues as needed.
• Provides excellent Client Service to the bank's clients through educating them on all of the bank's service and banking offerings.
• Ensures timeliness, accuracy, and completeness in client materials and follows up on all client and Financial Advisor (FA) requests.
• Assists with ensuring practices are in alignment with the bank's policies and procedures to support operational excellence, protect the bank's clients, and manage risk.
• Identifies, deepens, and maintains client relationships through emphasizing the bank's offerings and promoting incorporation of banking into day-to-day practices, while communicating outputs to the FA.
• Performs general business growth support functions aligned to the role of the Client Associate or Wealth Management Client Associate, providing business development, investment solutions, and/or business management support to multiple FAs.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Computer/technical literacy and proficiency in applications such as Microsoft Suite.
• SAFE Act registration may be required, including a federal registry system submission, background check, and adherence to SAFE Act requirements.

Qualifications

• Displays confidence working as a self-starter in a sales role.
• Builds strong client relationships through effective communication and collaboration.
• Displays a proactive mindset and effective time management.
• Demonstrates a results-driven growth mindset and prioritizes client interests.
• Identifies appropriate client solutions through application of learnings and new information.
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship building skills.
• Effective communication skills (written and verbal).
• Proven ability to quickly build trust and credibility.
• Proven ability to assess needs of and recommend appropriate solutions.
• Proven ability to work both collaboratively on a team with key partners and independently.
• Proven ability to listen and probe for clarity and understanding.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a proven ability to source clients through extensive prospecting and networking.
• Strong follow-through skills.
• Bachelor’s degree and/or a minimum of one year of work experience (Desired).
• Learns and adapts to new technology or applications (Desired).
• Executes multiple tasks simultaneously (Desired).

Skills

• Account Management
• Client Management
• Customer and Client Focus
• Issue Management
• Oral Communications
• Business Development
• Client Solutions Advisory
• Pipeline Management
• Prioritization
• Trade Operations Management
• Administrative Services
• Client Investments Management
• Emotional Intelligence
• Referral Identification
• Written Communications

Minimum Education Requirement

• High School Diploma / GED / Secondary School or equivalent.