Merrill Wealth Management Client Associate

About the Role

Merrill Wealth Management is a leading provider of comprehensive wealth management and investment products and services for individuals, companies, and institutions. Merrill’s Financial Advisors and Wealth Management Client Associates help clients pursue the life they envision through a personal relationship with their advisory team committed to their needs.

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 our Advisor Development Program where the destination role is becoming a full-scale Financial Advisor at Merrill.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing client service support to Financial Advisors (FAs).
• Supporting enterprise strategic objectives, operational excellence goals, and client advocacy within the FA’s business, while customizing solutions based on their specific needs.
• Serving as the most frequent point of contact within Merrill to address all service needs of their clients.
• Acting as a resource for FAs on the team.
• Developing a book of business in order to meet and exceed established performance hurdles.
• Effectively prioritizing and sourcing prospective clients, capitalizing on referrals, assessing customer needs, referring customers to the appropriate internal specialists, and executing highly customized solutions to meet client needs.
• Recommending investment products and services that are 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 and development according to both a day-to-day and longer-term planning.
• 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.

Progression to Financial Advisor

• Obtaining Securities Industry licenses: Securities Industry Essentials [SIE], Series 7, and Series 66 Exams. (63 & 65 accepted, in lieu of 66, if previously held). Licenses must be obtained within 120 days.
• Once licensed, learn foundational skills needed to be a WMCA - ADP.
• Progress into the next stage of the Advisor Development Program upon reaching key milestones, including proficiency and completion of experiential activities.
• Begin building a book of business as a Financial Advisor trainee.
• Complete dedicated training preparing for the role.
• Acquire, build, and manage client relationships while considering a client’s complex financial picture and guiding them with advice and solutions.
• Reach the ultimate destination of becoming a Merrill Financial Advisor upon completing performance requirements as a Financial Advisor trainee.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Computer/technical literacy and proficiency in applications such as Microsoft Suite.

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 Qualification).
• Learns and adapts to new technology or applications (Desired Qualification).
• Executes multiple tasks simultaneously (Desired Qualification).

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

This position is subject to SAFE Act registration requirements.