Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Financial Services Representative

🎯 Role Definition

A Financial Services Representative is a client-facing professional responsible for delivering exceptional customer service, driving product adoption, and ensuring accurate and compliant processing of retail banking transactions. This role balances sales and service by performing needs-based conversations to recommend appropriate banking and financial products, executing account openings and maintenance, managing cash and transaction accuracy, and identifying risk or fraud indicators. The ideal candidate combines strong interpersonal skills with transaction-level accuracy, CRM proficiency, and a working knowledge of compliance (KYC/AML) and regulatory requirements.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Bank Teller
Customer Service Representative
Retail Sales Associate

Advancement To:

Senior Financial Services Representative
Personal Banker / Relationship Banker
Branch Manager
Relationship Manager

Lateral Moves:

Mortgage Loan Officer / Specialist
Business Banking Specialist
Contact Center Financial Advisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct comprehensive needs assessments with retail and small business customers to identify financial goals and gaps, then recommend suitable banking products (checking, savings, CDs, consumer loans, credit cards), clearly explaining features, fees, and eligibility to drive appropriate product adoption and long-term client retention.
Open new deposit and lending accounts end-to-end: collect required documentation, perform identity verification (KYC), complete account setup in the core banking system, and ensure account disclosures and consent forms are provided and explained in accordance with regulatory and internal policies.
Execute routine and complex branch transactions accurately and efficiently, including cash deposits and withdrawals, check processing, wire transfers, cashier’s checks, debit/credit card issuance and activation, ACH transactions, and day-to-day teller-level reconciliations.
Achieve and exceed individual sales goals and branch targets by proactively cross-selling and up-selling relevant products and services using consultative selling techniques and follow-up activity tracked in the CRM.
Maintain a balanced cash drawer and reconcile daily cash variance reports; investigate and resolve discrepancies promptly while documenting outcomes and escalating irregularities to management as required.
Screen all account activity for potential fraud, money laundering, and suspicious behavior; file internal reports, suspend activity when appropriate, and cooperate with compliance and fraud teams to mitigate risk.
Prepare accurate, timely documentation and disclosure packages for new accounts and loan referrals including credit authorization forms, payee verifications, and compliance-related attestations to support audit readiness.
Manage inbound and outbound customer communications via phone, email, secure messaging, and in-branch consultations to resolve service issues, answer product questions, and convert inquiries into product opportunities.
Refer complex lending needs or wealth-management opportunities to specialists and Relationship Managers; coordinate warm introductions, prepare referral packets, and track referral outcomes to improve conversion rates.
Demonstrate and onboard customers to digital banking platforms (online/mobile banking, bill pay, mobile deposit) including setting up credentials, troubleshooting common issues, and educating customers on digital security best practices.
Update customer records and account information in CRM and core systems to ensure data accuracy, document customer interactions, and maintain a verifiable activity trail for compliance and service continuity.
Support periodic account reviews and reconciliation processes such as dormant account outreach, NSF/overdraft handling, and account closure processing while ensuring regulatory communication requirements are met.
Participate in product launches and promotions by learning new product features, preparing outreach lists, supporting marketing campaigns, and tracking campaign KPIs such as response rate, conversion rate, and revenue impact.
Prepare and deliver clear explanations of fees, interest rates, terms and conditions, and regulatory notices to ensure customers are fully informed and that disclosures meet truth-in-advertising and fair-lending obligations.
Train and mentor new team members on branch processes, compliance protocols, and sales techniques; contribute to a culture of continuous improvement by sharing best practices and process improvement suggestions.
Process and escalate customer complaints and dispute resolutions in line with bank policy, documenting case details, timelines, corrective actions, and final resolutions to maintain service quality and regulatory compliance.
Perform routine audits and quality assurance checks on accounts and transactions; collaborate with internal audit and compliance teams to address findings and implement corrective action plans.
Monitor customer portfolios for renewal opportunities, rate adjustments, and cross-sell triggers (e.g., upcoming CD maturity, changes in account balances) and proactively reach out with personalized solutions.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of banking regulations, industry trends, product updates, and competitive offerings to provide accurate advice and to ensure all recommendations are compliant.
Coordinate with operations, underwriting, and risk teams to facilitate loan application processing, document collection, and status updates, ensuring a smooth customer experience from application to funding or referral.
Participate in community outreach and branch events to grow the local client base, build brand awareness, and create referral sources through partnerships with local businesses and organizations.
Track, analyze, and report on personal and branch-level performance metrics including sales activity, transactional volume, service quality scores, and compliance metrics to leadership on a regular cadence.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc reporting requests for branch leadership including daily transaction summaries, sales pipeline snapshots, and compliance exception logs.
Assist with process documentation, updates to operating procedures, and knowledge-base articles to improve new hire onboarding and reduce operational errors.
Contribute to customer experience initiatives and pilot projects aimed at reducing process friction, increasing digital adoption, or improving turnaround times for common requests.
Work with IT and digital teams to test and provide feedback on new customer-facing features or backend system updates prior to full release.
Participate in cross-functional working groups to align branch-level priorities with marketing campaigns, product rollouts, and compliance education initiatives.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency with core banking systems and branch transaction platforms (e.g., FIS, Jack Henry, Fiserv) and rapid ability to learn proprietary banking software.
CRM and pipeline management experience (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics) for documenting client interactions and tracking sales outcomes.
Strong knowledge of account opening procedures, KYC/Customer Identification Program (CIP), OFAC screening, and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) red flags and reporting processes.
Cash handling and reconciliation skills, including experience balancing a drawer, processing tills, and preparing daily cash reports.
Familiarity with retail banking products: checking, savings, money market, certificates of deposit, consumer loans, home equity products, and credit cards.
Transaction processing skills for wires, ACH, check clearing, stop payments, and dispute investigation workflows.
Basic financial literacy and ability to perform product illustrations, rate comparisons, and simple amortization/explanation of loan payments.
Competence using Microsoft Office suite (Excel for basic reporting, Word for correspondence, Outlook for scheduling and email).
Data entry accuracy and attention to detail when updating customer records and compliance paperwork.
Understanding of banking regulations (Reg E, Reg DD, BSA/AML, CFPB guidance) and ability to apply regulatory requirements to daily activities.

Soft Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills for clear, professional customer interactions and internal documentation.
Consultative sales approach with active listening, empathy, and the ability to translate needs into tailored product recommendations.
Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities to troubleshoot account issues and resolve disputes under pressure.
High level of integrity, discretion, and commitment to confidentiality when handling sensitive financial information.
Time management and organizational skills to prioritize walk-in customers, appointments, and back-office tasks in a high-volume environment.
Resilience and goal orientation with a track record of meeting or exceeding sales and service targets.
Collaborative team player who supports colleagues and contributes to a positive branch culture.
Attention to detail and procedural discipline to reduce errors and maintain compliance readiness.
Customer-centric mindset focused on building trust, long-term relationships, and maximizing lifetime customer value.
Adaptability and willingness to learn new products, technologies, and process changes quickly.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
High school diploma or GED

Preferred Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Accounting, or a related field

Relevant Fields of Study:

Finance
Business Administration
Economics
Accounting
Marketing / Sales

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
1–3 years of customer-facing experience in banking, retail financial services, or sales roles

Preferred:
2–5 years of experience in a branch environment or financial services role with proven sales results, compliance knowledge (KYC/AML), and experience handling complex transactions