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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Licensed Sales Assistant

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

FinanceWealth ManagementClient ServicesSales Support

🎯 Role Definition

The Licensed Sales Assistant is the operational and administrative cornerstone of a successful financial advisory team. This individual acts as a critical liaison between Financial Advisors, clients, and internal operations, ensuring a seamless, high-touch client experience. By managing a wide array of administrative tasks, client service requests, and transaction processing, the Licensed Sales Assistant enables Advisors to focus on client acquisition and strategic wealth management. This role requires a deep understanding of financial products, unwavering attention to detail, and a proactive, client-first mindset to maintain and enhance the practice's reputation and efficiency.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Unlicensed Client Service Associate
  • Financial Services Administrative Assistant
  • Retail Banking Associate

Advancement To:

  • Financial Advisor or Junior Advisor
  • Senior Registered Client Associate / Team Lead
  • Wealth Management Paraplanner

Lateral Moves:

  • Compliance Associate
  • Operations Specialist
  • Trading Desk Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Proactively manage and nurture client relationships by serving as a primary point of contact for all service-related inquiries, ensuring a concierge-level experience.
  • Process and confirm a wide range of unsolicited client transactions, including equity, mutual fund, and fixed-income trades, with precision and adherence to regulatory guidelines.
  • Prepare and assemble comprehensive client meeting materials, including performance reports, investment proposals, financial plan documents, and portfolio review presentations.
  • Manage the entire client onboarding process, from preparing and processing new account paperwork to ensuring all necessary compliance documentation is complete and accurately filed.
  • Handle all aspects of account maintenance, including updates to client information, beneficiary changes, account registrations, and other service requests.
  • Facilitate the movement of funds for clients, including processing wire transfers, ACH transfers, check deposits, and journal entries between accounts, ensuring accuracy and security.
  • Maintain the Financial Advisor's calendar, strategically scheduling client appointments, follow-up calls, and internal meetings to optimize their time and productivity.
  • Assist in the development and execution of marketing campaigns and client appreciation events, including coordinating mailings, managing RSVPs, and preparing event materials.
  • Resolve complex client issues and service problems by investigating the root cause, liaising with internal departments, and communicating the resolution clearly to the client.
  • Maintain meticulous client records within the CRM system (e.g., Salesforce, Redtail), documenting all interactions, transactions, and important information.
  • Generate and review daily activity reports, monitoring for trade errors, settlement issues, and other discrepancies that require immediate attention and resolution.
  • Educate clients on account services, online access capabilities, and statement-related questions, empowering them to utilize available resources effectively.
  • Support the Financial Advisor in preparing financial plans by gathering client data, inputting information into financial planning software (e.g., eMoney, MoneyGuidePro), and generating initial reports.
  • Stay current with industry regulations, compliance policies, and firm procedures to ensure all activities are conducted in a compliant and ethical manner.
  • Coordinate with the firm's operations, compliance, and trading departments to ensure that client requests and transactions are processed smoothly and efficiently.
  • Assist with the preparation and submission of expense reports and track business-related expenditures for the financial advisory team.
  • Handle incoming client correspondence and communications, professionally screening and prioritizing items for the Financial Advisor's review.
  • Organize and maintain both digital and physical filing systems in accordance with firm policy and regulatory requirements for record-keeping.
  • Proactively identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve the overall client service model within the practice.
  • Participate in firm-wide training and continuing education to maintain active licenses (Series 7 and 66/63) and stay abreast of new products and market trends.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist in organizing and maintaining a compliant marketing and social media presence for the advisory practice under supervision.
  • Provide backup support for other administrative or operational team members during absences to ensure continuity of service.
  • Help prepare and track required compliance and continuing education (CE) obligations for the Financial Advisor.
  • Conduct preliminary research on investment products or market data at the direction of the Financial Advisor.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • FINRA Series 7 License (Required)
  • FINRA Series 66 (or 63 & 65) License (Required)
  • Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite, with advanced skills in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
  • Hands-on experience with CRM software such as Salesforce, Redtail, or similar platforms.
  • Familiarity with financial planning software (e.g., eMoney, MoneyGuidePro).
  • Knowledge of portfolio management and reporting platforms (e.g., Morningstar, Black Diamond).
  • Competence in using custodial platforms (e.g., Fidelity, Schwab, Pershing) for account management and trading.
  • Understanding of investment products, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and annuities.
  • Ability to process and execute financial transactions accurately and efficiently.
  • Strong mathematical and analytical skills for report generation and data review.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional client service orientation with a demonstrated ability to build rapport and trust.
  • Meticulous attention to detail and a high degree of accuracy in all tasks.
  • Outstanding organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a professional and courteous demeanor.
  • High level of integrity and the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
  • Proactive problem-solving ability, with a resourceful and can-do attitude.
  • Strong teamwork and collaboration skills, able to work effectively within a team structure.
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and take ownership of responsibilities.
  • Adaptability and flexibility to handle changing priorities and unexpected client needs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or equivalent. An Associate's degree in a relevant field is often expected.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance
  • Business Administration
  • Economics
  • Accounting

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2-5+ years of experience in a client service or administrative support role within the financial services or wealth management industry.

Preferred: Direct experience supporting a Financial Advisor or a team of Advisors in a registered capacity.

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