Client Services Manager

Responsibilities

• Trusted Leadership & Team Culture:
• Act as a trusted leader, setting an example in integrity, professionalism, and fairness.
• Ensure the company’s culture and values are embedded within the teams, promoting a collaborative, supportive, and high-performance work environment.
• Build and maintain trust with team members, advisers, clients, and other stakeholders, ensuring that all interactions are consistent with the company’s values.
• Lead the teams in a way that fosters transparency, mutual respect, and open communication.
• Front of House and Office Management:
• Oversee day-to-day office operations, ensuring all administrative activities run smoothly.
• Manage and supervise the front of house team, delegating tasks and monitoring performance.
• Maintain and update client records and back-office systems including IO, ensuring data accuracy and confidentiality.
• Diary and schedule management.
• Workflow coordination and supervision.
• Organise and oversee office maintenance, ensuring a clean and safe working environment.
• Ensure that the office operates in accordance with Health & Safety policies and procedures, including but not limited to the completion and maintenance of risk assessments.
• Manage office supplies and equipment, ensuring inventory levels are maintained and orders are placed as needed.
• Coordinate with Group IT for infrastructure maintenance and troubleshooting. 
• Client Service Delivery & Operational Excellence:
• Lead the client administration and paraplanning teams, ensuring the teams consistently adhere to ‘best in class’ processes, delivering high-quality, timely, and accurate services.
• Oversee the efficient management of client records within the Intelligent Office system, ensuring compliance with internal standards and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee the delivery of an efficient technical research and quality report writing service.
• Manage and prioritise workloads effectively, ensuring smooth and efficient operations even during peak periods.
• Monitor invoicing, income recording, and matching processes to ensure accurate financial administration.
• Team Management & Development:
• Lead, coach, and support the front of house, client administration and paraplanning teams, ensuring high motivation and performance across all roles.
• Promote a positive team culture, encouraging collaboration, continuous learning, and professional development.
• Ensure that recruitment, training, and performance management processes are aligned with company values and best practices.
• Process Adherence & Improvement:
• Maintain a focus on continuous process improvement, ensuring that workflows are optimised without sacrificing quality or service delivery.
• Identify and address any inefficiencies in current processes, working collaboratively with other teams to implement solutions.
• Ensure that all team members follow established procedures and actively contribute to maintaining high operational standards.
• Provide support in project management activities.
• Relationship Management & Collaboration:
• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with advisers, clients, internal teams, and external providers.
• Work closely with the Operations Consultant, Director of Operations, Client Support Team Leader and Client Support team, Paraplanning team, Directors, group functions and other senior managers to ensure the team’s operations align with the wider business strategy and goals.
• Promote a culture of collaboration across departments, ensuring that all stakeholders are engaged and working towards common objectives.
• Marketing & Events:
• Work closely with Group Marketing on marketing requirements, and manage local client events.
• Risk & Compliance:
• Act as a role model for adherence to regulatory requirements, ensuring that the teams operates within the guidelines set by the FCA and the company.
• Ensure that Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) and Retail Conduct Risk (RCR) principles are fully embedded in team processes and decision-making.
• Identify potential risks and escalate them appropriately, always maintaining a focus on client fairness and business integrity.

Requirements

• Experience in client service within a regulated financial services environment, with knowledge of FCA requirements and the financial services sector.
• Proven experience in front of house and office management.
• Proven experience managing an administration and paraplanning team, ensuring high levels of service and operational efficiency.
• Excellent administrative, organisational, and communication skills.
• Strong understanding of compliance, risk, and governance within financial services operations.
• Regulated diploma in Financial Planning (QCF Level 4) or equivalent is desirable.
• Familiarity with Intelligent Office or similar client management systems is highly desirable.