Financial Services Administrator

Skills

• Quality service delivery: Consistently develops and delivers excellent service to customers, colleagues & advisers, supporting the products / services provided and adhering to ‘Treating Customers Fairly’ principles at all times
• Customer communication & relationships: Develops effective relationships with customers & key contacts, handling & resolving issues through effective verbal/written/IT skills.
• Team working & collaboration: Understands role within team & impact on others. Consistently endeavours to support colleagues & collaborate to achieve results
• Planning & prioritising: Successfully analyses and plans in order to deliver good outcomes for the business.
• Using systems & processes: Consistently adheres to systems & processes using proficient IT skills, including risk, regulatory and governance requirements

Typical Activities that may be carried out by, but are not exclusive to this role include:

• Providing general office administrative support including filing/scanning/photocopying, banking/post/franking, processing premium payments, answering the telephone, note/message taking

• Maintain customer / policy records through the customer management system and associated IT solutions
• Support the account handling team in delivering a full customer service proposition in a professional, timely and efficient manner including new business, mid-term adjustments and renewals. Transact with insurers and customers accordingly.
• Communicate all information necessary to ensure customers are fully aware that their needs have been met and contract certainty achieved.
• Manage instalment and credit provisions for customers.
• Ensuring that formal complaints /potential formal complaints are referred immediately to Managing Director
• Ensuring that all compliance procedures are adhered to on a day to day basis.
• Ensure customer files are complete in accordance with procedures.
• Manage new and existing claims and complete any claims analysis as is necessary, working with the Claims Department

Knowledge

• Financial Services Market: Broad understanding of the structure of the Financial Services market, including the role of the financial adviser & product providers, customer outcomes, support services & platforms
• Regulatory & compliance: Understands the Financial Services regulatory framework, the ethics & key principles of the advice process
• Products: Understands the purpose & technical content of the financial services products & services provided
• Systems & processes: Understands all systems & processes required to deliver the role outcomes & has awareness of how these fit within the wider company & industry

Behaviours

• Professionalism: Professionalism and an ethical attitude. That technical knowledge is maintained and recorded in line with requirements of the Regulator and Professional Bodies.
• Adaptability: Behaviours to meet and exceed the requirements of client needs and objectives within the requirements of a continually changing regulatory environment.
• Business orientated: Pro-activeness in considering the commercial demands in a financial advice business and in looking for ways to develop and improve the business model and its service to customers.
• Positive Mental Attitude: A proactive “can-do” attitude in all aspects of work including overcoming challenges and responding to set backs. Self-motivation in achieving the objectives in the role.
• Relationship management & collaboration: A proactive approach to building and maintaining relationships with both internal and external customers. Consistent support for colleagues and collaborates to achieve team and individual results

Entry Requirements

Individual employers will set the selection criteria for their Apprenticeships. Most candidates will have Level 2 Maths and English, ideally as part of 5 GCSE A-C grades. Other relevant or prior experience may also be considered as an alternative. Employers who recruit candidates without English or Maths at Grade C or above must ensure that the candidate achieves this standard prior to the completion of the Apprenticeship.

Duration

The apprenticeship will typically take 12 – 18 months to complete

Professional Qualifications / Recognition

• Professional qualifications within this apprenticeship are listed below – one of:
• UK financial services, regulation & ethics (CF1) – Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
• UK financial regulation (UKFR) – IFS University College (Institute of Financial Services)
• Financial Services regulation and Ethics - Chartered Bankers Institute (CB)
• Introduction to Securities and Investment; UK financial regulation; Administration of settlements and investments – Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI)

In addition, the role may require completion of an exam specific to the line of business worked in e.g Life, Pensions, General Insurance, Investments, Long Term Care. These are typically provided by the CII, IFS and CISI.

Alternatively where employers feel that there is evidence of higher academic aptitude, the apprentice could opt for a more demanding higher level qualification that would enable fast tracking through the progression routes available on completion of this apprenticeship.

• Financial services, regulation and ethics (RO1) – CII
• Financial services, regulation and ethics (FSRE) – IFS

Link to professional registration This apprenticeship provides the first step on the pathway to professional membership of the Chartered Insurance Institute, IFS University College (Institute of Financial Services), Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment.

Originally published on Gov.uk, this information has been re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence.