Business Assurance Support (Edinburgh)

Purpose

To support the Business Assurance Manager to identifying risks and training required across advisers in the 7im group in addition to acting as a key conduit between the client facing teams and the risk and control functions. Always seeking to ensure requests are pragmatic and reasonable. Where necessary supporting the teams to rationalise and simplify processes.

Responsibilities

• Collate and analyse adviser suitability results (ongoing and new) and implement further reviews where required to ensure quality and compliant files.
• Support the Business Assurance Manager ensuring each adviser is managing their ongoing suitability including overdue and exceptions providing the relevant MI and escalate any issues or concerns when required.
• Support advisers who have been identified as requiring additional support through the Adviser Improvement Plans and undertake file reviews pre and post when required, liaising with the T&C manager when required.
• Liaise with the Risk and Compliance team and any external parties in relation to advice construction and the management of monthly file checks across the Private Client Team.
• Monitor and provide spot checks on various processes across the team to identify any potential issues or training needs e.g. New Business Register, Pipeline.
• Review and update the procedure manual for advisers which should cover all the relevant processes, responsibilities the adviser should carry out e.g. Vulnerable Clients, PEP’s, Fee Discount register
• Create and carry out the training plans across any new advisers internally or externally ensuring they understand the procedure manual and their responsibilities.
• Review and update the Bottom-up Risk Map (BURM) on a regular basis identifying the risks and controls.
• Coordinate the monthly Business Assurance Meetings ensuring any risks are raised and the appropriate action taken across the PCT & Amicus Management Teams.
• Support the PCT & Amicus directors in providing slides for the Executive Risk Management Committee (ERMC), Customer Outcomes and Conduct Risk Committee (COCRC) 
• Keep up to date with FCA rules and regulations, assist with Consumer Duty and Product Governance when required.
• Participation in projects and relevant business initiatives as and when required.
• Ensure the 7IM Vison, Purpose, Values and Personalities (VPVP’s) are followed across the team.
• Subscribing to 7IM’s declared Mission and Tenets & to Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) initiatives.
• Other, as reasonably required by the line manager, Head of Offices and Head of Private Clients.

Skills

• Effective stakeholder management tailoring your communication based on the stakeholders preferences, expectations and needs.
• Accuracy, thoroughness & attention to detail to maintain the highest levels of service.
• Good communication skills, both oral and written.
• Resilience to manage conflicting priorities & demands, ambiguity & demanding workloads.
• Ownership & Initiative.
• Ability to ensure we are meeting our regulatory obligations whilst maintaining a focus on efficiency.
• Ability to provide fair and consistent feedback in a concise and timely manner (written and oral).
• Client focused, delivering a high standard of client service.

Knowledge

• Good working knowledge of suitability advice file standards or being involved with these
• Knowledge of the UK regulatory system, especially areas relevant to advisory businesses.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience within the Financial Planning and Investment industry
• Good working knowledge of Xplan would be a preference
• Proficient in Excel

Qualifications

• Qualified or working towards Level 4 Diploma in Financial Services or equivalent

• Reports into Business Assurance Manager