Centralised Proposition and Operations Assistant (Sandhurst)

Purpose of role:

• To provide efficient administrative and client service support within the Service Hub, ensuring accurate processing of financial planning requests, timely communication with clients and advisers, and a high standard of service delivery in line with regulatory and company requirements.
• Support is provided nationally through established remote work processes, ensuring consistent service delivery across all regions.
• The role forms part of the Central Proposition Team and is encouraged to collaborate with the Financial Planners, Central Support Team and Product Providers.

Key Responsibilities

Client Service & Communication

• Implementation of the centralised proposition service to a panel of financial planners.
• Act as a first point of contact for client queries (email, phone, or internal systems).
• Provide prompt, professional, and accurate responses to client and financial planner requests.
• Maintain strong relationships with financial planners, clients, and external product providers.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with endorsed third party product providers.
• Ensure all interactions align with client service standards and brand expectations.
• Utilise the internal communication templates / framework for all correspondence sent to clients.
• Adhere to the culture and principles of Treating Customers Fairly.

Administrative & Operational Support

• Scrutinise client data to identify opportunities for the financial planner to present to the client.
• Prepare accurate and complete documentation required for the engagement between the financial planner and the client. This includes financial planning meetings, reviews or any other engagement identified as part of the Centralised Proposition service level agreement.
• Preparation of client portfolios using Astute or product provider information. Ensure Xplan information is up-to-date and always maintained (including client demographics and financial information).
• Process new business applications, policy amendments and service requests timeously and accurately.
• Manage new business applications and any other instruction submitted to the product providers to ensure they are completed accurately and within agreed timeframes.
• Ensure that the expected revenue is received and allocated / processed in line with internal business processes.
• Maintain up-to-date and accurate client records on CRM systems (including data / information and evidentiary documents where relevant).
• Track and follow up on outstanding requirements to ensure timely completion.

Workflow

• Manage assigned work items within agreed service level agreements (SLAs).
• Prioritise workload effectively to meet deadlines and service expectations.
• Escalate complex or high-risk cases to senior team members when required.
• Provide ongoing feedback to the financial planner/s where needed. Concise, clear communication is essential.
• Ensure all documentation / evidence and instructions are recorded on the internal CRM system to ensure standardised and continuous service is provided to all financial planners and clients alike.

Provider & Stakeholder Relationship

• Liaise with product providers (e.g., insurers, investment platforms) to obtain information, updates or confirmations.
• Follow up on outstanding information such as medicals, underwriting decisions, or investment details.
• Coordinate between internal teams (financial planners, central team and management).

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure all work adheres to regulatory requirements (e.g. FAIS, AML and any other relevant legislative requirements).
• Maintain strict confidentiality of client information at all times.
• Identify and flag any potential compliance risks or irregularities.
• Follow internal processes, policies, and quality standards at all times.

Systems

• Full awareness and understanding of information available to support the financial planner.
• Full understanding of CRM and associated processes to provide guidance to the financial planner.

Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to improving Service Hub processes and efficiencies.
• Identify recurring issues and suggest solutions.
• Participate in training and development to enhance technical knowledge.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Technical Skills
• Strong administrative and data management skills.
• Familiarity with financial products (investments, insurance, retirement products) is advantageous.
• Experience using CRM systems and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook)

Behavioural Competencies

• Computer skills: Microsoft Office Suite
• Attention to Detail: methodical, have a high level of accuracy in all tasks
• Customer Focus: Committed to delivering excellent client service
• Communication: Clear, professional written and verbal communication
• Organisation & Time Management: Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines
• Problem Solving: Proactively resolves issues and escalates when necessary
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively within the Service Hub environment
• High energy individual who is customer centric and relationship oriented
• Initiative-taking work ethic
• Professional presence: displays a professional image and conducts himself / herself professionally at all times
• Resilient under pressure
• Ability to multi-task

Qualifications & Experience

• Matric (essential)
• 2-3 years’ experience in financial services industry preferred
• Relevant tertiary education courses are advantageous.

Key Performance Measures

• Turnaround times (SLA adherence)
• Accuracy and quality of processing
• Client and financial planner satisfaction levels
• Opportunities identified and successfully closed
• Volume of cases processed
• Error rates / rework levels
• Responsiveness to client and adviser queries