Director of Operations

Director of Operations

Greater Fenton area- position is onsite*

General Responsibilities

The responsibility of the Operations Director is to manage the practice operations to achieve the highest levels of productivity and profitability. This person will be responsible for overseeing the improvement and implementation of the firm’s strategy and overall day-to-day operations. The Director of Operations anticipates the needs of the office, plans for its development, recommends necessary changes, and takes independent action within areas of authority.

Specific responsibilities include but will not be limited to:

• Manage the Client Service Associate (CSA) team to efficiently deliver an exceptional client experience.
• Lead change management efforts that impact the operations of the team, with a focus on building efficiencies, maximizing performance and growing practice revenue.
• Train, either directly or indirectly, CSA’s in all aspects of their responsibilities.
• Assure there is adequate coverage between CSA’s through cross training of staff.
• Ensure that annual performance review practices are followed and recommend salary increases and promotions to the Financial Advisors.
• Create and maintain job descriptions for each position.
• Establish and manage workflow processes to ensure efficiency within the team and a world class experience for our clients.
• Work directly with home office personnel to coordinate Team-home office workflow.
• Research and resolve complex problems related to client accounts and inquiries.
• Review daily work of the CSA team and determine assignment or workflow changes to drive efficiency and balance workload.
• Track team goals and productivity.
• Hold the CSA’s accountable and establishes procedures to document performance
• Create, maintain, and update the firm Personnel Policies Manual, Handbook and Training Manual.
• Create a calendar of events and communication plan for clients and prospects.
• Plan and coordinate events for clients and prospects.
• Assess training needs, identify industry-developed training programs and coordinate training implementation.
• Assist with training Financial Advisors on the latest platform and product enhancements, including new software, websites and other tools and resources.
• Educate Financial Advisors on the benefits of products and services offered for their clients.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external business partners.
• Recommend and direct the interviewing, hiring, and termination of team members.
• Oversee the transition process for internal transfers or new affiliates to ensure a professional recruiting process from initial contact through transition to the branch. Ensure every step of the onboarding process is executed properly.
• Maintain and expand referral sources, including coordinating target marketing campaigns.
• Review all communication from the home office and ensure that the Financial Advisors and CSA’s are informed on a timely basis of any procedural changes.
• Establish and regularly review all administrative procedures to ensure that the business needs of the practice and the requirements of the home office are met, and initiates changes as needed.
• Work closely with the Financial Advisors to plan for strategy sessions, hold agreed follow-up meetings, and track goals.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Strong proven people leader.
• Ability to work independently and with a team with minimal supervision.
• Provide and lead others to provide a high level of customer service in a calm, courteous and professional manner.
• Utilize tact and diplomacy to handle customers in a deadline-driven environment.
• Project a professional appearance and demeanor while working with clients.
• Effective questioning and listening skills.
• Use oral and written communication skills to interact effectively with all levels of the organization and external clients.
• Organizational and time management skills to prioritize workload, handle multiple tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Experience with process mapping and driving efficient operations
• Operate standard office equipment and use required software applications to produce correspondence, reports, electronic communication, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Understanding of Financial markets and products is a plus.

Educational/Previous Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field
• Securities licensed: Series 7, 63,66,24, Life and Health
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in leading a team. ~or~ An equivalent combination of experience, education, and/or training as approved by Human Resources.