About the job?

Founded in 1987 and based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Litman Gregory offers its services to individuals, families, and endowment and foundation organizations.

Now a part of iM Global Partner, a worldwide asset management network, Litman Gregory Wealth Management benefits from a global network of professionals in 16 locations worldwide.

Our relationships are built on trust, respect, and integrity and our research services are driven by strong asset allocation and manager selection expertise.

At iM Global Partner (iMGP) and Litman Gregory, we believe that performance is born out of people and that our strength comes from our differences.

Our summer intern opportunities are an important element of our long-term recruitment strategy, open to rising undergraduate juniors and seniors interested in exploring the financial planning and wealth management industry.

The Role

The AVP - Client Services delivers high-quality support to our Northern California-based Senior Wealth Advisors which includes coordinating client task completion, onboarding, and offboarding clients and accounts, providing account information, maintaining investment accounts, and performing daily client service functions such as handling phones and emails, processing cashiering transactions via custodians, and preparing, delivering, and processing custodian forms and Litman Gregory agreements for clients.

The successful candidate learns the wealth management business, products, and technology to assist Wealth Advisors in providing an exceptional client service experience.

The AVP - Client Services directly impacts the client experience and is key to the efficiency and success of the Wealth Management Services team.

In this role, you will collaborate with advisory members in a client-focused environment utilizing your exceptional organizational, communication, execution, and problem-solving skills.

The successful candidate will have an excellent understanding of custodians’ processes, procedures, and technology, as well as internal technology, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for supporting an excellent and consistent client experience.
• Travel to SF Bay area office locations for training and development
• Document client action items in client relationship management (CRM) tasks and coordinate assignments and progress with the client management team.

Take the lead in follow-up and ensure client-related goals and milestones are delivered on time.

• Provide proactive and regular updates to advisors and clients on the status and timing of their service requests.
• Provide clear, timely, and professional verbal and written communications with clients, and third-party affiliates, demonstrating excellent tact, courtesy, and subject matter expertise.
• Onboard new client relationships - take ownership of the complete client and account setup process at the custodian(s) and in the following internal systems : CRM, reporting and billing, client portal, compliance, and electronic files.

You will establish new accounts at the custodian(s), coordinate asset transfer(s) including cost basis, and prepare all required Litman Gregory agreements and authorization forms.

• May join client meetings, especially when onboarding new clients and providing recommendations about service solutions.
• Subject matter expert to advisors and clients on rules of account types and ownership structures (trusts, IRAs, endowments, and other account types), and requirements to set up each type of account without administrative or procedural error.
• Subject matter expert in navigating custodian relationships (Schwab and Fidelity) with the ability to make recommendations to new clients on differing features / benefits between custodians.
• Serve as primary client contact for all account, cash flow servicing issues, and other client wealth management-related requests.
• Contact and respond to clients’ requests for portfolio information, investment performance, and cash distributions.
• Coordinate the generation of custodian report requests for clients, update client-specific spreadsheets, prepare audit request responses and create custom reports by compiling data from various sources.

This may include gathering and coordinating data from clients and internal departments.

Process account contributions and distributions (checks, wires, journals, ACH transfers, gifts of securities, and IRA distributions including RMDs).

Establish and maintain custodian and trading-program instructions for recurring money movements. Assist advisors with the cash verification process.

• Maintain accurate client information and settings at the custodian(s) and in CRM including, but not limited to :
• Account registration and / or signer changes
• Performance strategy changes
• Beneficiary designations changes, address changes, and other account maintenance requests
• Account closures and client terminations
• Research and resolve unusual and / or complex account situations and inquiries.
• Provide administrative assistance to advisors in support of activities to gain new clients. May assist with client marketing proposals / collateral, financial planning process, and recording of opportunities in CRM.
• Participate in project teams as needed to support initiatives of the Wealth Management Services team or overall company.
• Advise management and assist with the creation, development, and revision of Client Services policies and procedures to improve efficiency, controls, and compliance with policy / regulatory changes that affect all accounts across IMS.
• Work closely with Operations, Private Funds, and Compliance teams.
• Participate in training new client service associates.
• Gain an understanding of portfolio management, asset allocation, and advising high-net-worth clients on their investments.

Qualifications

Essential

• Minimum 5 years of experience in client service and operations roles with an investment advisory firm.
• Enthusiastic and positive approach to client service and problem-solving.
• Proven track record of team collaboration and best-practice information sharing.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High degree of individual initiative and job ownership to achieve goals without close supervision.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills; ability to multi-task and reprioritize work on an ongoing basis.
• Excellent attention to detail and high quality of work.
• Ability to provide clients with creative and integrated solutions.
• Ability to understand new and complex financial concepts and services.
• Excellent computer skills with experience in CRM (i.e., Microsoft Dynamics) and client reporting / billing / portal system (i.e., Tamarac).
• Proficient in MS Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Desirable

Bachelor’s Degree?preferred.

Salary

Base Salary Range : $80,000 - $120,000 depending on experience

Salary may vary depending on job-related factors including, but not limited to, skills and experience.

Other Benefits available to eligible full-time employees :

• Annual discretionary bonus
• 401k plan with semi-monthly employer contribution
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Group life and disability insurance
• Company paid family leave benefit
• Mileage-based commute subsidy
• Continuing education benefit

Location

El Segundo, CA

Litman Gregory and iM Global Partner are equal-opportunity employers. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Litman Gregory and iM Global Partner encourage applications from people of all races, religions, national origins, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and ages, as well as veterans and individuals with disabilities.

If you are ready to join a team focused on excellence and ready to reap the rewards that come with it, then we invite you to apply with your resume and a short cover letter to us-recruitment@imgp.com.

Last updated : 2024-05-20