Protection Adviser

Clearwater (CWM) is a financial planning firm, delivering technically excellent, client-centered advice across pensions, investments, tax and estate planning. The Employed Adviser Team (EAT) was established in late 2024 to sit alongside our long-standing self-employed partner structure, offering a salaried route into advice for high-calibre advisers who want the backing of an established firm. The EAT is headed by one of our owners, Peter Winstanley, and is building a reputation for technical rigor, strong client outcomes and a genuinely supportive team culture.

Role Purpose

We are looking for an experienced Protection Adviser to join our Employed Adviser Team, working with our existing Protection Adviser and support team providing high-quality protection advice including life, critical illness, income protection and business protection to our client base. This role sits at the heart of holistic financial planning, working closely with both our employed and self-employed advisers across the practice to ensure clients' protection needs are fully integrated into their wider financial plans.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide advice on life assurance, critical illness cover, income protection, business protection and other related protection products to clients, ensuring recommendations reflect their full financial circumstances.
• Work collaboratively with our advisers to identify protection needs arising from wider financial planning conversations.
• Conduct thorough fact-finds, needs analysis and risk assessments to underpin suitable, compliant recommendations.
• Clearly explain policy features, benefits, exclusions and costs, delivering a high level of customer service throughout the advice process.
• Liaise with providers and underwriters to secure appropriate terms for clients, including those with complex medical or financial underwriting requirements.
• Maintain accurate, compliant client records and documentation in line with FCA requirements and CWM's internal processes.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term client relationships, acting as a trusted point of contact for protection matters.
• Support the development of the EAT's protection proposition, including referral pathways with the advisers.
• Keep up to date with market developments, product innovation and regulatory change across the protection sector.
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative team culture, sharing technical knowledge with colleagues where appropriate.

Candidate Profile

• Proven track record providing protection advice within a regulated financial services environment for a minimum of 18 months.
• Strong technical knowledge of life, critical illness, income protection and business protection products, underwriting processes and provider markets.
• Clean compliance and regulatory history, with no outstanding conduct concerns.
• Excellent client relationship and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex products clearly.
• Strong attention to detail and a rigorous approach to compliance and documentation.
• Comfortable working collaboratively within a wider advice team, rather than purely on an individual-adviser basis.
• Experience working alongside financial advisers in an integrated financial planning environment.
• Full diploma-level qualification (Level 4) or working towards Chartered status.
• Existing relationships with protection providers and underwriters.
• Experience mentoring or supporting the development of junior advisers.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary with monthly performance-related bonus structure.
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays.
• Auto-enrolment pension.
• Death in Service + Income Protection.
• Core hours: 8am – 5pm
• A warm, established client network supported by high-quality introducer and referral relationships.
• Structured onboarding and ongoing professional development, including support towards further qualifications.
• A genuine career progression pathway within the EAT, including access to CWM's adviser development program.
• A collaborative, technically strong team culture, working alongside experienced advisers.
• The backing and resources of an established financial planning firm, without the demands of self-employment.