Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) in Peterborough

Some adviser roles give you freedom but no clients. Others give you clients but manage every move you make. This one gives you a genuine starting point and room to operate. You’ll join the financial planning arm of an established accountancy business where there will be clients to inherit, including around £100,000 of ongoing income. That is likely to represent roughly £15m to £20m of assets, although the exact make-up of the client bank is still being finalised. And that is only the start. The opportunity is not about walking into a finished book and maintaining it. It is about taking a strong platform and building something much bigger.

The wider business has recently merged with a more established northern operation. Its northern team has eight financial planners, with most generating annual revenues of £500,000 to £750,000. In this region there are fewer advisers supporting a similarly sized accountancy operation. There is plenty of scope to build stronger relationships, increase referral flow and develop a much more productive financial planning business. That means this role needs someone with real oomph. Someone who will build relationships with the accountancy partners, follow opportunities through and create momentum rather than wait for referrals to arrive.

You’ll be supported by high-quality administration and paraplanning teams. That means more time seeing clients, developing relationships and doing the work that creates value. You’ll remain independent in your advice and trusted to get on with the job. There is also scope to develop a specialism if that appeals, including working with healthcare and medical professionals. The management style is direct and light-touch. They expect people to work hard, take responsibility and deliver. But they will not interfere for the sake of it and they have a strong record of backing their advisers when it matters.

Salary is £65,000 to £80,000 depending on experience, qualifications and track record. There is also a bonus scheme paying 25% of revenue generated above validation. The wider benefits package includes:

• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• The option to buy or sell up to five days each year
• Pension
• Private healthcare
• Income protection
• Life assurance

You’ll be a confident financial planner with at least three years’ post-CAS advice experience. You’ll have strong technical knowledge and will either be Chartered or making good progress towards it. More importantly, you’ll be commercially ambitious without needing to be heavily managed. You’ll be a self-starter who takes responsibility for building relationships and is comfortable in a business that values graft as well as good judgement. You will need to be a visible presence in Peterborough and during onboarding in Northampton. The accountancy partners and other key lead sources are typically office-based three or four days each week. To build the right relationships, you should expect to be there regularly too. You will also spend plenty of time out meeting clients, so flexibility works both ways. You’ll want to work for an independent financial planning business and be excited by the opportunity to help a strong regional operation fulfil more of its potential.