Sales Director

Location: United Kingdom, with a regular presence in London

Travel: Across the UK and Europe as required

Package: Up to £110,000 Basic & £160,000 OTE

Reporting to: The Board

James & Partners Talent is recruiting a Sales & Revenue Director on behalf of an entrepreneurial international wealth management group.

This is an opportunity for an experienced adviser manager or commercial leader to take direct ownership of adviser recruitment, development and performance within a growing business. You will work closely with the Board, influence how the commercial function is built and remain personally involved in the decisions and activity that drive growth.

The position will particularly suit someone who has successfully managed and recruited advisers within a larger organisation and now wants broader responsibility, greater influence and a closer connection between their contribution and the results of the business. Experience within a smaller or owner managed advisory firm would also be valuable.

For an individual who delivers against agreed objectives and demonstrates the capability to lead a wider business, there is potential to progress into a Global position. This would depend on performance, business requirements and demonstrated leadership capability.

THE BUSINESS

Our client brings together financial advice, investment management and operational support through a group of regulated businesses serving clients in the UK and overseas.

The group provides advisers with access to investment solutions and support across administration, paraplanning and compliance. Its next phase of development requires a commercial leader who can attract good people, help them become productive and improve the performance of the existing adviser population.

The business offers scope to shape its processes and ways of working. You should be comfortable joining an evolving organisation where some infrastructure is still being developed and where your contribution will include building and improving the function.

THE ROLE: THREE CLEAR PRIORITIES

1) Adviser recruitment and onboarding: approximately 50%

Recruitment is the largest and most important component of this position. You will personally drive the attraction, assessment and appointment of advisers, maintaining momentum from an initial conversation through to joining and becoming productive.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Building and maintaining a pipeline of prospective advisers through your network, direct approaches and recruitment partners.
• Presenting the opportunity clearly and understanding what would motivate an individual to join.
• Assessing experience, commercial performance, client relationships and cultural fit.
• Testing claims around assets, recurring revenue, book portability and likely time to productivity.
• Working with relevant colleagues to assess contractual restrictions, regulatory suitability and onboarding requirements.
• Taking ownership of follow up, resolving concerns and progressing discussions through to an agreed appointment.
• Establishing realistic onboarding plans covering client transition, first business, assets and revenue.
• Supporting new joiners closely enough to turn successful recruitment into sustainable commercial results.

We are looking for evidence of your personal contribution to recruitment, including who you have attracted, how you secured their commitment and what they subsequently delivered.

2) Adviser performance management, support and development: approximately 35%

You will take direct responsibility for an adviser population of approximately 20, with an initial ambition to grow towards 30 productive advisers.

The population includes employed and self employed advisers, so your approach must combine clear expectations with credibility, practical support and an understanding of what motivates different individuals.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Establishing measurable expectations for activity, pipeline, conversion, assets and revenue.
• Running consistent individual reviews and maintaining reliable management information.
• Identifying the reasons behind strong or weak performance and agreeing appropriate actions.
• Coaching advisers through client conversations, opportunity progression and business development.
• Building structured onboarding, training and development plans.
• Working with the relevant regulated teams on competence assessment and appropriate sign off.
• Distinguishing between an individual performance issue, an operational bottleneck and a weakness in the proposition.
• Addressing sustained underperformance fairly and decisively.
• Supporting strong performers, retaining good people and sharing effective practices across the team.
• Reporting clearly to the Board on progress, forecasts, risks and required decisions.

3) Proposition feedback and development: approximately 15%

You will bring practical insight from adviser recruitment, adviser activity and client requirements into the development of the group’s proposition.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Identifying what helps advisers win and retain suitable business, and where the proposition needs improvement.
• Gathering clear feedback on investment solutions, platforms, service and operational support.
• Helping prioritise improvements according to adviser needs and commercial impact.
• Working with investment, operational and compliance colleagues to improve how the proposition is explained and delivered.
• Ensuring advisers understand the solutions available and the clients for whom they may be appropriate.

Investment decisions, product approval and regulatory responsibilities remain with the relevant authorised teams. Marketing is managed separately from this role.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Direct experience managing financial advisers or comparable regulated revenue producers.
• A demonstrable record of recruiting experienced advisers and helping them become productive.
• Practical experience of coaching, training and improving adviser performance.
• An understanding of both employed and self employed adviser models.
• The ability to assess the quality and commercial potential of an adviser’s business.
• Strong organisation, follow through and confidence using CRM systems and management information.
• Working knowledge of financial planning, model portfolios, discretionary investment management, platforms and wrappers.
• Sound judgement around client outcomes, advice quality and the responsibilities of a regulated business.
• The confidence to challenge constructively while building trust with advisers and colleagues.
• An appetite for personal accountability and an evolving, entrepreneurial environment.

Relevant financial planning or investment qualifications would be advantageous. Experience across European markets would also be useful, although strong UK adviser recruitment and management experience is central to the appointment.

You will not be required to bring a personal client book or provide financial advice yourself. The focus is on recruiting, developing and leading the advisers who do.

WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE

During the initial months, you will understand the existing adviser population, establish clear commercial priorities and introduce a consistent recruitment and performance review process.

You will build a credible recruitment pipeline, progress appointments, improve onboarding and create visibility over adviser activity, productivity and revenue.

WHY CONSIDER THE OPPORTUNITY?

• Ownership of an adviser population and the opportunity to grow it.
• Direct access to the Board and influence over commercial decisions.
• Scope to build the recruitment, development and performance function.
• Exposure to a wider international wealth management group.
• Performance related remuneration.
• Potential progression to Global C Suite position, subject to delivery and suitability for the broader remit.

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