Paraplanner Manager in Darlington

About the role

We are on the hunt for an exceptional Paraplanner Manager - one with a proven track record of managing people and has great technical knowledge - to take our paraplanning department to the next level. This role is about more than just managing workflow – it is about nurturing a high-performing team and driving our quality standards. You will oversee a team of over 20 (including a range of experienced paraplanners, trainees and technical administrators), and ensure we consistently deliver exceptional service to our clients whilst creating an environment where individuals thrive and develop.

You would report directly to the Chief Operating Officer and day-to-day, you typically would be:

• Managing and developing your team: Nurture talent across all levels, from trainees to experienced paraplanners. Focus on technical knowledge, quality standards, productivity and wider professional skills to create a department culture of continuous improvement.
• Driving performance and quality: Own departmental targets including SLAs, revenue goals and quality metrics. Implement spot checks, maintain consistently high standards and take preventative action when performance needs improvement.
• Shaping our growth: Work as the main contact for new paraplanning prospects/clients. Collaborate with the sales team on onboarding new clients and partner with the COO to calculate capacity and manage hiring and training plans.
• Exploring innovation: Along with growing the team, you will regularly identify efficiencies and suggest/implement innovations that will assist the existing team in their productivity.
• Building capability: Identify training needs quickly and either deliver directly or liaise with the training department. Track CPD progress, recommend promotions, and create clear pathways for professional development.
• Managing operations: Overseeing team and project management to ensure sufficient cover and maintaining SLAs and quality at all times, including those times of higher volume (such as tax year end and holiday period). Keep the department running smoothly whilst maintaining team wellbeing.

About You

As a business, we are agile and scaling and so the ideal candidate will need to be nimble, solution focused and very comfortable with change. Minimum 5 years financial services experience with strong technical understanding of the industry. Proven management experience – you have led teams and can evidence the impact you have made. Ideally is Level 4 Diploma qualified (at least). Growth and innovative mindset – you are always looking for new efficiencies and ways to improve your process, yourself and your team.

What will make you stand out:

• Experience scaling paraplanning teams - brownie points for working in an outsourced setting!
• Previous experience in managing client relations and confidently discussing the benefits of paraplanning.
• Evidence of improving both quality and efficiency simultaneously.
• Above all, we love someone with a positive attitude who likes a challenge and isn’t afraid to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in with what is at hand.

About us

Verve offers a range of outsourced support services to financial planners and ultimately works towards two key aims; to help support good quality financial advice firms to grow and develop, and to attract new people into financial services and help train them up, for the benefit of the future of the profession. Across all departments, we approach financial services with an innovative and positive outlook; our focus is on relentlessly improving and never settling for just doing what has always been done. We are passionate that more people can and should benefit from advice, and it is our mission to make it more accessible for them.

We offer a range of benefits to permanent employees to ensure our team feels supported and motivated. We reward loyalty and offer enhanced benefits to reward employees who choose to grow their career with us, but as standard these include:

• 21 days basic holiday allowance (increasing 1 day per year for each year’s service, to a max of 26 days); plus bank holidays; plus Christmas close-down and your birthday off if it falls on a weekday.
• Personal development budget (for exams, training, anything to help you excel!)
• Death in service cover
• Health and wellbeing programme and initiatives, including access to our own in-office gym, desk massages, team hikes and yoga/fitness sessions.
• Access to lifestyle benefits such as meditation app, high street discount and rewards app.
• Hybrid or fully remote options available, depending on role and experience.
• Upon completion of a qualifying period (2 years), we offer an EMI share scheme, allowing you to benefit both from declared dividends and long term performance returns. At the same time, you will become eligible for our enhanced parental leave benefits.

The cherry on top benefits:

• We are not a fan of dress codes - we trust that you will come dressed appropriately for the day ahead. Client facing? Smart casual is fine. Head-down/admin days? Sounds like a hoodie kind of day.
• A lively and positive office environment – expect rocking (or sometimes dubious) playlists, drinks fridges, snacks, social space, ping pong table...
• Two official annual company parties, plus ad hoc team nights out and monthly enrichment sessions.
• Friendly office dogs are always welcome!

Competitive salary reflective of experience. This is a hybrid position (based in Darlington) for local applicants although fully remote is an option for the right candidate.