IFA Administrator

Location: Southport

Salary: £25,000-£32,000 DOE

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

About the Firm

Our client is a well-established, independent financial advisory firm with a strong reputation for delivering personalised, high-quality financial advice. Specialising in pensions, investment planning, and inheritance tax strategy, the firm works with individuals to develop solutions that support their long-term financial wellbeing. The team operates to the highest professional and regulatory standards, with a genuine commitment to achieving good outcomes for every client in line with FCA Consumer Duty principles.

Role Overview

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced IFA Administrator to join a supportive and professional team. The successful candidate will provide comprehensive administrative support to financial advisers and clients across the full client lifecycle — from new business processing through to ongoing servicing and annual review activity. The role demands strong organisational skills, a high degree of accuracy, and the ability to communicate confidently with both clients and providers.

Key Responsibilities

• New Business Processing: Prepare, process, and submit new business applications across a range of product types and wrappers, including pensions, ISAs, investments, bonds, and protection, ensuring all cases are handled accurately and within required timescales.
• Client Servicing & Reviews: Manage the ongoing client servicing cycle, preparing valuations and review packs ahead of adviser meetings and following up on resulting actions through to completion.
• Provider & Platform Liaison: Liaise with providers and platforms to obtain illustrations, valuations, and policy information; submit letters of authority; and chase outstanding requirements to ensure timely progression of all cases.
• Client File Management: Maintain accurate, complete, and up-to-date client records on the back-office system, ensuring files are audit-ready and reflect consistently high standards of record-keeping.
• Communication & Client Support: Serve as a key point of contact for client and provider queries, responding in a timely and professional manner while keeping advisers informed to ensure smooth workflow management.
• Consumer Duty Compliance: Ensure all administrative activity supports positive client outcomes in line with the FCA's Consumer Duty principles, maintaining transparency, fairness, and a client-first approach throughout.
• Regulatory & Compliance Adherence: Carry out all work in accordance with FCA regulations, internal procedures, and company policy, maintaining a high standard of professionalism at all times.
• Team Collaboration: Work closely with advisers, paraplanners, and the wider team to ensure seamless client service delivery, providing support where required and contributing positively to team operations.

Key Requirements

Experience & Background

• Solid, well-rounded experience as an administrator within a UK IFA or wealth management firm.
• Hands-on experience administering a broad range of products and wrappers, including pensions, ISAs, investments, bonds, and protection.
• Confident managing both new business and ongoing client servicing and review activity from end to end.
• Practical experience using back-office systems and provider or platform portals.
• No formal qualifications are required, though a genuine enthusiasm for professional development is valued, and study support is available for those wishing to pursue further qualifications.
• Working knowledge of FCA regulations, including the Consumer Duty framework.

Skills & Abilities

• Exceptional attention to detail, with a commitment to accuracy across all client-facing and regulatory work.
• Strong knowledge of IFA administration processes across pensions, investments, and protection products.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a professional and approachable manner.
• Well-developed organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent cases and competing deadlines.
• Proficient in back-office and financial planning software as well as the Microsoft Office Suite.

Personal Attributes

• A proactive and self-motivated individual with a high level of professionalism and integrity.
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• A genuinely client-centric approach, with a focus on delivering an exceptional standard of service.
• Able to maintain accuracy and composure in a busy, fast-paced environment.