Careers at Pathways

Financial Client Services/ Operations

Are you looking for:

  • A small, but growing local firm?

  • Positive, energetic, and supportive co-workers?

  • Intensive training?

About Our Company:

We are a successful, independent, fee-only financial planning firm located in North Fresno.  We offer our clients investment, tax, retirement, and estate planning advice.  We develop deep, long-lasting client relationships which often continue into second and third generations.  (Unfortunately, our website is currently undergoing a facelift.  However, you will learn much more about us during your interview.)

Position Details:

We have an immediate opening for a part-time position designed for a full-time or part-time student.  Full-time hours may be available during school vacations.  We can work around your class schedule.  If you excel, we may offer a full-time position upon graduation.

Our hope is to hire someone who can help us with some immediate administrative needs.  Once the initial tasks are mastered, we hope to expand the role.  Training would continue in our Operations department.  Later, we may add financial paraplanning training to the mix.  A paraplanner produces reports and analyses to prepare our planners for client meetings.  They become highly involved with the in-depth planning we do with clients.  They often participate in client meetings.

Most important to us is an individual highly motivated to master (and, perhaps, improve) our systems and procedures.  We will train you in the use of our industry-specific software.  We value someone eager to learn and motivated to tackle challenges

Under the supervision of our full-time staff, duties include:

  • Welcoming clients

  • Phones/Scheduling

  • Handling client requests

  • Preparing reports for client meetings

  • Photocopying and document scanning

  • Maintaining client information database

  • Document editing

  • Compiling our quarterly newsletter

  • Updating diagrams and spreadsheets in Word and Excel

  • General clerical tasks

  • Helping us improve our service

Operations duties:       

  • Opening new client accounts

  • Daily reconciliation of client investment accounts

  • Placing investment trades

  • Managing the incoming transfers of client accounts

  • Handling client deposits and withdrawals

  • Composing letters to clients, accountants, attorneys

  • Preparing reports for client meetings

Our founder, David, had 40 years’ experience, and mentored our four planners.  The planners, Dustin, Michelle, Jeff, and Whitney, “came up through the ranks” and work directly with clients.  Dustin, Jeff, and our Chief Operating Officer, Nicole, are now partners in the firm.  All planners are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM practitioners.

We wish to continue our growth, but as a small office, company culture is important to us.  We seek controlled growth while maintaining exceptional service and a close working environment.  Our administrative support is very strong with well-established procedures.  This allows the planners to devote most of their time to client issues. 

Our client relationships are consultative, rather than transactional.  The intake process encompasses much data gathering and a number of exploratory meetings.  We meet on a semi-annual basis thereafter.  We nurture strong client relationships.

For the right candidate, we may provide a thorough education in paraplanning.  You will work in a team-based environment with our existing administrative staff and our four planners.  Our planners often collaborate on client issues and strategies.  More complex clients are assigned two planners.  You receive training in all areas of the company, from the ground up, so that you thoroughly understand our roles and processes. 

We have no specific career path to becoming a planner; however, some of our paraplanners have evolved into successful planners with us.

Qualifications:

Applicants should possess the following:

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

  • Proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel

  • Superior organizational ability

  • Extreme attention to detail

Salary and Benefits:

We offer competitive compensation with these benefits:

  • Health insurance reimbursement plan (upon meeting eligibility requirements)

  • 401(k) with a company match (upon meeting eligibility requirements)

  • A flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy

What We Want:

Since we are a small office, our company culture is critically important.  Each person can make a difference.  Many of our work projects require a joint effort.  We are quite dependent on each other.  We seek someone who learns fast, works hard, and enjoys striving for a common goal.  We welcome a troubleshooter with a good brain and fresh ideas.

We conduct a thorough hiring process.  It is critical for us to know what you seek in a position, as well as what concerns you might have.  Please carefully consider and answer the following questions in your cover letter:

  1. Describe the person behind the formal resume.  Who are you?  Where are you headed?

  2. Describe the highlights of your educational experience.  Any special activities or interests?

  3. What attracts you to this position?

  4. Please Note: Your resume will not be considered if you neglect to address each of the items above.

Please send us:

  • Your Resume

  • References

  • Answers to our questions

Contact Person:
Nicole Swanson, Chief Operating Officer
Pathways Advisory Group, Inc.
684 W. Cromwell Ave., Suite 103
Fresno, California 93711
nicole@pathwaysag.com
559-431-4700