Senior IFA Business Administrator

In a nutshell

Join our long-established, highly regarded financial planning firm as a Senior IFA Business Administrator, where you will blend technical administration, client service excellence, and operational support for our senior Chartered Financial Planners. You will ensure the smooth delivery of wealth management advice to a select portfolio of high-net-worth clients, including business owners, professionals, and multi-generational families with complex tax and estate planning needs. This is your chance to become a trusted operational linchpin in a boutique, relationship-led environment where every detail counts. 

This position requires 3 days per week working in our Exeter office with the option to work from home for the remainder. 

What you'll be doing day to day

• Manage all client onboarding, KYC, AML, and regulatory documentation with exceptional accuracy
• Handle scheduling, meeting preparation, and correspondence for review meetings and planning discussions
• Maintain meticulous client records, ensuring all information is up to date, compliant, and easily accessible
• Liaise with platforms, providers, and discretionary investment managers to process applications, obtain valuations, and follow up on outstanding requirements
• Support the production of client reports and implementation of recommendations in collaboration with paraplanning
• Maintain diary systems, task lists, and review schedules to ensure timely follow-up and proactive client service
• Help monitor internal processes to ensure FCA compliance and adherence to firm policy
• Act as a process guardian—refining and enhancing operational efficiency in a bespoke, high-touch service model

About you

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in financial planning, private wealth, or professional services
• Experience with high-net-worth clients or boutique/private client environments
• Confident managing complex processes across pensions, investments, IHT/estate planning, and protection
• Familiar with financial planning platforms (e.g., Aberdeen, 7IM), discretionary investment managers, CRMs (e.g., Intelligent Office), and secure document portals
• Naturally discreet and professional, calm under pressure, and highly organised
• Meticulous attention to detail and pride in delivering a first-class client experience
• Adaptable and responsive to new information or changes
• Confident in a multi-disciplinary environment with tax advisers and accountants
• Understanding of IHT planning, trust administration, or business succession planning (desirable)
• Progress towards CII/CISI qualifications (desirable)

Why work at PKF Francis Clark

We’re the largest firm of independent chartered accountants and business advisors in South West England. We have nine offices in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Poole, Salisbury, Southampton, Taunton, Torquay and Truro.

The firm, which celebrated its centenary in 2019, has annual revenue of over £65 million and a 900-strong team based across our offices. Our continuing growth offers you the opportunity to expand and develop your career in a direction that interests you.

We offer a supportive and flexible culture, taking your career seriously to enable you to be the best you can be. Since September 2022, PKF Francis Clark has been certified as a Great Place to Work.

We work hard to ensure that ours is a culture where you can be yourself, develop and be part of a forward-thinking team that makes brilliant things happen. We ranked as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces in 2023, and again in 2024 when we rose nine places to 24^th in the list of the UK’s Best Workplaces (Large Organisations).

We’ve also been ranked 46^th out of 89 in the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women 2023 (Large Organisations) and 40^th out of 79 in the UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing 2023 (Large Organisations). PKF Francis Clark has been highlighted as a top achiever among the UK’s Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services by workplace culture experts Great Place to Work.

And in recognition of our outstanding training programmes for graduates, school leavers and career changers, we’re ranked 28^th among England’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers by the Department of Education and High Fliers Research.

Whilst we’re proudly independent, PKF Francis Clark is a member of the PKF Global family of  firms, which together are ranked as the 12th largest provider of accountancy services in the UK by Accountancy Age. As part of a global community of business advisors in 150 countries, the opportunities to expand your horizons by connecting with PKF colleagues around the world are endless.

Your core benefits 

Financial benefits:
•    Pension
•    Group life assurance - up to four times your core salary
•    Group income protection
•    Health cash plan to help cover the costs of everyday healthcare 

Health & Wellbeing benefits:
•    Option to buy 5 extra days holiday*
•    Counselling and support for you and your immediate family
•    Virtual GP for you and your immediate family
•    Cycle to work*

Other benefits:
•    Medicash Extras providing you with shopping and gym discounts
•    Gifts for career and family milestones
•    One volunteering day per year to support local organisations
•    Emergency funding from the Francis Clark Charitable Foundation 

Please note
* These benefits are provided via a salary exchange and are subject to employee’s post exchange hourly rate remaining above the national minimum wage.