Wealth Planner

Under limited supervision and on own initiative, provide financial planning expertise and support for Baird Financial Advisors across an assigned geographic region.  Duties include collecting data from clients, creating plans using firm standard tools, and assisting in presenting plan results.  Also serve as a technical expert on a wide variety of planning issues, including income tax issues.  Must be able to work as part of a team that is geographically diverse, meaning you must support team initiatives while often working independently.  Strong verbal and written communication skills required.  Activities and duties require a high level of organization and expertise.  Must be able to serve as an advocate for the value of financial planning to Financial Advisors.  Position will require a moderate amount of travel.

As a Wealth Planner, you will:

• Provide support in all aspects of the financial planning process to Financial Advisors (FAs) in Baird branches across an assigned region.  This will primarily involve creating financial plan reports using standard firm tools, but may often include participation in data gathering and/or plan presentation meetings.
• Be able to answer intermediate income tax and financial planning questions from clients.  For more advanced questions, be able to research solutions and/or work with other department members or professionals to find an answer.
• Maintain a flexible schedule to allow for travel to Baird branches.
• Be able to interpret various planning documents, including tax returns, account statements, Social Security benefit estimates, pension statements, annuity contracts, life insurance policy documents, etc.
• Provide training on financial planning software for FAs and Client Specialists (CSs) who wish to create plans on their own.  Includes explanation of general functionality, point-and-click navigation through the program, and detailed assistance in understanding calculations.
• Create spreadsheets to address specific issues as requested by FAs.  This usually requires development of spreadsheets from scratch and is often done with little direction.
• Help create and deliver written articles and presentations to clients as well as other professionals on a variety of financial planning topics.
• Work with the rest of the Financial & Estate Planning department to develop standard deliverables and service tiers to ensure consistent support across the firm.
• Have an understanding of the products and services offered within a brokerage environment, and be able to work with representatives of those departments. Recognize when to involve other specialists within the firm in a particular situation.
• Work with Business Development Consultants to promote to Financial Advisors the importance of planning in attracting and retaining clients.

What makes this opportunity great:

• Be a part of a regional financial planning team that works with various Wisconsin PWM Branches in the greater Milwaukee, Madison, and Fox Valley regions.
• Work location will be from Baird's metro-Milwaukee office with a flexible schedule available.
• Unique culture that values diverse backgrounds and perspectives while emphasizing teamwork and a strong sense of partnership.
• Fast paced environment that will enable you to grow as a professional.
   

What we look for:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Finance preferred.  Minimum of five years previous financial planning experience required.  Experience in the brokerage industry a plus.
• Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or similar license required. 
• Basic brokerage licenses (Series 7, 66) preferred, or must have the ability to earn such licenses.  Experience preparing tax returns and researching tax issues preferred.  Additional licenses such as CPA, EA, CLU or CIMA a plus.
• Strong computer skills, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office products.  In particular, experience creating Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations from scratch.  Experience with MoneyGuide a plus.
• Ability to balance multiple projects and work under strict deadlines at times.
• Ability to work independently on projects and effectively relate to others in order to accomplish work responsibilities and objectives.
• Strong writing and presenting skills.
• Ability to act as a team player, assisting others in the department when necessary, is mandatory.

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