Senior Financial Services Customer Adviser

On a senior financial services customer adviser apprenticeship course, you’ll help support customers in banks or building societies, working at a senior level.

Apprentices seeking a career as a senior financial services client adviser are often employed by a bank, building society, or other financial services organisation, such as a life insurance company.

You’ll be dealing with clients and their product and service needs; therefore, you’ll need a wide range of technical knowledge and skills.

You’ll also learn how to interact with customers at a branch, over the phone, through the internet/social media, or in an operations centre that serves other areas.

Advisers typically work with individuals, businesses, or on a small portfolio of accounts, and their responsibilities may include understanding and meeting customer needs with appropriate products and services; promoting new digital services; calling customers proactively to deepen relationships; resolving difficult complaints; and collaborating with other departments within the organisation.

What you’ll learn

On a senior financial services customer adviser apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:

• Recognise and meet or exceed customer expectations in providing excellent service. Educates customers on the use of digital solutions and assists them in determining the channel through which to connect with the company.
• Creates a network of contacts, such as attorneys and real estate brokers, to provide opportunities and, when appropriate, self-generates business opportunities.
• Offer services to customers, a wide range of corporate systems and processes are used. Takes the initiative to meet challenging individual and team performance goals in line with the company philosophy, objectives, standards, and regulatory requirements. 
• Assist colleagues in accomplishing goals consistently. Establish and maintain excellent working connections inside and across teams. 
• Work with/negotiate with other business divisions to deliver to the customer, keeping ownership from beginning to end.
• Deal well with customers/colleagues by using excellent interpersonal skills and communicating effectively via several channels using appropriate languages, such as phone, face-to-face, email, and social media. Listens actively to comprehend needs and adapts their approach to their audience. Influences others to meet the client’s needs.
• Support the resolution of complex complaints and handle emotionally charged situations effectively.
• Identify areas for performance and service improvement. Take responsibility for specific changes from start to finish.
• Seek and act on criticism to enhance their performance. Builds your capability by taking control of your development and working with management. Keep up to date on key developments. As needed, help others in their development via mentoring/coaching.

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

• Depending on the employer, but likely GCSEs or equivalent qualifications or relevant experience.
• Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this before taking the end-point assessment.

Assessment methods

The End Point Assessment comprises two distinct assessment methods: 

• Portfolio of Evidence
• Professional Discussion

Restrictions and requirements

You’ll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion

Apprenticeship standard

More information about the Level 3 Senior Financial Services Customer Adviser Apprenticeship standard can be found here.

Apprenticeship end point assessment

For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.