Head of Distribution Support

Quilter; Southampton; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading wealth management company in Southampton seeks a Senior Leader in Distribution Support. Responsibilities include managing adviser relationships, enhancing customer service, and ensuring compliance while maximizing profits. Applicants should possess strong financial services experience and exceptional leadership skills. This permanent role offers diverse benefits, including a pension scheme and private medical insurance.

Benefits

182 hours holiday (26 days)

Pension Scheme

Private Medical Insurance

Life Assurance

Flexible benefits

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of UK Sales and Distribution.
• Experience leading teams in relationship management.
• Ability to develop and implement strategic policies.

Responsibilities

• Maximise profits while improving efficiencies.
• Manage relationships with Adviser firms.
• Drive initiatives for Business Partner Support and Sales Support Teams.

Skills

Understanding of the market and industry landscape

Financial Services experience

Relationship management

Clear communication skills

Education

Higher education or equivalent experience

Job description

About the Business

Quilter plc is a leading wealth management business, helping to enable brighter financial futures for every generation. Quilter oversees £126.3 billion in customer investments (as of August 2025). It has an adviser and customer offering spanning financial advice, investment platforms, multi-asset investment solutions, and discretionary fund management. The business is comprised of two segments: Affluent and High Net Worth. Affluent encompasses the financial planning business, Quilter Financial Planning, the Quilter Investment Platform and Quilter Investors, the multi-asset investment solutions business. High Net Worth includes the discretionary fund management business, Quilter Cheviot, together with Quilter Cheviot Financial Planning – offering a highly personalised service to private clients, charities, trustees, and professional partners. Quilter Cheviot has presence throughout the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands. At Quilter we never stand still. Our foundations are rooted in our extraordinary expertise, which is trusted by hundreds of thousands of customers, but we have great ambitions to stay one step ahead and make an even greater difference to the people and communities we serve, including our colleagues. Our business is transforming, continually modernising, and becoming even more customer centric. So, if you want to be bold in the pursuit of your ambitions, bring new ideas, and challenge and evolve what we do, it’s the perfect time to join us!

About the Role

Level: 5

Department: Distribution Support

Location: Southampton, United Kingdom

Contract Type: Permanent

Regulated/Non-Regulated: Non-Regulated

• To work as part of the UK Platform Distribution Senior Leadership Team, providing consistent management and leadership practices.
• To be accountable for maximising profits, improving efficiencies and achieving business objectives within budget and in compliance with the risk and compliance framework.
• To be instrumental in resolving complex problems both within areas of responsibility and any that may impact on other areas of the business.
• To promote a culture of service excellence with a view to achieving and maintaining market leading, award winning status within Distribution.
• A key relationship role representing UK Sales and Distribution working with Operations for the benefit of Customers, Advisers and key external relationships. To provide leadership and direction to all Distribution Support teams to deliver functional strategy and priorities.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Partner with Operations to improve Customer, Adviser and key external relationship experiences
• To own and drive initiatives and plans for Business Partner Support and Onboarding Team and Sales Support Team, to meet high service level requirements.
• Manage relationships with key Adviser firms, to include meetings with these firms to discuss service.
• To monitor and own escalations from Advisers/Distribution to help maintain relationships.
• To support Sales with delivering their targets and strategic plans in alignment with Operations.
• Develop, adapt and execute functional business plans in line with agreed budgets and resourcing, and that operate within the risk and compliance framework
• Agree and sign off strategic communications to advisers.
• To ensure readiness for Distribution Support in preparation for delivering Platform changes, including overseeing the move to Active Ops, and driving efficiencies and service improvements using AI tools such as CoPilot.
• Drive efficiencies through capacity planning, performance monitoring and make data driven decisions.
• Coach and guide own management team to be the best people managers they can be.

About You

We welcome applications from individuals who:

• Bring a strong understanding of the market and industry landscape.
• Ideally have experience working with UK Sales and Distribution, and can demonstrate insight into their strategic priorities—or have relevant experience in a sales-focused environment.
• Possess broad and deep expertise across multiple related disciplines.
• Stay informed about current trends and challenges within their area of specialism.
• Have previous experience in Financial Services (this is essential).
• Communicate clearly and confidently, with strong numeracy and literacy skills—typically gained through higher education or equivalent experience.
• Have experience leading teams in relationship management settings, consistently delivering high-quality outcomes.
• Have contributed to the development and implementation of strategic policies.
• Understand risk and control frameworks, and can identify and manage risk effectively.
• Thrive in fast-paced environments and can meet tight deadlines.

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Inclusion & Diversity

We value diversity and strive to promote inclusivity in all aspects of our culture. We believe in equal opportunities for all, ensuring that no applicant encounters less favourable treatment based on anything but their skills, qualifications, experience, and potential. We celebrate the unique contributions of a diverse workforce and create a respectful, nurturing environment where every colleague can thrive.

Values

Do the right thing: We act with integrity and are proudly committed to going above and beyond in service of our clients and the support we provide our communities.

Always curious: We continuously seek new ideas and knowledge so we’re one step ahead of our clients’ needs. We look for inspiration everywhere and encourage experimentation, recognising that this is how we create brilliant solutions for brighter futures.

Embrace challenge: We aim high to transform our potential into meaningful outcomes. With ambition as our driving force and a steadfast commitment to growth, we succeed for the good of every generation.

Stronger together: Combining our diverse talents, we accomplish more collectively than we ever could do alone. We speak openly, actively listen, and support each other, and constructively challenge and embrace new ideas. We seek empowerment and demonstrate ownership and trust, with the confidence to make impactful decisions.

Core Benefits

Holiday: 182 hours (26 days)

Quilter Incentive Scheme: All employees are eligible to participate in incentive scheme, to incentivise business performance and their contribution.

Pension Scheme: A non-contributory company pension scheme that can be boosted through personal contributions.

Private Medical Insurance: Single cover as standard with options to increase cover to include your partner or children.

Life Assurance: 4x your salary.

Income Protection: 75% of salary, less state benefits, payable after 26 weeks of absence.

Healthcare Cash Plan: Jersey employees only

In addition to our core benefits, we offer a range of flexible benefits to UK employees that you can choose from and pay for conveniently via a salary deduction.