Planning & Research Analyst

TN United Kingdom; Skipton; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading building society in the UK as part of the Planning & Research Team, where you'll provide essential support in Financial Advice, ensuring suitable outcomes for customers while working towards your diploma in Financial Planning. Enjoy a flexible working environment with a focus on work/life balance and a range of benefits.

Benefits

Annual discretionary bonus scheme

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Holiday trading scheme

Matching employer pension contribution

Colleague mortgage

Salary sacrifice scheme for hybrid & electric car

Commitment to training and development

Private medical insurance

3 paid volunteering days

Discounted gym membership

Qualifications

• Strong technical knowledge in Financial Advice.
• Ability to influence and engage stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide guidance on Financial Advice Proposition.
• Support head office teams with financial planning nuances.
• Research recommended funds for due diligence.

Skills

Communication

Organizational Skills

Technical Knowledge

Education

Level 4 Qualification Diploma in Financial Planning

Job description

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Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, flexible and hybrid working can be considered with a weekly head office presence required.

Salary: £35,700 Per Annum

Closing Date: Tue, 27 May 2025

If you have a good understanding of all things Financial Advice, are an excellent communicator, and enjoy providing support to others, then this is a great opportunity to progress your career and work towards obtaining a diploma in Financial Planning.

The successful candidates will be brought in at either entry, mid, or senior level within the progression scheme, dependent on skills, experience, and qualifications, with salaries ranging from £25,880 to £35,700 per annum.

Who Are We?

Not just another building society. Not just another job.

We're the fourth biggest building society in the UK and what makes us a bit different is that we're a mutual organisation. We don't have shareholders; we're owned by our members.

Our colleagues say Skipton's a great place to work, and you could be one of them, bringing with you new ideas on how we can keep customers at the heart of what we do.

Whatever your background, and whatever your goals, we'll help you take the next step towards a better future.

You will be joining the Planning & Research Team. A genuinely exciting opportunity due to the variety involved with the role, and the opportunity to link with key Financial Advice (FA) stakeholders. We work closely with several teams across the Money function including the Financial Planning Team, Quality Assurance, FA Proposition, and with wider FA Distribution Teams. You will join a team of 8 which consists of colleagues both working towards, or have achieved, their Diploma in regulated Financial Planning.

What’s In It For You?

Skipton values work/life balance and we are proud to support hybrid and flexible working, where possible. We have a newly refurbished head office which offers a vibrant and collaborative working space.

We have a range of other benefits available to you including:

• Annual discretionary bonus scheme
• 25 days standard annual leave + bank holidays + rising 1 day per year of service to a maximum of 30 days
• Holiday trading scheme allowing the ability to buy and sell additional annual leave days
• Matching employer pension contribution (up to 10% per annum)
• Colleague mortgage (conditions apply)
• Salary sacrifice scheme for hybrid & electric car
• A commitment to training and development
• Private medical insurance for all our colleagues
• 3 paid volunteering days per annum
• Diverse and inclusive colleague networks available for you to join including our Carers and Pride Alliance groups
• We care about your health and wellbeing – we provide a range of benefits that support this including cycle to work initiative and discounted gym membership

What Will You Be Doing?

Our role offers day-to-day variety; however, the main responsibilities include:

• Understanding the current FA Proposition and offering guidance to advisers and other FA colleagues, to ensure we are providing the most suitable outcome for our customers.
• Keeping up to date with the changes to the FA Proposition alongside wider economic, political, and market events.
• Supporting various head office teams with the technical nuances of Financial Advice Planning including inheritance tax, retirement income strategies, pensions and investments, and personal taxation.
• We strive to provide the best possible outcomes to our customers. However, occasionally, things don’t always go to plan. The role also investigates and provides solutions for when this happens, to ensure things are put right for the customer if we have made an error.
• Supporting the Technical Research Specialist by attending fund manager meetings. Alongside this, you will support with researching our recommended funds to ensure Skipton are offering due diligence on the long-term suitability of our Proposition.

What Do We Need From You?

• Highly organised and able to manage your own workloads to deliver department objectives
• Able to influence, engage, and work in partnership with stakeholders at all levels
• Strong and up-to-date technical knowledge relating to all areas of Financial Advice
• Excellent communication skills, ensuring complex information is communicated clearly and tailored to a variety of audiences
• Proven ability to develop and maintain effective relationships, both internally and externally
• Effective decision making and providing challenge where appropriate
• Willingness to work towards and study to gain relevant qualifications
• As a senior, you must already hold a level 4 qualification Diploma in Financial Planning or equivalent