Protection Specialist

Opus People Solutions Limited; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary company bonus

Group personal pension

Group death‑in‑service cover

25 days' annual leave

Volunteer leave

Wellbeing Hub access

Private medical insurance

Dental insurance

Cycle to Work scheme

Job summary

Opus People Solutions Limited is seeking a skilled Protection Specialist in Ipswich to deliver specialist advice on personal and business protection, including life, critical illness and income protection. You will work with Wealth Planners to identify protection needs and help grow a protection proposition within an established wealth planning environment.

The role focuses on building strong client relationships, handling complex cases, liaising with insurers, and contributing to service

Qualifications

• A Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, or an equivalent recognised qualification.
• The CII R05 Financial Protection qualification.
• Experience delivering regulated protection advice within financial planning, wealth management, mortgage advice, insurance brokerage or a similar environment.
• Strong knowledge of the UK protection market, FCA requirements and Consumer Duty.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to explain complex protection matters in a straightforward, reassuring way.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage cases through to completion.
• A collaborative, proactive approach and an interest in helping develop a growing service.
• Experience with affluent or high‑net‑worth clients, protection trusts, complex underwriting, business protection or protection research systems such as IRESS The Exchange would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• You’ll provide specialist advice across a range of personal and business protection solutions, including: Life Assurance, Critical Illness Cover and Income Protection.
• Family Income Benefit and business protection solutions.
• Relevant Life, Key Person and Shareholder Protection, where appropriate.
• You’ll manage cases from initial referral through to implementation, carrying out detailed fact-finding, assessing clients’ needs and researching suitable products.
• You’ll also liaise with insurers and underwriters, including on complex medical, occupational and financial cases, ensuring clients receive clear, personalised and compliant advice.
• Beyond client‑facing work, you’ll help develop and embed the protection proposition by improving advice processes, researching providers, strengthening internal referral pathways and sharing your expertise with colleagues.
• You’ll also contribute to pipeline development, management information and the ongoing improvement of the service, helping to build a sustainable and commercially successful protection offering.

Skills

Regulatory Diploma

CII R05

Protection advice experience

UK market knowledge

Client communication

Organisational skills

Education

A Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning

CII R05 Financial Protection qualification

Tools

IRESS The Exchange

Job description

Protection Specialist

Build something meaningful. Make a real difference to clients. Shape the future of protection advice.

Location: Ipswich

Are you an experienced Protection Specialist looking for an opportunity to combine high-quality client advice with the chance to help develop and grow a protection proposition?

We’re looking for a knowledgeable and commercially minded Protection Specialist to help individuals, families and business owners protect what matters most. Working closely with Wealth Planners and Investment Managers, you’ll identify protection needs and deliver tailored advice, while playing a key role in developing a growing protection service within an established wealth planning environment.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys building strong client relationships, tackling complex protection cases and helping shape how a service develops.

The role

• You’ll provide specialist advice across a range of personal and business protection solutions, including:
  • Life Assurance, Critical Illness Cover and Income Protection.
  • Family Income Benefit and business protection solutions.
  • Relevant Life, Key Person and Shareholder Protection, where appropriate.
• You’ll manage cases from initial referral through to implementation, carrying out detailed fact-finding, assessing clients’ needs and researching suitable products.
• You’ll also liaise with insurers and underwriters, including on complex medical, occupational and financial cases, ensuring clients receive clear, personalised and compliant advice.
• Beyond client‑facing work, you’ll help develop and embed the protection proposition by improving advice processes, researching providers, strengthening internal referral pathways and sharing your expertise with colleagues.
• You’ll also contribute to pipeline development, management information and the ongoing improvement of the service, helping to build a sustainable and commercially successful protection offering.

What we’re looking for

• A Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, or an equivalent recognised qualification.
• The CII R05 Financial Protection qualification.
• Experience delivering regulated protection advice within financial planning, wealth management, mortgage advice, insurance brokerage or a similar environment.
• Strong knowledge of the UK protection market, FCA requirements and Consumer Duty.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to explain complex protection matters in a straightforward, reassuring way.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage cases through to completion.
• A collaborative, proactive approach and an interest in helping develop a growing service.
• Experience with affluent or high‑net‑worth clients, protection trusts, complex underwriting, business protection or protection research systems such as IRESS The Exchange would be advantageous.

The benefits

• Financial rewards and security
• Discretionary company bonus scheme, based on company and individual performance.
• Group personal pension: 2% employee contribution and 8% employer contribution.
• Group death‑in‑service cover worth four times your salary.
• Group income replacement of up to 75% of salary
• Time off and wellbeing
• 25 days' annual leave, plus bank holidays.
• One day of paid volunteer leave each year.
• Free access to a Wellbeing Hub, offering a wide range of health and wellbeing services.
• Additional benefits and flexibility
• Optional private medical insurance, with single cover and the option to upgrade to family, partner and child cover.
• Optional dental insurance
• Interest‑free season ticket loans of up to £5,000 per annum.
• Discounted staff dealing rates.
• Free personal mortgage advice
• Cycle to Work scheme.

Why consider this opportunity?

This is more than a traditional protection advice role. You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside wealth planning professionals, influence how protection advice is delivered and help establish a proposition that supports clients’ wider financial plans.

If you’re passionate about protecting clients’ financial futures and want to combine technical expertise with the opportunity to make a genuine contribution to a developing service, we’d love to hear from you.