Senior Bereavement Associate

Vanguard; Manchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent investment firm in Manchester is seeking a compassionate Senior Bereavement Associate to manage complex bereavement cases. You will deliver expert support to clients while ensuring timely and clear communication. Ideal candidates should have experience in managing high-net-worth clients and a strong understanding of probate law. The role offers a hybrid working model where you will work from the office three days a week.

Qualifications

• Proven experience handling sensitive, complex bereavement cases and high-net-worth clients.
• Strong knowledge of probate law and inheritance tax legislation.
• Knowledge of pension related products including SIPPs.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of complex bereavement cases and manage your own caseload.
• Ensure timely, clear, and regulatory-compliant communication with clients.
• Share your bereavement expertise by delivering training and guidance to colleagues.

Skills

Experience handling sensitive, complex bereavement cases

Strong knowledge of probate law

Excellent communication skills

Experience with Pension Trustees

Education

CII R04 qualification

Job description

Are you a compassionate and well-organised professional seeking an opportunity to make a meaningful impact?
As a Senior Bereavement Associate, you’ll be part of our Complex Case Team in Manchester, providing expert support to clients during sensitive times. You’ll work closely with internal partners to ensure seamless, compassionate experience for bereaved clients, across our product range of SIPPs, ISA/JISA and General Investment Accounts, while contributing to process improvements and shaping best practices across the UK Personal Investor Service.

Core Responsibilities

Client Care & Case Management

• Take ownership of complex bereavement cases and manage your own caseload.
• Ensure timely, clear, and regulatory-compliant communication with clients.
• Support Vulnerable clients and actively work to identify and implement solutions that promote positive outcomes.

Expert Guidance & Training

• Share your bereavement expertise by delivering training and guidance to colleagues.
• Contribute to working groups on inheritance tax changes and recommend the required process improvements to support our overall Bereavement Service.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify trends and recommend automation opportunities to enhance the client experience.
• Participate in special projects as needed.

What it takes:

• Proven experience handling sensitive, complex bereavement cases and high-net-worth clients.
• Strong knowledge of probate law and inheritance tax legislation
• Knowledge of pension related products including SIPPs.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to navigate challenging conversations with empathy.
• Experience with Pension Trustees for Beneficiary decisions is beneficial.
• CII R04 qualification would be beneficial.

Special Factors

• Vanguard is not offering sponsorship for this position.
• This is a hybrid position and would require you to work in the Manchester office Tuesday-Thursday.

Why Vanguard?

Vanguard is a different kind of investment company. It was founded in the United States in 1975 on a simple but revolutionary idea: that an investment company should manage its funds solely in the interests of its clients.

This is a philosophy that has helped millions of people around the world to achieve their goals with low-cost, uncomplicated investments.

It's what we stand for: value to investors.

Inclusion Statement

Vanguard’s continued commitment to diversity and inclusion is firmly rooted in our culture. Every decision we make to best serve our clients, crew (internally employees are referred to as crew), and communities is guided by one simple statement: “Do the right thing.”

We believe that a critical aspect of doing the right thing requires building diverse, inclusive, and highly effective teams of individuals who are as unique as the clients they serve. We empower our crew to contribute their distinct strengths to achieving Vanguard’s core purpose through our values.

When all crew members feel valued and included, our ability to collaborate and innovate is amplified, and we are united in delivering on Vanguard's core purpose: to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.