Merrill Advisor Development Program - Financial Advisor-Partially Registered: Northeast Ohio Market

Bank of America; Canton (OH); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Bank of America’s Merrill Wealth Management seeks candidates for the Advisor Development Program – Financial Advisor-Partially Registered in Canton, OH. You will identify client needs, build relationships, and deliver tailored investment recommendations under mentorship.

You’ll gain exposure to high‑net‑worth clients, collaborate with advisory teams, and advance toward Series 7/66 licenses while growing a scalable book of business and delivering comprehensive financial guidance.

Qualifications

• FINRA SIE required to begin the Advisor Development Program.
• 4+ years of progressive professional and/or military experience.
• 2+ years experience in investments industry.
• Ability to obtain Series 7 and 66 licenses within program time.
• Self-starter with strong time management and relationship skills.
• Ability to build and nurture relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Regulatory due diligence and adherence to compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Learn to provide tailored advice through client reviews and presentations.
• Understand solutions best suited to client needs, including core Banking and Investment options.
• Shadow advisory teams to expand network and promote portfolio growth.
• Leverage technology to enhance client experience and service accuracy.
• Develop a book of business to meet pre-defined financial targets.
• Build relationships with internal service providers based on client needs.

Skills

Account Management

Client Investments Management

Client Management

Client Solutions Advisory

Relationship Building

Advisory

Business Development

Pipeline Management

Portfolio Management

Client Experience Branding

Issue Management

Prospecting

Referral Identification

Sales Performance Management

Education

High School Diploma / GED / Secondary School or equivalent

Bachelor's Degree, preferably in business‑related field

Job description

Job Description:

Merrill Wealth Management is a leading provider of comprehensive wealth management and investment products and services for individuals, companies, and institutions. Merrill Wealth Management is one of the largest businesses of its kind in the world specializing in goals-based wealth management, including planning for retirement, education, legacy, and other life goals through investment advice and guidance.

Merrill’s Financial Advisors and Wealth Management Client Associates help clients pursue the life they envision through a personal relationship with their advisory team committed to their needs. We believe trust comes from transparency. Our trusted advisory teams are equipped with access to the investment insights of Merrill coupled with the banking convenience of Bank of America.

Merrill is committed to an in-office culture that supports collaboration, engagement, and career development. Our approach includes clear in-office expectations, while providing an appropriate level of flexibility based on role-specific responsibilities and business needs.

At Merrill, we empower you to bring your whole self to work. We value the unique perspectives in our thoughts, business, and within our employees and clients. Our Wealth Management team represents an array of different skills and experiences that individuals bring from all backgrounds and careers; whether gained through military service, community college education, or a wide range of work and life experiences. These journeys foster resilience, leadership and innovation, strengthening our workforce and positively impact the communities we serve.

The Advisor Development Program is designed for individuals excited to make a career transition and follow their passion of becoming a Financial Advisor.

Role Specifics:

As a Merrill Advisor Development Program - Financial Advisor-Partially Registered, you will be responsible for working with high-net worth individuals identifying needs, developing relationships, reviewing financial goals, and delivering comprehensive recommendations that align with the goals of both existing and prospective clients. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with and be mentored by Merrill Financial Advisor Teams to build upon your experience to promote portfolio growth.

The Merrill Advisor Development Program- Financial Advisor-Partially Registered engages in:

• Developing a book of business in order to meet and exceed established performance hurdles
• Effectively prioritizes sourcing prospective clients, capitalizing on referrals, assessing customer needs, referring customers to the appropriate internal specialists, and executing highly customized solutions to meet client needs
• Recommending investment products and services that are suitable for prospects based on their objectives, resources, time horizon, risk profile and preferences
• Balancing investment growth, referral activities, customer follow up, prospect building, administrative compliance, and personal growth and development according to both a day-to-day and longer-term planning
• Organizing and managing resources (time, people, budget) to run a productive practice
• Seeking the expertise of specialists, where appropriate, to identify planning and investment strategies for a client
• Completing mandated training, assessments, performance goals and continuing education requirements

We’ll help you:

• Build a successful career at Bank of America through world class training and on-boarding programs that set you up for success.
• Get training and one-on‑one coaching from our award‑winning Academy at Bank of America and local leadership who are invested in your success.
• Grow your business knowledge by using a defined consultative approach to systematically identify client needs and appropriate solutions.
• Provide end-to‑end comprehensive advice, deliver client reviews/presentations with confidence and recommend strategies to help achieve their financial goals and life priorities.
• Collaborate with core banking and investment partners. Connect to all the solutions we provide through Bank of America and Merrill to meet virtually all their financial needs.

Job Description:

This job is responsible for working with high-net worth clients in a Merrill branch with annual revenues of $100k-$5mm. Key responsibilities include identifying needs, developing relationships, reviewing investment goals, and preparing investment recommendations that align with clients’ goals. Job expectations include leveraging technology to achieve business growth goals, profiling activities to determine a client’s investor profile and financial resource objectives, building a sustainable book of business and providing opportunities for advisors to pursue a career within the bank. This position may be responsible for the provision of residential mortgage loans, and as such, is subject to SAFE Act registration requirements. Pursuant to the SAFE Act requirements, all employees engaged in residential mortgage loan originations must register with the federal registry system and remain in good standing. Since this position requires SAFE Act registration, employees are required to register and to submit to the required SAFE Act background check. Failure to obtain and/or maintain SAFE Act registration may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Responsibilities:

• Learns how to provide tailored and personalized advice to clients through reviews and presentations, including partnering with management to assess financial goals and recommending investment advisory strategies
• Understands client solutions that are best suited for their financial needs, such as core Banking, and Investment and Life Priority™ solutions
• Shadows Financial Advisor teams to build their network by sharing relevant market developments and discussing new products (as appropriate) in an effort to promote portfolio growth
• Leverages available resources and technologies to optimize the customer experience and serve the bank’s customers with operational excellence and accuracy
• Participates in on-going training focused on how to develop a book of business to meet and exceed pre-defined financial targets and determine how to progress to the next phase as an advisor
• Builds relationships with internal service providers based on client needs and asset thresholds
• Manages risk proactively in every aspect of business, product, and service transaction leveraging available tools

Required Qualifications:

• Currently holds FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE)
• 4+ years of progressive professional and/or military experience
• 2+ years experience in investments industry
• Ability to obtain Series 7 and 66 licenses within allotted program time
• Is a self‑starter who efficiently manages time and capacity
• Sets and accomplishes goals, achieving whatever one sets their mind to
• Builds and nurtures strong relationships
• Collaborates effectively with others to get things done
• Communicates effectively and confidently and is comfortable engaging all clients
• Manages goals, navigates complexity, prioritizes tasks and executes in a fast‑paced environment
• Likes to learn, adapts to new information and seeks the right solutions for clients
• Is thorough and thoughtful in incorporating relevant regulatory due diligence into daily activities and long‑term strategies for clients

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working in the financial service industry and/or a sales environment where goals were met or exceeded
• Strong computer skills and the ability to multitask in a demanding environment
• Bachelor's Degree, preferably in business‑related field
• Proven ability to partner and promote lead generation
• Experience balancing investment management, sales activities and new client development
• Achieved additional professional designations such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and/or Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC)
• Obtained insurance licenses

Skills:

• Account Management
• Client Investments Management
• Client Management
• Client Solutions Advisory
• Relationship Building
• Advisory
• Business Development
• Fraud Management
• Pipeline Management
• Portfolio Management
• Client Experience Branding
• Issue Management
• Prospecting
• Referral Identification
• Sales Performance Management

Minimum Education Requirement:

High School Diploma / GED / Secondary School or equivalent

This position is subject to SAFE Act registration requirements. Pursuant to the SAFE Act requirements, all employees engaged in residential loan mortgage originations must register with the federal registry system and remain in good standing. Since your position requires SAFE Act registration, you will be required to register and to submit to the required SAFE Act background check and registration process. Failure to obtain and/or maintain SAFE Act registration may result in your immediate termination.

Shift:

1st shift (United States of America)

Hours Per Week:

40