Bank of America Hiring WMCA Advisor Development Program

About Merrill Wealth Management

Merrill Wealth Management is a leading provider of comprehensive wealth management and investment products and services for individuals, companies, and institutions. It 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.

Merrill's Financial Advisors and Wealth Management Client Associates help clients pursue the life they envision through a personal relationship with their advisory team. Teams are equipped with Merrill's investment insights along with the banking convenience of Bank of America.

Merrill follows an in-office culture that supports collaboration, engagement, and career development, with clear in-office expectations and flexibility based on role responsibilities and business needs.

Advisor Development Program

The Advisor Development Program is designed for individuals who want to make a career transition and become a Financial Advisor. The Wealth Management Client Associate – Advisor Development Program (WMCA - ADP) is an entry role in this program, with the destination role of full-scale Financial Advisor at Merrill. In this role you provide client service support to Financial Advisors (FAs).

You begin by obtaining Securities Industry licenses, with dedicated study time for the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE), Series 7, and Series 66 exams. The SIE, Series 7 and 66 must be obtained within 120 days (63 and 65 are accepted in lieu of 66 if previously held). Once licensed, you will learn the foundational skills needed for the WMCA - ADP role.

You will support multiple FAs with client service, supporting enterprise strategic objectives, operational excellence, and client advocacy while customizing solutions to their needs. You will be the most frequent point of contact within Merrill for clients' service needs and a resource for FAs on the team.

After reaching key milestones, including proficiency in your current role and completing experiential activities that show your ability to become an advisor, you progress to Financial Advisor trainee, beginning to build a book of business. You will complete dedicated training and then work in a Merrill office acquiring, building, and managing client relationships, considering each client's complex financial picture and providing advice and solutions. Completing your performance requirements as a trainee leads to becoming a Merrill Financial Advisor, supported by programs, tools, and resources throughout your career.

Program Responsibilities

• Developing a book of business to meet and exceed performance hurdles
• Prioritizing and sourcing prospective clients, using referrals, assessing customer needs, referring customers to internal specialists, and executing customized solutions
• Recommending investment products and services suitable for prospects based on objectives, resources, time horizon, risk profile, and preferences
• Balancing investment growth, referrals, client follow-up, prospecting, administrative compliance, and personal development on daily and long-term plans
• Organizing and managing time, people, and budget to run a productive practice
• Seeking specialists' expertise where appropriate to identify planning and investment strategies
• Completing mandated training, assessments, performance goals, and continuing education

What Bank of America Offers

• Career building through world-class training and onboarding programs
• Training and one-on-one coaching from the award-winning Academy at Bank of America and local leadership
• Business knowledge growth through a defined consultative approach to identify client needs and solutions
• End-to-end advice, client reviews and presentations, and strategies to help achieve financial goals
• Collaboration with core banking and investment partners to connect clients to the solutions Bank of America and Merrill provide

Job Responsibilities

• Partner with Financial Advisors, Client Relationship Managers, and Market Supervision Managers on client servicing, risk, investments, and banking products, seeking guidance and escalating issues as needed
• Deliver excellent client service by educating clients on the bank's service and banking offerings
• Ensure timeliness, accuracy, and completeness of client materials and follow up on client and FA requests
• Help keep practices aligned with bank policies and procedures to support operational excellence, protect clients, and manage risk
• Identify, deepen, and maintain client relationships by promoting banking in day-to-day practices and communicating outputs to the FA
• Perform general business growth support, providing business development, investment solutions, and/or business management support to multiple FAs

Required Qualifications

• Confidence working as a self-starter in a sales role
• Strong client relationships through effective communication and collaboration
• Proactive mindset and effective time management
• Results-driven growth mindset that prioritizes client interests
• Identifies appropriate client solutions by applying learnings and new information
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Effective written and verbal communication
• Proven ability to quickly build trust and credibility, assess needs, and recommend solutions
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with key partners and independently, and to listen and probe for understanding
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a proven ability to source clients through prospecting and networking
• Strong follow-through
• Computer and technical literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or a minimum of one year of work experience
• Learns and adapts to new technology or applications
• Handles multiple tasks simultaneously

This position is subject to SAFE Act registration requirements. Employees engaged in residential loan mortgage originations must register with the federal registry system and remain in good standing. Registration includes a SAFE Act background check, and failure to obtain or maintain registration may result in immediate termination.