Financial Planning Associate

Financial Planning Associate

At Keating and Associates, each individual has a unique ability, a unique story, and a unique contribution that is vital to our success. With diverse experiences, cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs we are a better company, and we better serve our valued clients. True teamwork is only possible when we embrace that our differences make us better together. By creating an environment where people are welcomed and equipped to do their best, we fully embrace our core values of excellence, abundance mindset, and teamwork.

What Keating and Associates can offer you:

• Professional Development
• 9 paid holidays, including your birthday and a floating holiday!
• 401(k) with company match
• Employer-Paid Disability, Life Insurance, and Employee Assistance Program
• Health, Vision, and Dental Plans
• Dependent Care and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time Off
• Fun Company Events such as Lunch & Learns, Virtual Staff Hangouts, Annual All Company Weekend, and more!

We are seeking a Financial Planning Associate to provide financial planning and investment advisory support to clients within growing advisory practices. This role provides organizational, client service, and planning support while developing technical financial planning knowledge and experience. The Financial Planning Associate contributes to positive client relationships through responsive service, accurate work, and timely follow-through. This individual assists with servicing client needs, planning projects, and implementation activities, ensuring that recommendations move efficiently from strategy to execution. The role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while coordinating with clients, advisors, attorneys, CPAs, custodians, TPAs, and other professional partners. This non-sales role is designed to support clients while allowing Wealth Managers to focus on new client acquisition, business development, and deepening client relationships. The ideal candidate is highly organized, service-oriented, collaborative, and motivated to grow their financial planning knowledge while providing outstanding execution, follow-through, and client support. This position offers opportunities to further develop financial planning skills through training, coaching, and increasing responsibility over time. This position is non-exempt, located onsite in Lawrence, KS or Manhattan KS, and reports to the Director of Financial Planning. The salary range is $51,000 - $55,000 based on experience.

Responsibilities Include but Are Not Limited To:

• Assist in building and maintaining trusted client relationships through proactive communication, responsiveness, and consistent follow-through.
• Serve as a point of contact for assigned clients, addressing inquiries, anticipating needs, and delivering a high-quality client experience.
• Serve as a resource for day-to-day client financial questions and ongoing planning needs.
• Collaborate effectively with team members to ensure seamless client service and coordinated execution of planning strategies
• Assist in the creation, maintenance, and analysis of comprehensive financial plans.
• Gather, organize, and analyze client data to support planning recommendations
• Conduct financial planning research and provide analytical support for client-specific planning opportunities.
• Provide in-depth planning analysis to support advisor recommendations
• Support planning areas such as retirement planning relationships, participant, education, and plans sponsors needs.
• Create pre-meeting agendas, prepare planning materials, and support annual review process
• Attend client meetings and document notes according to requirements
• Capture Action items and coordinate follow-up activities resulting from client discussions.
• Complete post-meeting casework and ensure recommendations and commitments are executed accurately and timely.
• Provide timely follow-up on client communications to ensure a high standard of service and completion
• Coordinate implementation of planning recommendations across multiple stakeholders, including clients, advisors, attorneys, CPAs, custodians, TPAs, and internal team members.
• Organize, prioritize, and update workflows across the team
• Delegate casework to appropriate team members for timely completion
• Track outstanding client action items and implementation tasks through completion.
• Maintain ownership and accountability for assigned tasks, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and on-time delivery
• Communicate project status and implementation progress to clients and advisors as appropriate.
• Organize and prioritize multiple projects while balancing competing deadlines.
• Ensure compliant wealth management and financial planning processes are followed consistently
• Maintain accurate documentation and client records.
• Track deadlines for meetings, transactions, and documentation
• Coordinate documentation to meet regulatory and compliance requirements
• Support execution of planning and investment recommendations
• Assist with implementation of strategies across client accounts
• Support ongoing process improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency and client service.

In addition, you will be expected to take on additional responsibilities as needed to address evolving client priorities and contribute to ongoing growth and success.

Preferred Professional Background

• CFP® certification is encouraged but not required.
• Candidates interested in pursuing CFP® certification are encouraged to apply.

Experience

• 2+ years experience in client-facing financial planning roles encouraged but not required
• Candidates with strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a desire to further develop financial planning expertise are encouraged to apply

Education

• Bachelor's degree in financial planning, Finance, or related field preferred

Desired Skills Include but Are Not Limited To:

• Organization and Follow-Through: Maintains organized workflows, tracks assignments, and follows through on commitments.
• Client Relationship management: Builds trusted relationships through proactive communication, responsiveness, and consistent follow-through, creating a positive and personalized client experience.
• Financial Software proficiency: Applies financial planning (i.e. e-money) effectively and learns new tools within a reasonable onboarding period
• Technical proficiency and agility: Strong proficiency in Microsoft applications (Excel, Word, Outlook), knowledge of CRM systems, and ability to quickly learn and effectively apply new software, systems, and technologies.
• Accuracy and attention to detail: Ensures accuracy and completeness in financial plans and client deliverables while adhering to documentation and branding standards
• Quality and Execution: Delivers high-quality work with consistent follow-through and adherence to deadlines
• Organization and execution: Maintains organized workflows, prioritizes multiple tasks, and tracks client action items through completion.
• Communication: Communicates clearly and professionally with clients, team members, and professional partners.
• Teamwork and Collaboration : Collaborates with team members, attorneys, CPAs, custodians, TPAs, and other partners to achieve team and client objectives.
• Analytical and problem-solving: Applies research and analysis to develop effective solutions and support planning recommendations.

What Success Looks Like Successful Financial Planning Associates at Keating & Associates:

• Build strong client relationships where clients feel known, cared for, and confident in their planning process.
• Deliver accurate, timely planning analyses, recommendations, and client service.
• Effectively coordinate and implement client planning strategies and action items.
• Demonstrate ownership, accountability, and follow-through on client commitments.
• Collaborate effectively with advisors, team members, and professional partners.
• Enable advisors to focus on high-value client relationships and business development while contributing to a culture of excellence, teamwork, and continuous improvement. Support a culture of excellence, teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.