Operations Associate

The Company:

Merit is a fast growing, pioneering financial services firm that invests heavily in the growth and development of team members. Merit seeks to establish, educate, and help individuals reach their financial goals as they transition into and experience retirement. With an unswerving commitment to excellence and reliability, Merit provides objective financial advice and believes in establishing long-lasting relationships. By offering an array of services, clients can receive tailored solutions that promote growth and help them achieve financial goals.

Merit believes in addressing the retirement challenges in America by helping clients reach financial freedom and confidence to the working population and retirees alike. This focus on comprehensive financial wellness enables us to deliver the ultimate client experience.

Headquartered in Alpharetta, GA, with over 90 locations across the country, Merit balances tactical advice with innovative strategy. Our 470 hardworking employees are leaders rooted in humility and we are poised to grow. Merit is a multi-generational firm with a foundation built around servant leadership and total team leadership. We have been recognized as a “Best Places to Work” by InvestmentNews and have made the fastest growing companies list in both INC 5000 and Georgia’s Fastest 40. As we expand and work to bring our relationship-driven approach to the financial industry, we are looking for the right individuals to join our team.

The Position:

The Operations Associate will support the field of wealth managers and client service team members nationwide. Being a vital part of headquarters operations, this position will maintain proficient operational workflows for all employees nationwide.

Responsibilities:

• Promptly resolve and / or escalate problems / discrepancies within established timelines.
• Clearly document all occurrences and exceptions for future reference
• Request new rep code creation with custodians and monitor data to ensure completion
• Establish login access and entitlements on custodian and operational technology platforms (Fidelity, Schwab, PKS, SEI, Orion, CAIS, etc.)
• Serve as an administrator for key technology systems
• Manage user access, onboarding, and off-boarding for employees
• Collaborating with Merit Team members to answer and solve operational questions and escalations with Merit’s operational & custodial platforms
• Establish and maintain internal service level agreements (SLAs) ensuring quality control and adherence to firm policies and procedures
• Execute account movements between advisors within all data systems (Custodian, Orion, Salesforce and sponsor companies). 
• Process alternative investment orders through centralized account opening team using CAIS Alternative Investment platform
• Collaborate with advisors and operations team members on data discrepancies, resolve issues, and perform reconciliation on cross functional systems (custodians vs. Orion vs. Salesforce)
• Cross-train in support of other areas of Operations as needed
• Maintain precise records and audit trails for all processed transactions
• Prioritize workload effectively to meet deadlines in a high-volume processing environment
• Collaborate with internal partners to clarify requests and facilitate timely resolution
• Continuously monitor for risk and escalate potential compliance issues when identified
• Apply strong attention to detail to minimize errors and uphold data integrity across systems
• Provide timely and accurate status updates within contact management and workflow systems.
• Make outbound phone calls to financial professionals as needed to resolve issues and communicate status updates.
• Maintain a strong understanding of firm processes and policies.
• Act as back‑up support to co‑workers by cross‑training on all department functions and demonstrating flexibility during periods of increased workflow.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
• Respond to questions regarding accounts, products, services, and procedures or route to the appropriate department from our ticketing portal.
• Research and resolve issues efficiently, escalating complex matters as needed
• Document all interactions accurately in internal systems
• Work closely with internal teams to resolve inquiries and improve service delivery
• Contribute to a positive team environment and customer-focused culture
• Research and resolve issues quickly, accurately, and with appropriate urgency.
• Communicate regularly with internal and external contacts to resolve issues, confirm information, and provide status updates.
• Maintain and update internal workflow templates to ensure consistency and efficiency across the firm
• Support ongoing operational projects and firm initiatives
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and streamline internal operations
• Maintain system data integrity and support ongoing system organization
• Work with the Sr. Operations Manager, VP of Operations and COO as projects in the department are initiated
• Develop relationships with the Client Service team members and leadership

Salary + Benefits:

• Competitive, based on experience
• Medical Insurance
• Dental/Vision Insurance
• Life & Personal Accident Insurance 
• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Account (HSA) or Dependent Care FSA
• 401(k) Plan with company matching
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays 

Best Places To Work for Financial Advisors 2018-2024: Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 – Recognized firms were required to be a registered investment advisor (RIA) that has been in business at least one year and having a minimum of 15 full-time/part-time employees. The assessment consisted of a questionnaire on benefits and policies completed by human resources staff along with an engagement & satisfaction survey completed by a minimum of 40% of staff. 50 firms were selected for this award from an undisclosed list of submissions. There was no charge to be included in this award listing.

Georgia Fast 40 2019 and 2022: The Georgia Fast 40 for 2019 and 2022 was awarded by the Atlanta Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth. To be eligible companies must be for profit and headquartered in Georgia and the most recent year-end revenues ranging from $15 million to $500 million and have three years of verifiable revenue and employment growth.

Inc 5000 2019, 2020 & 2021: The Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index, which consists of more than 5000 companies, represents virtually all of the capitalization of the entire U.S. stock market

Compensation: Merit Financial Advisors offers competitive compensation based on experience, qualifications, location, and market data. Where required by applicable law, salary ranges will be provided during the hiring process.

Requirements:

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree
• A minimum of 2+ years in operations for a wealth management firm.
• Excellent knowledge of the securities industry’s rules & regulations
• Ability to take initiative, solve challenges and handle multiple tasks.
• Proficient computer skills (ability to access email and the Internet) and proficiencies in Outlook, Word, and Salesforce
• Experienced and highly skilled with Excel
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Outstanding teamwork and time management skills.