Why this opportunity stands out
Develop an independent financial planning practice at a directly regulated financial services organisation. Pensions, tax, investments and protection, with an established pipeline and full compliance support.
About the role
167 Solutions is supporting a directly regulated financial services organisation with the appointment of an Independent Financial Adviser.
This is a whole-of-life planning role rather than a single-product sales position. You would advise a broad client base across pensions, tax efficiency, investments, protection and long-term financial planning, and take responsibility for the quality and the longevity of the relationships you build.
The organisation is directly regulated, has been established in the market for a long time, and brings a genuine client pipeline and a network of professional introducers. Because it holds the FCA permissions, you can operate your independent practice without carrying the regulatory, compliance and operational burden yourself - there is a compliance function, a suitability process and administration behind every piece of advice you give.
The work is relationship-led and advice-led: fact finds across the whole of a client's financial life, a plan that makes sense as a whole rather than a series of products, and periodic reviews as circumstances change. For the right person this is the most sustainable version of financial planning - independent in practice, properly supported in practice, and paid in proportion to the value of the advice given.
The earnings range of £60,000 to £120,000 reflects a self-employed commission structure with earnings dependent on performance and the value of the advice you provide. It is indicative rather than guaranteed.
Key responsibilities
• Deliver suitability-led advice across pensions (including occupational schemes and drawdown), tax efficiency, investments, protection and long-term planning.
• Construct and present a coherent financial plan, with the reasoning explained in the client's terms rather than the provider's.
• Build and maintain long-term client relationships, with scheduled reviews as circumstances and markets change.
• Source your own business alongside working the existing pipeline, and develop referral relationships with accountants, solicitors and other professionals.
• Keep accurate, complete and contemporaneous client records, notes and suitability evidence to support every recommendation made.
• Advise on the wider financial planning picture - cash flow, protection gaps, pension consolidation, retirement planning and intergenerational considerations.
• Work within FCA regulation, the firm's compliance framework and Consumer Duty, ensuring advice is suitable and in the client's interest.
• Contribute to the advisory team - sharing ideas, supporting colleagues and helping to raise the standard of the advice the organisation gives.
What they're looking for
• Active FCA status with permissions covering the advice you will give - investments, pension planning, protection and, typically, mortgage.
• Demonstrable experience delivering regulated financial planning advice, with evidence of positive client outcomes.
• Strong technical knowledge across pensions, tax planning, investments and protection, and the judgement to know when a specialist referral is the right answer.
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills, and the ability to explain complex planning clearly to a non-expert.
• Confident relationship-building and business development, with a genuine appetite to originate your own clients.
• Strong organisation and attention to detail - the records have to evidence the advice, and a regulated file is reviewed.
• Comfortable working independently while contributing to a collaborative team, and able to have your advice reviewed constructively.
• Existing client or introducer relationships are beneficial, but not essential given the available pipeline.
• Must be able to work on a self-employed basis and meet the firm's regulatory, insurance and compliance requirements.
Required certifications
- Current UK financial planning qualification - Chartered Financial Planner, DipFS, or an equivalent recognised qualification
- Active FCA status with permissions covering investments, pension planning and protection
- Evidence of annual CPD compliance under FCA rules
- Consumer Duty knowledge, and how it applies to ongoing financial planning advice
- Full business and professional indemnity insurance, as required by the firm's contractor terms
Benefits
• Competitive self-employed commission structure, with indicative earnings potential of £60,000 to £120,000 depending on performance.
• A directly regulated environment with established compliance, operational and administrative support around you.
• A credible business with strong market longevity and an existing client base to build from.
• Flexible UK hybrid working.
• The freedom to run your own advisory practice and keep your client relationships.
• A whole-of-life role rather than a single-product position - pensions, tax, investments and protection with one adviser.
• Long-term opportunity within a business that has already built the infrastructure independent advisers need.