Forming a central plank of our comprehensive RDR programme, the toolkit will provide the content and utilities our advisers require to plan and implement an RDR compliant proposition.

Available now, the toolkit will enable advisers to review their existing position, design their future business model, determine how best to segment their client bank and facilitate the development of their new proposition with appropriate pricing and documentation.

Accessible with support from an Openwork Sales Manager and/or RDR Transition Consultant, the toolkit will guide our advisers through seven key stages. The first three, Vision, Segmentation and Proposition, incorporate our Client Bank Segmentation, cash flow modelling and Smart Hub systems. We launched these between September 2011 and January 2012 to provide analysis of client data, enable advisers to model their post-RDR cash flow, and provide access to a wide range of professionally-designed marketing support materials.

The fourth and fifth stages relate to our investment proposition and processes. These are covered during the Transition Workshops for advisers, which are aimed at helping advisers migrate to a platform-based proposition and transact business in a post RDR world. The final steps on the toolkit (Presentation and Plan) provide webinars and support material to follow the workshop, and will become live as each adviser moves through this phase of the transition.

Commenting, Mike Gummerson, RDR Transition Director at Openwork, says: “With the deadline for the RDR fast approaching it is essential that advisers have the support in place to guide their entire transition to fee-charging business models. Alongside our RDR workshops, the online toolkit will enable advisers to determine the right proposition for their businesses and give them the content and tools to deliver it to their clients.”

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Brokered by Fiducia Commercial Solutions, a long-standing member of Openwork, the initiative will enable our advisers to access a range of lending options including unsecured loans, commercial mortgages, secured loans and overdrafts. To help advisers manage their cash flow through the transition to fees we will, for an extended period, pay the broker fee for all available lending options.

In addition to pre and post-RDR cash flow support, the initiative, which launches today, will also enable our advisers to access funding for consolidation, growth, acquisition, recruitment and retention and working capital.

Commenting, Philip Martin, Proposition & Marketing Director, says: “The transition to fees will inevitably put firms’ cash flow under strain and our initiative with Fiducia will enable advisers to access the funding that is right for their business at no cost in terms of broker fee. This initiative is another valuable addition to our RDR support programme and we will continue to seek ways to alleviate the burden on advisers as they move to new business models in the coming months and beyond.”

Marcus Grimshaw, Director at Fiducia Commercial Solutions, comments: “Our experience and knowledge in commercial lending combined with our background in the advice sector means we understand the pressures facing advisers and the forms of funding that will best serve their requirements. We are pleased to partner with Openwork for this initiative and look forward to helping advisers within the network access the financial support they will need both now and in the future.”

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Smart Hub enables advisers to access a wide range of professionally-designed marketing support materials, which they can personalise and distribute to targeted sections of their client base. 

Materials include client proposition brochures, stock market bulletins – to be written in conjunction with fund groups and updated fortnightly – email templates and personalised business stationery.

We’re also developing client-facing newsletters tailored to suit all types of advisers within the network – from mortgage and protection, to pension and investment specialists.

All materials can be accessed at any time and printed on demand.

Throughout the year, we’ll supplement these with targeted marketing campaign materials. These will include adviser toolkits and client literature, to support advisers when discussing particular areas of advice with new and existing clients.

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The charity was set up on the initiative of HRH The Princess Royal in 1991, to help carers gain recognition and provide them with the support required to meet their diverse needs.

We will support this important work with a £50,000 annual grant from the Openwork Foundation, our community programme. The grant, which will run from 2012 to 2014, will create two new funding programmes for young carers: Opening Doors and Respite Break.

‘Opening Doors’ is aimed at identifying hidden young carers (approximately 1,350 in total) to enable them to access the charity’s services. ‘Respite Break’ is a focused programme to allow those undertaking the heaviest caring roles (around 300 carers) to attend a relief break aimed at increasing their self-awareness and identifying their aspirations.

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers has done invaluable work for young carers over a long period of time and we are very pleased to be able to offer them our support for the next three years.

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Developed in conjunction with Assureweb, the Openwork-branded App was unveiled at yesterday’s 2012 Openwork National Conference in Birmingham. It will allow advisers to access quotes from our panel of protection providers, Openwork Select, or our single-tie proposition, Zurich Plus.

Users of Openwork Select will be able to obtain quotes via the App from all five providers on the panel: AEGON, Friends Life, Legal & General, Zurich and LV=.

The App, which can be downloaded to the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad, will be made available to advisers in mid-February.

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Salary: £30-35k (contract until 31 Dec 2012; potential for extension)

Location: Field based (UK wide)

Closing date: 31 May 2012

We are seeking an individual with the qualities needed to train our Advisers on our investment platform and new point of sale software.  This position is offered on a contract basis until 31 December 2012 (potential for extension).

You will need to ‘get out there’ and show our Advisers what the systems do and how they can benefit their businesses. We’re looking for someone with a strong ‘can do’ attitude and the ability to work within a fast-paced environment.

Job function

• To provide field-based training and ongoing support to Openwork Advisers in the use of our investment platform and point-of-sale systems in preparation for a post-RDR environment
• To work with local Sales Managers and RDR Consultants to provide a co-ordinated approach to support Adviser transition
• To build, develop and update training material including face-to-face, online and distance learning material
• To develop subject matter expertise on Openwork systems, and train and develop Sales Managers and other Openwork employees

Main accountabilities

• Proactively build relationships with local Sales Managers and RDR Consultants to support our programme for Adviser transition
• Provide expert input to targeted Advisers and practice staff to ensure the effective use of our investment platform and point of sale systems
• To provide a field-based consultancy service to help Advisers diagnose and resolve queries relating to the use of Openwork systems
• Develop knowledge of Sales Managers and other Openwork employees to maintain intellectual capital within the organisation
• Take ownership of all training and development material relevant to the role, including any regulatory issues
• Carry out continual research and evaluation of developments in RDR business practice, integrating new content into our offering to our Advisers, and the wider market
• Develop and deliver RDR workshop programmes, propositions and material, either directly or through our Sales Managers
• Achieve targeted client-facing activity and coverage levels as detailed in our RDR transition plan
• Act as a point of expertise for Advisers, Sales Managers and the wider business to ensure their needs are met and any issues are resolved
• Assist the RDR Transition Director to develop the team to support the company’s objectives, namely: providing industry-leading RDR interventions and becoming the network of choice for restricted advisers
• Undertake all aspects of the role in an ethical and compliant manner

Key Performance Indicators

• Percentage of time spent providing face-to-face delivery to Advisers and Sales Managers
• Contribution to achievement of RDR transition plan
• Delivery of locally-contracted support
• Quality of design and input to materials
• Delivery of role within budget
• Positive feedback from customers and team members on effective communication and support

Key Relationships

• Openwork Partners and Advisers
• Practice staff
• Local Sales Management
• RDR Transition Director and wider RDR Transition team
• Representatives of platform project team
• Compliance and Governance team
• External partners (eg.IFDL)

Competencies/skills

• Experience in training and development within UK financial services
• Understanding of wrap platforms, and the potential impact they will have on networks and distributors
• High quality training skills including an ability to create and deliver material in a variety of environments
• Experience of working on a face-to-face basis with distribution partners
• Strong technology skills
• High levels of personal impact and credibility
• Strong influencing skills
• Ability to gain entry at all levels across the business
• Ability to work remotely without daily face-to-face contact with other team members
• Strong training design and delivery skills
• Pragmatic decision making
• Ability to confront issues
• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships (internal and external)
• Problem solving
• Comprehensive technical skills and competence in areas of specialisation
• Ability to instigate, manage and deal effectively with change

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR), its key aspects and implications
• An understanding of how a financial services practice operates at a local level
• Strong understanding of wrap platforms and technology solutions
• Strong knowledge of how to create training and development material
• Detailed knowledge of fee-charging models used within the UK IFA market
• Detailed knowledge of the operating processes within a distribution firm
• Working knowledge of the issues affecting owners of retail distribution firms
• Working knowledge of UK networks and service providers
• Practical knowledge of wrap and platform solutions

Behaviours

• Demonstrate total customer dedication
• Acts with due skill, care and diligence
• Leads by personal example
• Delivers job outputs to standard and on time
• Make decisions using the right standards
• Take personal accountability
• Treat others with respect
• Excels in what they do
• Encourage others to contribute
• Looks for opportunities to make improvements
• Is prepared to challenge the status quo

How to apply

If you would like to apply, please send your CV, along with covering email, to Susan.Holland@openwork.uk.com

Strictly no agencies please

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Twenty-three cyclists set off for Jordan in October and cycled 320km in four days across the Arabian desert, from Madaba in the north to Aqaba in the south, raising money to support disadvantaged children and young people in the UK and overseas.

The Jordan cycle expedition included a day trek in Petra at extreme temperatures – ranging from 40C during the day to just above freezing at night. Northern Rock and Just Retirement were the key sponsors.

The Jordan expedition was the 11th overseas Cycle Challenge we’ve embarked on. The Foundation aims to support some of the most disadvantaged people in society and enable them to lead more independent lives under its theme, ‘Cares 4 Kids’.

Last year we funded grants for £400,000 to charities nominated by our staff and advisers, helping over 13,000 children.

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Our L&D team designs and delivers comprehensive training programmes. These cover mortgage and protection products, specialist investment and pension advice, in addition to induction, RDR and internal licensing courses.

Working closely with a number of external contractors and hand-picked dedicated partners, the L&D team offers advisers extensive qualification training. This is available both face-to-face and online.

They also provide product-specific toolkits and workshops for redeveloping business models to fit into a post-RDR environment.

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The roadshows, which are being held in a number of Premier League football grounds, began yesterday at St James’ Park in Newcastle. They will finish on 1 November at Wembley Stadium in London.

Around 500 of our advisers will be attending the events.

With a new format, the events will highlight our latest upcoming initiatives. External speakers will provide insights into the mortgage market and its future direction, advice on mortgage fraud and – via a debate – views on the key issues in the protection market.

The roadshows offer advisers the opportunity to speak to more than 20 of our providers.

As well as keeping advisers informed on upcoming developments and initiatives, the roadshows are designed to offer useful and practical help at what is a challenging time for many advice practices.

Given the breadth of the sessions and the quality of the speakers and content, we believe the roadshows will have something for everyone, whether they be practice principals, advisers or administrators.

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The new wrap is a core part of the RDR-readiness programme we announced in July and will be trialled by 15 advisers, representing a range of interests from large practices to sole traders, before a wider roll-out in 2012. Our own proposition will sit alongside Zurich’s retail savings platform, which we’re making available to our single-tie, multi-tie and whole of market businesses at the end of the year.

Philip Martin, Openwork’s Proposition and Marketing Director, says: “Developing partnerships with IFDL and Veracity is a transformational move that offers our advisers a host of key benefits while helping them transition their businesses to fee-charging models.

“Crucially, our offering will enable advisers to manage their own costs and help them compete successfully in a world in which consumers will increasingly shop around for advice. We are particularly pleased to be working with Veracity, whose high-quality approach ensures we can handle client legacy transfers in a much more streamlined and appropriate way.”

John Baxter, Veracity CEO, says: “To be working with an organisation the size of Openwork is testament to the flexibility and scalability of our offering. We believe our support will enable Openwork’s advisers to manage their clients’ financial needs with greater efficiency and robustness, freeing up more time to advise clients and develop their businesses.”

Hugo Thorman, Managing Director at IFDL adds, “We have always aimed to provide leading-edge solutions supported by proven functionality. For a business of Openwork’s scale to partner with us is a terrific compliment to the robustness of our technology. RDR changes the distribution landscape enormously and IFDL will continue to evolve and deliver to its partners in meeting that challenge.”

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