FIA Administration Development Program

The Administration Development Program is designed to provide a position outline, but not a limit, for existing Administration staff and a pathway for their development through FIA. There are three roles described, all with two stages, which cater for new and experienced staff members.

A ‘Green’ staff member is one who is new to a particular role. They will be receiving ongoing supervision and training to assist with their development and ability to fulfill their role to its maximum capacity. Their progression from this green stage will be decided based on their experience, time in the role and the competency with which their duties are attended to.

Administration members will be provided with a small square badge to indicate their position within the team. The purpose of this is to show other staff in the office the level at which a staff member is currently at and provide the staff member with a more defined goal for progression.

White/Green
A Trainee Administration staff member is one who is in the probationary period of their employment. This person is typically the front office person with their role including: answering the telephone, greeting clients, collecting and processing the incoming and outgoing mail and going through the daily checklist for office management. They are learning to navigate their way around the YGM system and
are assigned simple tasks using templated documents. The White/Green Trainee will be learning to speak with fund managers and other external parties in order to complete simple follow up tasks. Internet sites are also used for some tasks. Induction
Training will be provided at this stage, in line with the FIA Training Framework. The Certificate III in Financial Services may be commenced during this stage.

 White
A White Trainee has completed their probationary period and will be beginning to take on tasks with several components. They may still be the front office person or may have progressed to the back office area. Tasks will now include a much larger variety, including risk and investment administration, while at the same time they are also coming to terms with the technical aspects of financial planning and are taking their knowledge of the YGM system to the next level. This would involve being able to competently navigate their way around the Task Manager, with increasing exposure to areas relating to the Company Journal and the CRS. The Administration Manager of the office, as well as the regional Training Officer as required, provides ongoing traning. May be required to complete a checklist (daily, weekly or monthly). The Certificate III should be completed during this stage as part of the formal
Traineeship.

 Silver/Green
A Green Administration Officer is new to the role and is beginning to expand their administration process knowledge and the type of tasks they can complete. Generally, if the Administration Officer has not already moved to the back office this transition would occur at this stage. Detailed supervision is required by the Administration Coordinator in an effort to teach the new Administration Officer the
work involved in completing their tasks. It is expected that the staff member have completed their Certificate III studies. Tasks will continue to include risk and investment administration and part time ‘front office’ relief. Marketing campaign duties may also need to be attended to in an assistant capacity.

Silver
Full time Administration Officers and part time relief at ‘front office’ if needed, who are exposed to all forms of administration including risk and investment administration. They are also coming to terms with the technical aspects of financial planning and are further expanding their knowledge of the YGM and it’s uses. This would involve being able to competently navigate their way around the
Task Manager and also the involved areas relating to the Company Journal. They would be an assistant to the Administration Coordinator as requested and would usually take on many marketing duties and specific projects. The daily, weekly or monthly checklists may still be used. Further industry training may be taken on as appropriate. Time management skills need to be developed at this stage with assistance from the Administration Coordinator. The Silver Administration Officer may also be required to prepare for and attend the weekly Adviser meeting.

Black/Green
A newly appointed (green) Administration Coordinator who is under the close supervision of the regional Training Officer and Training Manager as required. They are confident and experienced in the usage of the YGM and have the ability to take on, without direction, the more complex investment and risk tasks. The ability to supervise a small team (typically 1 or 2 Administration persons) is essential, as is the provision of training to Administration Trainees and Officers. Will also have the ability to update tasks after receiving client mail without need for querying with the Adviser. It will be the responsibility of the green Administration Coordinator to prepare for and attend the weekly Adviser meetings and chair the Administration Meetings. Will be required to supervise the FIA checklists and specific marketing or other projects, including client seminars and briefings. The delegation of tasks to other Administration staff is essential, as is ensuring the number and types of tasks are suitable for each person. Training will be provided, using the  administration Coordinator framework, to ensure the new Administration Coordinator has an understanding of the minimum requirements of their role and how to ensure these are fulfilled. Time management skills should be further developed and refined.

Black
Without supervision, the full time Administration Coordinator is very confident and experienced in all facets of financial planning  administration. They are also very experienced with the YGM and can make enhancement suggestions to improve the system in line with FIA' s mission statement. Further, the Administration Coordinator will:
• Be an automatic participant in Administration, Operations and Adviser Meetings and will report back to Head Office Management with the Operations Manager when required.
•  Be required to supervise all administration staff within the office and report back to the Operations Manager as necessary.
•  Have the ability to delegate tasks to all staff within the office including Advisers as required.
•  In extreme instances, liaising with Fund Managers and product providers to resolve client conflicts/issues.
•  From a compliance perspective, the Administration Coordinator will have an understanding of the FIA Licensee and Adviser manual and being able to interpret and identify cases where Advisers in their office are not complying or adhering to FIA policy, and report to the Compliance Officer.
•  Be able to interpret commission statements and identify discrepancies as part of the monthly commission checking process.
•  Be responsible as an assistant to the Operations Manager for the general office management and conduct according to FIA policies and procedures.
•  Act as a role model to all staff in the office and display excellent communication and time management skills. These will be used to
pass on to other staff, particularly Administration, and how to put these skills into practice.

Daily contact should be made with all Administration staff in addition to the delegation of tasks to each person. Further training should be provided to the Administration team as required in an effort to increase their skills and abilities for their own progression.