Senior Paraplanner

At Rathbones, our purpose is to help more people invest their money well, so they can live well.

We are one of the UK’s leading providers of wealth management, investment management, financial planning and asset management services. We work with individuals and families, charities, trustees, financial advisers and other professional partners to help them make confident decisions about money and investments.

Our advisers take the time to understand each client’s goals, values and circumstances. Together, we create a personalised approach designed to manage, preserve and grow their wealth over the long term.

Our services include discretionary investment management, financial planning, fund and asset management, tax planning, trust and company management, and specialist responsible investment services through Rathbone Greenbank Investments. We also work with financial advisers to help them deliver positive outcomes for their clients.

With roots dating back to 1742, Rathbones has been trusted for generations. Today, we manage £120.7 billion of client assets*, supported by more than 700 investment professionals across 21 offices in the UK and Channel Islands.

Rathbones Group Plc is a FTSE 250-listed company.

*Figures as at 30 June 2026.

Role title: Senior Paraplanner

Division:  Wealth Planning

Location: Liverpool

Contract: Permanent

Reporting to: Senior Director Wealth Planning

Role purpose

A Senior Paraplanner is a key technical role within Wealth Planning, supporting the delivery of high-quality, suitable and compliant advice to clients whose Wealth Planner combines financial planning and investment management responsibilities. Working in partnership with the Wealth Planner, the role brings together complex client circumstances, objectives and cashflow requirements to develop robust planning strategies and clear, client-centred recommendations.

Alongside complex technical casework, the Senior Paraplanner provides professional judgement, constructive challenge and technical leadership. The role supports quality assurance and workflow management, acts as a trusted reference point for colleagues, and contributes to the development of paraplanners and Wealth Administrators, helping drive greater capability, consistency and quality across the team.

Key responsibilities

Client and planner support:

• Own complex paraplanning cases from initial analysis through to a clear, accurate and client-centred recommendation, working closely with the Wealth Planner and Wealth Administrator to identify information gaps, risks, planning priorities and actions required.
• Work collaboratively with the Wealth Administrator throughout the advice journey, ensuring information gathering, documentation, client actions, provider requirements and implementation are coordinated effectively and progressed in a timely manner.
• Provide clear technical guidance and support to Wealth Administrators, particularly on complex cases, helping them understand the advice rationale, required evidence and next steps.
• Apply advanced technical knowledge across pensions, retirement and decumulation planning, investments, taxation, trusts, estate planning, protection and cashflow modelling.
• Analyse client objectives, circumstances, capacity for loss, attitude to risk, time horizon, tax position and existing arrangements to support well-reasoned advice.
• Prepare high-quality suitability reports and supporting documentation that clearly explain the rationale, risks, costs, tax implications, disadvantages and alternatives.
• Use cashflow planning and scenario analysis to test sustainability, identify trade-offs and support informed client decisions.
• Work effectively with Investment Management colleagues to ensure the financial plan and investment strategy are aligned and responsibilities are clear.
• Build strong internal networks and represent paraplanning professionally with external providers and partners when required.

Technical quality and governance:

• Operate with a high degree of autonomy and take ownership of the technical quality, accuracy and completeness of work.
• Constructively challenge assumptions, recommendations and evidence where this will improve suitability, clarity or client outcomes.
• Complete or support peer review and quality assurance, providing clear, practical feedback and helping to reduce avoidable rework.
• Apply internal advice standards, central templates, proposition frameworks and governance requirements consistently, while exercising judgement where a case requires tailoring.
• Maintain clear audit trails, recording calculations, key assumptions, research, alternatives considered and any outstanding information.
• Identify and escalate regulatory, vulnerability, safeguarding, conflict, data-quality or implementation risks promptly.
• Maintain current technical knowledge and translate tax, legal, regulatory and proposition developments into practical guidance for the team.
• Team contribution and continuous improvement
• Act as a trusted technical reference point and positively advocate for high paraplanning standards and best practice. 
• Provide technical support, coaching, mentoring and constructive feedback to paraplanners and Wealth Administrators, helping to build capability, confidence and consistency across the team. 
• Support workflow prioritisation across Wealth Planning, Paraplanning and Wealth Administration, particularly where cases are complex, time-critical or dependent on third parties, helping to ensure clear ownership and effective progression through to implementation.
• Lead or contribute meaningfully to business improvement initiatives, technical projects and enhancements to templates, guidance, processes and systems.
• Build strong working relationships across Wealth Planning, Paraplanning, Client Services, Investment Management, Compliance and Oversight.
• Support a collaborative culture and the development of capability and consistency across the team.

Skills and knowledge

• Advanced understanding of the end-to-end financial planning and advice process, with the ability to connect technical analysis to a client’s wider goals and circumstances.
• Strong knowledge of UK pensions, retirement planning, investments, taxation, trusts and estate planning, including the ability to research unfamiliar or changing technical issues.
• Ability to analyse complex client scenarios, product structures and planning options and produce clear, balanced recommendations.
• Strong understanding of the FCA regulatory environment, Consumer Duty and relevant internal governance frameworks.
• Excellent technical writing, numeracy, research and quality-control skills, with close attention to detail.
• Confident communicator who can explain complex technical matters clearly to Wealth Planners, colleagues and clients.
• Highly professional, organised and proactive, with sound judgement, personal accountability and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• High level of proficiency with Xplan, Voyant, Microsoft Office and associated planning and research tools.
• Collaborative approach combined with the confidence to challenge constructively and influence improvement.

Experience and qualifications

• Typically at least four years’ experience in paraplanning or a technical financial planning support role, with strong exposure to complex planning scenarios.
• Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, or an equivalent recognised qualification.
• Progress towards the Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning, typically with at least three AF-level units or equivalent advanced technical study.
• Experience of using central templates, advice guidance, cashflow modelling tools and proposition frameworks, with evidence of contributing to their improvement and consistent application.
• Experience of peer review, coaching or supporting the development of colleagues is desirable.

Our offer to you

We want everyone at Rathbones to fulfil their potential, in an environment where you are proud to work and feel like you belong.

We offer a comprehensive remuneration package, which we review regularly, and benefits include:

• A company pension - 9% non-contributory or 10% if you contribute 5%
• Private medical insurance – Individual on joining, family after 1 year’s service
• Life assurance  - 8 x salary
• Income protection – 75 % salary
• Company share scheme
• Discretionary bonus
• Flexible holidays – purchase up to 5 additional days
• Green Car Scheme
• Family friendly policies – enhanced family leave for parents & carers
• Study support – study days and funding for courses and qualifications
• Season travel ticket loans
• Volunteering days
• Gym discounts
• Other voluntary benefits you can choose to suit you 

Our employees can choose to take part in various social groups and communities to support their wellbeing, growth, development and sense of community. These include:

• Sports & Social Committees, such as cricket, football, netball, running, yoga, quiz nights, charity bake sales and much more.
• Inclusion Networks that help us drive change within the organisation such as Gender Balance, Multicultural, Abilities Count, Pride, Social Mobility, Generations, Menopause Matters@Rathbones’ and Armed Forces. 
• The NextGen IM Network, which brings together a community of trainees from across the UK, who are all at the early stages of their careers and offers development opportunities, exposure across the business as well as peer support and connection.

Life at Rathbones

We aim to become an employer of choice for the wealth management sector, to achieve this we are working hard to build a diverse, equal, and inclusive workplace that motivates, develops and embraces the strengths of all our colleagues. Being part of Rathbones means you will join a team of passionate professionals in a successful culture that cares for its people. At Rathbones, we provide meaningful work, opportunities, and a voice to all.

We are committed to building a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities and encourage applications from all backgrounds. We welcome individuals who share our values.

We’re a Disability Confident Employer (level 2) under the UK Government scheme. This means we’ve signed up to a set of commitments around how we recruit, retain and develop people with disabilities. Find out more about the Government Scheme online, click here. If you require adjustments to apply for a role at Rathbones, please contact us via recruit@rathbones.com to let us know what adjustments you may need.

Mission

We believe in playing the long game. That means building consistent results, earning trust and doing the right thing — for our clients, our colleagues and the communities we’re part of.

Our values shape how we work:
- We aim high
- We get it done
- We show we care
- We do the right thing

These aren’t just words on a wall. They guide how we treat each other, how we make decisions and how we build relationships that last.

We will close this advert once we have received enough applications for the next stage. Please submit your application as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss out.