Client Service Associate

Acorn Financial Services•Reston, VA

74d

About The Position

The Mission Acorn Financial Services integrates tax strategists, estate planners, and investment managers to build one unified plan for our clients. Operating at this level of integration and complexity requires flawless, highly scalable operational infrastructure. As a Mid-Level Client Services Associate, your mission is to own the post-sale operational lifecycle. You will serve as the critical strategic liaison between our internal advisory staff, our broader operations team, and our institutional custodians. You are tasked with building smarter processes, creating stronger workflows, and expertly managing the complexities of high-net-worth client operations. Who You Are You build with the long game in mind. You don't just mechanically process a task; you analyze the workflow and ask, "How can we systemize and scale this?" You develop operational processes that compound in efficiency over time. You navigate complexity with extreme empathy. You are assertive but highly empathetic in nature. You possess the emotional intelligence to handle a frustrated client, authenticate complex money movement requests, and calm an anxious advisor, all within the same hour. You grow through rigorous feedback and challenge. You embrace the profound responsibility of self-review and peer-review. You view operational bottlenecks not as annoyances, but as intellectual challenges to master. You lead by raising standards daily. You naturally gravitate toward mentoring junior associates, patiently teaching them the regulatory intricacies of wealth management operations and ensuring the entire team plays to win.

Requirements

Mid-Level Client Services Associate
Own the post-sale operational lifecycle
Serve as the critical strategic liaison between internal advisory staff, operations team, and institutional custodians
Build smarter processes, create stronger workflows, and manage complexities of high-net-worth client operations
Analyze workflows and identify systemization and scaling opportunities
Develop operational processes that compound in efficiency
Navigate complexity with extreme empathy
Possess emotional intelligence to handle client and advisor interactions
Embrace self-review and peer-review
View operational bottlenecks as intellectual challenges
Lead by raising standards daily
Mentor junior associates, teaching regulatory intricacies of wealth management operations
Onboard and maintain complex client accounts
Process high-value money movement
Handle complex estate settlement needs
Develop, document, and optimize process policies and procedures
Educate clients and staff on KYC due diligence, beneficial ownership certification, and regulatory requirements
Review vital documents to minimize technical exceptions and mitigate operational risk
Train, guide, and review the work of Junior Client Service Associates
Intelligently prioritize tasks and manage departmental workflow

Responsibilities

Expertly onboard and maintain highly complex client accounts (including intricate corporate, trust, and pension structures), process high-value money movement, and handle complex estate settlement needs.
Serve as the primary, authoritative operational liaison between Acorn's integrated advisory team, the internal operations staff, and external custodians.
Proactively develop, formally document, and continuously optimize process policies and procedures for the department to ensure maximum operational efficiency and strict compliance.
Educate clients and staff on KYC due diligence, beneficial ownership certification, and shifting regulatory requirements.
Review vital documents to minimize technical exceptions and mitigate operational risk.
Train, guide, and rigorously review the daily work of Junior Client Service Associates, intelligently prioritizing tasks and managing the overall departmental workflow.