NPA has decided that now is the time to start a broad Financial Services (FS) group, as the largest single sector without such a group (as distinct from functional groups like Accounting & Finance, IT, Legal etc). This group welcomes all NPA members involved in the FS sector, providing a platform for those in other industries (such as Engineering, Technology, Healthcare, etc.) who may not specialize in FS but have access to relevant roles through their clients. If your head is nodding at the any of the points below, or you have a few to add, this group is for you!
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- There are functions within FS that don’t exist elsewhere Front Office & Underwriting
- Even when broader functions eg Accounting & Audit, IT, Legal, Marketing etc there is normally a preference for previous FS exp of some type though frequently may be same sub sector too whether Asset Management, General Insurance, Investment Banking (& Securities Trading), Investments & Pensions/401k’s, Payment Services, Retail Banking etc
- For other functions eg Compliance, Operations, Sales and/or Marketing etc, then previous specific FS experience (often with vocational qualifications) essential
Salaries are typically some of the highest in any sectors, however, PSLs are notoriously hard to get on; but if a Member firm focused on another sector (whether eg Finance, IT, Marketing, Compliance, Legal, Operations etc) starts watching out for opportunities to fill other roles which are not their specialization, then with the help of Member firms who can quickly source those candidates (and liaise direct with underlying clients if beneficial, especially when very technical requirements) the importer can make half a fee for no effort !
We foresee this group growing and producing many NPA splits therefore we would encourage any firm with a Financial Services specialism, or especially even if broader but recruits for FS firms amongst others, to join and help it succeed to mutual benefit.
The specialty group’s leader is David Symes (NPA #8607) of Compliance Recruitment Solutions, who brought the idea forward to NPA and after qualifying as a Chartered Accountant then worked in different sectors within Financial Services (though since leaving now has 30 years experience of recruiting many different functions within it), working closely with Emery Long (NPA #1346) of Provision People, Practice Leader of the Accounting and Finance Group.