Position Overview

The Client Service Associate supports Gatewood Wealth Solutions’ client service and operations functions by executing high-volume, detail-sensitive service requests with accuracy, timeliness, and professionalism. This role is responsible for preparing and processing account paperwork, coordinating custodial requests, monitoring follow-through, and ensuring that clients experience a smooth, organized, and high-touch service process.

The role is designed for someone who has strong client service instincts, comfort handling confidential financial information, and enough exposure to banking or financial account concepts to learn quickly. The ideal candidate may come from a bank teller, personal banker, retail banking, financial services support, or similar client-facing operations background where they have learned the basics of account ownership, registrations, documentation, and transaction accuracy without being overly experienced or set in another firm’s way of doing things.

Primary Responsibilities

Account Opening and Onboarding Support

·         Prepare and process new account opening requests for individual, joint, trust, retirement, beneficiary, and other common account registrations.

·         Review client-provided information for completeness and consistency before submitting paperwork or electronic signature packets.

·         Coordinate with internal team members to confirm account type, titling, beneficiaries, funding instructions, and required supporting documentation.

·         Track new account paperwork from preparation through signature, submission, approval, funding, and final confirmation.

·         Communicate proactively with team members regarding missing information, paperwork status, expected timing, and next steps.

Move Money Transaction Requests

·         Prepare and submit move money requests, including journals, ACH instructions, checks, wires, distributions, contributions, and other cash movement items as applicable.

·         Confirm transaction details before submission, including account registration, account number, ownership, dollar amount, frequency, tax withholding requirements, and delivery instructions.

·         Identify requests that require escalation, additional review, or advisor confirmation before processing.

·         Maintain strong attention to risk controls, especially for retirement accounts, third-party instructions, beneficiary-related activity, and manual processing exceptions.

·         Monitor transaction status through completion and provide timely updates to the appropriate internal team members.

Account Updates and Maintenance

·         Process account maintenance requests, including beneficiary updates, title changes, address changes, contact information updates, trusted contact updates, and other client profile changes.

·         Review maintenance requests for required forms, signatures, supporting documentation, and custodial requirements.

·         Ensure client records remain accurate across applicable systems and notify team members when updates are complete.

·         Recognize when an account update may create additional downstream tasks, such as changes to household records, portal access, billing setup, or reporting visibility.

Death Claims and Beneficiary Processing

·         Support the preparation and tracking of death claim paperwork, beneficiary claim forms, inherited account opening paperwork, and related account transition documentation.

·         Coordinate respectfully and carefully with internal team members during sensitive client family situations.

·         Confirm required documentation such as death certificates, beneficiary information, entity documents, or custodial forms before submission.

·         Monitor death claim and beneficiary processing status and escalate delays or documentation issues promptly.

ACATS and Asset Transfer Support

·         Prepare and submit ACATS and other transfer paperwork for incoming assets.

·         Review delivering firm statements to confirm account type, registration, ownership, approximate value, and potential transfer considerations.

·         Track transfer status from submission through completion, including rejections, residual sweeps, transfer delays, and follow-up requirements.

·         Coordinate with internal team members when transfer details do not align with the intended account setup or client onboarding plan.

Administrative Office Duties

·         Front Desk and Phone coverage for the office as needed

·         Client Check Deposits

·         Ad hoc reporting and data management across CRM and various other technology platforms

Client Service and Communication Expectations

·         Deliver a polished, responsive, and professional service experience in every internal and client-facing interaction.

·         Communicate clearly, warmly, and accurately when requesting information, following up on paperwork, or providing status updates.

·         Protect confidential client information and follow firm procedures for secure handling of sensitive data.

·         Take ownership of assigned requests from start to finish rather than simply completing isolated tasks.

·         Balance speed with accuracy, recognizing that attention to detail is critical in account registration, money movement, and beneficiary-related work.

Requirements

The ideal candidate is service-minded, coachable, organized, and detail-oriented. They may have previous experience as a bank teller, personal banker, branch associate, client service representative, operations assistant, or similar role where they were exposed to account types, client documentation, identity verification, transaction processing, and basic financial terminology.

This person should not need deep prior wealth management experience. Instead, Gatewood is seeking someone with a strong foundation in service, accuracy, follow-through, confidentiality, and professionalism who can be trained into the firm’s specific workflows, systems, language, and standards.

Required Qualifications

·         Prior client service, banking, financial services, administrative operations, or comparable professional experience.

·         Basic understanding of account ownership concepts, account registrations, beneficiary designations, or financial documentation preferred.

·         Strong attention to detail and ability to review paperwork for completeness and consistency.

·         Professional written and verbal communication skills.

·         Demonstrated ability to manage multiple requests, deadlines, and follow-ups at the same time.

·         Comfort handling confidential information and following documented procedures.

·         Willingness to learn custodial systems, CRM workflows, electronic signature processes, and firm-specific operating standards.

Core Competencies

·         Accuracy: Reviews names, account numbers, registrations, forms, and transaction details carefully before submission.

·         Ownership: Follows each request through completion and communicates when items are delayed, rejected, or require clarification.

·         Client Service: Brings patience, warmth, and professionalism to every client and internal team interaction.

·         Coachability: Learns quickly, asks good questions, and applies feedback consistently.

·         Process Discipline: Follows procedures, documents work clearly, and helps identify ways to improve repeatable workflows.

·         Judgment: Knows when to pause, verify, and escalate rather than pushing a request forward with incomplete or conflicting information.

Systems and Tools

The Client Service Associate should be willing to learn and work within Gatewood’s operational technology environment, which may include custodial platforms, CRM workflows, electronic signature tools, client portal processes, document storage, Microsoft 365, and internal task management procedures.

Success Measures

·         New account opening requests are prepared accurately and submitted in a timely manner.

·         Move money requests are reviewed carefully, documented clearly, and processed with appropriate risk awareness.

·         Account updates are completed with minimal rework and strong follow-through.

·         ACATS and transfer requests are monitored consistently through completion.

·         Death claim and beneficiary-related work is handled with care, accuracy, and appropriate urgency.

·         Internal team members trust the associate to communicate clearly, identify issues early, and own the details from start to finish.