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Employee Benefit Consultant

Job specification

Consultant – Employee Benefits Consulting

Area: Johannesburg

Key responsibilities

  • Provide professional advice to clients and comply with the requirements of the FAIS Act and Codes of Conduct.
  • Consult to and service the portfolio of clients in accordance with the service model and consulting agreements.
  • Prepare and present client meeting packs to the participating employer forums/trustee boards in terms of the service model.
  • Retention of existing clients.
  • Service the portfolio of allocated third party broker clients.
  • Conduct client risk re-brokes in terms of the service model.
  • Provide clients with an annual benefits comparison/market benchmark using the Sanlam Annual. Benchmark as per service model.
  • Ensure that annual benefit statements are checked and issued for client portfolio.
  • Initiate and manage clients’ member engagement strategy in conjunction with the MAPS team.
  • Manage member underwriting requirements and acceptances process for client portfolio.
  • Assist employers and claimants with the management of disability and severe illness claims.
  • Assist employers with the management and finalisation of death and funeral benefit claims.
  • Liaise with insurers and GTC claims staff to ensure the prompt payment of death, funeral benefit, severe illness, disability, withdrawal benefit and retirement claims for client portfolio.
  • Assist the Head of Consulting when required with the determination and implementation of strategy and management of the business unit.
  • Management of allocated support staff within the employer benefits consulting business unit.
  • Pursue new business from existing and new clients.
  • Assist the Merger and Acquisitions initiative to grow the business as may be required.
  • Monitoring of client portfolio investment switches internally and providing sign off.
  • Liaison with all internal support departments to ensure service delivery.
  • Assist the head of the division with obtaining, interpreting and the dissemination of all important industry/legislation developments and changes internally and to clients.
  • Approve/prepare client proposal documents and conduct trustee/employer and member presentations.
  • Ensure client mandates /agreements and special rules are up to date.
  • Ensure that all section 14 transfers for client portfolio are timeously addressed and finalised.<
  • GTC Umbrella trustee duties, attendance at fund meetings, attending to governance matters and signing of fund documents, including Special Rules, section 14 documents, board resolutions and annual financial statements.
  • Ongoing communication with trustees/participating employees and members, including dealing with employer and member queries.
  • Manage query resolution and problem solving of client portfolio, including dealing with complaints.
  • Updating retirement fund education training material together with the head of the division and arranging and presenting at annual GTC client retirement fund education training day.
  • Monitor market developments and client needs.
  • Review of product performance and recommend changes. Assist with the development of bespoke solutions when required.
  • Approval of workflow tasks for client portfolio for client meetings, housing loans, risk renewals, risk re-brokes, fund details changes, installations, disabilities, underwriting, death claims, section 14s, proposals, switches, broker fees, benefit statements, member queries, employer queries etc.
  • Approach GTC Umbrella Fund clients to convert to the GTC Group Umbrella and present proposals in accordance with conversion plan.
  • Take responsibility for the legal functions inside employee benefits. Set up structures to effectively manage and control:
    • Compilation and registration of rules and rule amendments;
    • De-registration of terminated employers and funds;
    • Obligations of Funds and GTC to the FSB/Regulator;
    • Treatment of divorce cases;
    • Legal correspondence with clients;
    • External legal opinions as may be required.
  • Attend to member queries.
  • Retention of existing clients.
  • Liaison with all internal support staff departments to ensure service delivery.
  • Ensure client mandates/agreements and rules/special rules are up to date and signed.
  • Conduct new business presentations and proposals to new prospects and provide support to the new business person.
  • Assist with Technical work as required by Head of Employee Benefits Consulting Division.
  • Provide professional advice to clients and comply with the requirements of the FAIS Act and Code of Conduct.
  • Consult to and service the portfolio of clients in accordance with the service model.
  • The consultation function includes but is not limited to:
    • Conduct professional client meetings.
    • Prepare meeting packs
    • Sign off member benefit statements, member guides and fund operational changes
    • Conduct regular risk re-brokes for clients
    • Production of minutes of meetings
    • Ensure that action items are attended to
    • Client and member presentations
    • Attend to client queries
    • Monthly monitoring of member investment choice switches on portfolio of clients
    • Quarterly assessment of underwriting requirements on portfolio of clients
    • Monitor investigations on death claims in portfolio of clients. Interact with clients as may be required. Consult and meet with Trustees to finalise death claims
    • Ongoing communication with employers/trustees and members
    • Ensure that S14 transfers on portfolio of clients are timeously addressed and finalised

Skills and experience required

  • Matric with Higher Grade maths.
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent tertiary qualification will be a strong advantage.
  • FAIS qualifications.
  • Membership of a Professional Body (e.g. FPI) would be advantageous.
  • Minimum of 5 years working experience in similar environment.
  • 3-5 years Employee Benefits Consulting experience.
  • Strong knowledge of Employee Benefit industry.
  • Strong knowledge of Pension Funds, FAIS and related legislation.
  • Compliance and governance of Pension Fund structures.
  • Good understanding and interpretation of Pension funds, FAIS and related legislation.
  • Financial advisory knowledge.
  • Working knowledge of Retirement Fund Law.
  • Excellent working knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel Advanced, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Personal attributes

  • Ability to work independently
  • Initiative
  • Time management skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Professional at all levels
  • Friendly and helpful
  • Excellent organisational skills
  • Ability to liaise at all levels, both verbally and in writing
  • Ability to investigate, analyse, reconcile and solve problems
  • Ability to cope well under pressure
  • Deadline driven

Office hours

GTC’s conventional office hours are between 08:00 and 17:00.

There will be occasions where the incumbent would need to work overtime.

Email your CV and certificates, as well as a copy of your ID to e: recruitment@gtc.co.za and quote ref EBne1072067 or complete the application form below.

Application Form