Purpose:

As a member of the Sales & Partnerships Team, the Partnership Service Associate is the primary point of contact for Scotiabank partners requiring assistance on behalf of Scotia iTRADE clients.  The Partnership Service Associate provides prompt, accurate and professional service to both branch partners and clients, while ensuring that call quality standards are met, and a high level of client focus is always demonstrated.

Furthermore, they’re responsible for supporting client acquisition through inbound sales channel, leads via telephone or email for new accounts and account funding contributing to driving business growth. They are an expert in onboarding clients and in providing a high standard of professional and personalized client experience consistent with our Scotia iTRADE business priorities. 

The associate is also responsible for introducing our partners and clients to additional service offerings by identifying and initiating cross-sell and referral opportunities.

The incumbent proactively adheres to the business line strategy of promoting a client focused culture, directly contributing to the overall success and profitability of the business.

Accountabilities:

Responsible for resolving partner and client inquiries efficiently and effectively, maintaining, and surpassing Scotia iTRADE service standards by:

• Responding independently to telephone inquiries and taking action to fully address inquiries by presenting knowledgeable solutions & following through.
• Processing partner and client requests (inquiries, transactions, case work, account openings, asset transfers) in a timely and efficient manner.
• Accurately and efficiently documenting and controlling all required follow-ups or escalations
• Strictly adhering to schedules, thereby ensuring prompt client service and response time
• Participating actively in Partnership Services & Sales queue maintenance through efficient call response times, after work call and prioritization of workload.
• Acquiring and maintaining a detailed knowledge of internal platforms, and an understanding of policies, processes, product & services.

Contribute to onboarding and client acquisition (Customer Focus / Results Focus):

• Expert in onboarding iTRADE clients by adopting a consultative approach and having a targeted conversation about the products, services and associated offers that are relevant to the client.
• Accountable for transitioning new and existing clients to an appropriate service channel for ongoing relationship management upon completion of initial onboarding activities.
• Take full responsibility for all client inquiries, concerns and complaints directed to them by resolving those matters within their discretion to the client’s satisfaction as set out in the Bank’s Complaint Resolution Standards and Procedures.
• Achieve Key Performance Indicator (KPI) targets, uncover client needs and provide solutions via telephone or email to selected assigned clients. Implementing the Customer Experience Model and adhering to the Global Sales Principles during client interactions.
• Develop effective questioning skills conducive to gathering client information accurately and comprehensively to enable long term Scotia iTRADE client relationships. This includes asking probing questions, listening, explaining features and benefits and handling objections in accordance with the Customer Experience model.
• Acquire and maintain a detailed knowledge of Scotia iTRADE products and services as well as the policies and procedures necessary to respond appropriately to client inquiries.
• Ensure proper queue management is maintained so client transactions can be processed in a timely manner.

Uses discretion to correct problems that result in a high level of client satisfaction by:

• Completing updates, corrections, and adjustments to client accounts within authorized limits
• Exercising discretion, within approved authority limits, in correcting problems promptly and indefensibly and when required, escalating to Manager.
• Understands how the Bank’s risk appetite and risk culture should be considered in day-to-day activities and decisions.
• Actively pursues effective and efficient operations of their respective areas in accordance with Scotiabank’s Values, its Code of Conduct, and the Global Sales Principles, while ensuring the adequacy, adherence to and effectiveness of day-to-day business controls to meet obligations with respect to operational, compliance, AML/ATF/sanctions, and conduct risk.

Contribute to the effective functioning of Scotia iTRADE by:

• Building effective working relationships across the team and with various business lines and corporate functions
• Facilitating a culture of open and honest communication by actively participating and contributing to ITBs (Individual touch bases), team meetings, encouraging the generation of new ideas and approaches and actively sharing knowledge and experience to enhance the development of all team members.
• Developing and executing a meaningful employee development plan
• Participating in and supporting change initiatives for the team while learning and embracing new procedures, technologies, and processes

Dimensions:

• Success will be determined by the incumbent’s ability to achieve service quality standard delivered to partners and clients, and sales growth targets of Scotia iTRADE products throughout internal and / or external distribution channels, in line with Global Sales Principles.
• Key KPIs include call volume, average handle time, new accounts acquisition, asset acquisition, and service quality.
• The incumbent works in a standard Contact Centre environment, hence complete flexibility to cover evening shifts is required.
• The incumbent must exercise judgment in the prioritization of his/her workload.
• The incumbent is expected to work independently within the boundaries of existing business policies and guidelines.
• The incumbent is expected to achieve Service quality, Productivity & New business targets.
• Complex situations and issues outside of authority should be referred to/escalated to the Manager they report to.
• Interaction with various departments is required to effectively deal with inquiries.
• The incumbent must be able to rapidly respond to escalated issues that require quick decision making based on an awareness of major events occurring in the market, so as to respond to inquiries in an intelligent and informed fashion

Experience / Education:

• 1 - 2 years industry experience an asset
• Ability to identify cross-sell and referral opportunities
• Previous online brokerage experience is an asset
• Ability to work in a high-paced environment.
• A broad understanding of the investment industry
• Strong attention to detail and ability to recognize risk to the firm
• Ability to set and achieve goals, and work independently
• Strong communication / interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of back-office functionalities
• Ability to learn new tasks quickly and accurately
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment and duties, dependent on current situations and directives from management
• Expert knowledge of procedures related to securities settlement
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritize workloads to ensure optimum telephone coverage and adherence to established service standards
• Strong attention to exceptional client experience
• Language skills considered an asset: French, Cantonese, Mandarin
• Post-Secondary Education in Commerce, Business or Financial Planning is an asset

Working Conditions:

Due to the fast-paced nature of the contact center environment, numerous factors can attribute to a high level of mental and physical stress in this position including:

• Volatile financial markets
• Multiple often conflicting priorities, aggressive delivery or problem resolution lead time and highly valuable, highly sensitive customer relationships
• Periodic high call volumes, with longer hold times for clients
• High demands from internal partners and clients needing immediate responses to a variety of inquiries/problems relating to accounts and transactions / products and general service
• Flexibility of hours is a typical requirement for this position, based on business needs and volumes (including evening shifts and some statutory holidays). 
  
  

Work Location: Toronto or Montreal

“Pursuant to a language needs assessment conducted by Scotiabank, the successful candidate will be required to be able to communicate in English in addition to French because they will be required to work closely with other groups from head office who operate primarily in English and they will serve and English-speaking clientele.”