Client Service Associate

Position Summary

As a Client Service Associate at Cerity Partners, you’ll be a trusted partner to ultra-high net worth families, supporting nearly every part of how their financial lives run day to day. This is a hands-on role that blends personal accounting in QuickBooks, including bookkeeping and bill pay, with executive-level client service, investment and custodial operations support, and client meeting coordination.

You’ll serve as a go-to point of contact for clients, their family members, household staff, and outside advisors, using sound judgment to anticipate needs and keep multiple priorities moving across several client relationships. This role offers a rare, front-row view into wealth management and the family office world.

Working alongside experienced advisors and client service professionals, you’ll see how investments, cash flow, tax, estate, and administrative needs connect for complex families, and you’ll build the technical foundation and relationship skills that make that work possible.

Cerity Partners invests in your development through mentorship, exposure to a broad range of client situations, and support for professional growth, including pursuing designations such as the CFP® or CPA. Over time, this role can lead to expanded responsibility in family office operations, client service leadership, or advisory-track roles.

Primary Responsibilities

Bill Pay & Personal Accounting Organize and manage a daily cycle of account payable invoices with QuickBooks software. Review vendor statements and work with vendors to keep invoices current and resolve billing issues. Work with payroll company to ensure payroll is properly processed and that reports are properly filed. Regular review and monthly reconciliations of bank accounts.

Ownership of annual 1099 process and filing, including analyzing which vendors should receive 1099s. Prepare accounting reports. Point person for questions pertaining to bill payment, client requests, QuickBooks, etc. Executive & Administrative Support Day-to-day communication with clients, their household staff, and outside advisors (attorneys, CPAs, insurance brokers) via telephone and email.

Serve as Chief of Staff for ultra-high net worth client, coordinating priorities and daily needs. Liaise with client insurance broker and assist team with insurance review. Coordinate calendar, travel, and scheduling as needed. Draft correspondence and manage other confidential personal matters on the client's behalf. Coordinate with household staff and outside vendors on the client's behalf.

Demonstrate initiative and judgment, particularly in meeting client requests. Work independently and collaboratively in a team environment. Maintain organized files and time management among various clients. Miscellaneous administrative team support, including but not limited to, mailing, scanning, and electronic document management.

Investment & Custodial Support Frequent custodian interaction and paperwork processing; process account openings, funding, electronic check deposits, and money movements with custodians (primarily Fidelity). Responsible for cash transfers, wires, data maintenance, reporting, and trading as needed.

Develop knowledge of investment accounts, products, and the forms required to transact business; learn how to trade client accounts (e.g., buy and sell securities). Assist with ongoing client data management, including tax, investment, and other relevant information. Prepare client-specific reports (tax documents, quarterly investment reports, etc.).

Client Meeting & CRM Support Assist with basic preparation and follow-up for client meetings, including preparing client forms and financial reports in advance. Attend meetings to take notes and send summaries to both the client and the advisory team. Ongoing maintenance and quality control of CRM (Salesforce). Receive client calls and resolve questions/issues as needed.

Assist with internal coordination across departments to ensure tasks and follow-up are completed in a timely manner. Regular interaction with third parties and high-net-worth clients.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of bookkeeping or personal accounting experience, ideally supporting high net worth individuals or family offices. Prior experience as an executive assistant, personal assistant, or in a similar support role for a principal or high net worth individual. Demonstrated discretion and sound judgment in handling sensitive personal and financial information. Organizational skills. Strong time management skills and ability to prioritize tasks to meet deadlines. A strong knowledge of QuickBooks, Excel, Word, Outlook and Salesforce is preferred. Familiarity with personal insurance policies and ability to liaise with brokers on coverage questions. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Poise and professionalism when managing time-sensitive requests. Ability to take ownership of work in an entrepreneurial team environment. Willingness to support Personal Accounting and Wealth Management teams in various tasks and projects. Skills & Competencies: Demonstrate strong and effective communication, organizational and time management skills. Drive to learn
• Detail oriented
• Ability to work in a team based/collaborative environment. Must accept and thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment. Adherence to all compliance policies & procedures. Demonstrate the Cerity Partners culture.

Physical Requirements

Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Compensation

• Range: $65,000 - $75,000 Why Cerity Partners: Our people drive our success by working together to deliver exceptional service to our clients. Below is a glimpse of the key elements of our total rewards package: Health, dental, and vision insurance – day 1! 401(k) savings and investment plan options with 4% match Flexible PTO policy Parental Leave Financial assistance for advanced education and professional designations
• Opportunity to give back time to local communities
• Commuter benefits Cerity Partners is committed to providing an environment where all individuals can be their authentic selves. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer who respects each individual and supports the diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences of our colleagues. We are dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. Cerity Partners is committed to working with and providing accommodations to applicants with disabilities or special needs. For those needing accommodations, please reach out to careers@ceritypartners.com. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. Ultimately, outstanding wealth management is about people and relationships. Our people are the nucleus of Cerity Partners. Each colleague brings unique expertise, commitment and knowledge to the firm and it is by working together that we achieve our mission to have a positive impact on the financial well-being of our clients, colleagues and communities. Our people drive our success by working together to deliver exceptional service to our clients. We truly care about what we do. Introduce yourself to our Talent Acquisition Team and we'll be in touch if there's a role that seems like a good match for your skill set. Cerity Partners is one of the nation’s leading independent financial advisory firms. We serve high-net-worth individuals & their families, businesses, & their employees, and nonprofit organizations from our offices across the country. Our in-house specialists of tax advisors, financial planners, investment professionals, & retirement plan consultants are passionate about and committed to providing financial advice & oversight. At Cerity Partners, we believe in the long view. We work with clients who appreciate our comprehensive and sustained approach to wealth management. We don’t just look for short-term gains, we seek long-term growth. We have the same approach to our people. We look for experienced and credentialed wealth management colleagues who can keep pace with us. We manage over $190 billion in assets under management for our clients. We are routinely recognized as a Top RIA Firm by Barron’s Advisor, Newsweek, USA Today, and more. The driving factor of our accelerated growth is our people. Located throughout the U.S., our teams consist of specialists who are helpful, knowledgeable, sincere, and have the perseverance and capability to go the extra mile for our clients. We consider our firm a community that works together to serve one common goal: Finding diverse solutions to suit diverse financial needs.