Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

Finance

Level 4438 of 1200 points

Job description

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

Job purpose

To buy and sell securities, commodities and derivatives for clients and investment dealers and to advise businesses and individuals on investments and financial services, so that transactions are executed at prices that serve the client, holdings match the client's objectives and dealing conforms to agency regulation.

Skills

Knowledge of financial markets and instruments — stocks, bonds, mutual funds, commodity futures, foreign currencies and derivatives — with economic and accounting principles, the mathematics of pricing, valuation and commission, and the regulations of the governing agencies. Requires command of trading, quotation and order-entry systems and of the factors moving prices, from trade policies and political developments to weather and supply and demand. A bachelor's degree is the most common qualification, with around a quarter holding a school diploma only and a few a master's or post-baccalaureate certificate, plus several years of related experience and on-the-job training.
Interviews clients to establish their assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance cover, tax status and objectives, discusses the options open to them, keeps them informed of transactions and explains stock market terms and trading practices to those unfamiliar with them. Contacts prospective customers to present services, informs other traders, managers and customers of market conditions, and negotiates prices and contracts.
Analyses each client's financial position to develop a plan, devises trading, option and hedge strategies, and prices securities and commodities to market conditions. Tracks factors affecting price movement, judges what they mean for positions held, and reviews transactions for accuracy and conformance to agency regulation. Information is incomplete and moving, so judgement is exercised within regulatory and firm limits, and errors carry consequences for client and firm.
Monitors markets and positions, sequencing quotation, order entry, ticket completion, position reporting and client contact around the pace of the market. Determines own tasks, priorities and goals, under time pressure set by the market rather than by the postholder.
Seated work at screens and keyboard, using trading, quotation and market data systems and the telephone. No manual handling or dexterity demands.

Responsibilities

No general line management, though support staff may be supervised and the proper execution of contracts ensured. Coordinates others in accomplishing work and contributes to a work group; accuracy here bears on colleagues who process and settle the trades.
Buys and sells stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies and other securities for dealers and clients, making bids and offers and agreeing prices at optimal levels for the client. Money is committed and positions taken directly through this role, within client mandates, firm limits and agency regulation, with all positions and trading results reported. Calculates costs for billing and commission, evaluates agreements for continued profitability, and prepares reports monitoring client or corporate finances. Holds no budget.
Ordinary care of a workstation, trading terminals and market data and order systems.
Keeps accurate records of transactions, completes and submits sales order tickets, reports positions and trading results, and supplies price quotations and information on the position of issuing corporations. The record carries clients' financial particulars and the firm's trading history, and an error in an order ticket or report has consequences that cannot be recalled. Content and format are set by the firm and the governing agencies.

Effort required

Sustained concentration on moving market information alongside exact processing of orders and records. Decisions are frequent, taken quickly on incomplete information under the time pressure of the market, and their impact reaches the client's holdings and the firm's results. Quotation and reporting work repeats in the same form.
Carries personal accountability for transactions made with other people's money, in a competitive market where an error in execution or recording has consequences. Clients must be kept informed of transactions and market conditions whether or not the news is welcome. No exposure to hostility or aggression is evidenced.
Seated for most of the working day at screens and telephone. No lifting or exertion.

Working conditions

Indoor, environmentally controlled office work with no hazardous exposure. Demand is psychological rather than physical, arising from the pace of the market, the consequence of error and accountability for client transactions.
The great majority work a regular established schedule with no seasonal element, and working weeks divide roughly evenly between forty hours and more. Considerable freedom is exercised in determining tasks, priorities and goals within firm and regulatory limits, with frequent decisions reaching colleagues and company results in a competitive market.

Skills

40% · 231 points▾

KnowledgeLevel 4 of 8
72 of 144 points
Factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work. The job requires a range of thinking and practical knowledge to find solutions to specific problems in the job or study area.
Interpersonal and communication skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Effective communication and interpersonal relationships. The job holder is required to adapt communication to different audiences and foster trust, cooperation and positive working relationships.
Problem-solving skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Variable problems. The job involves dealing with different kinds of problems that require careful thinking, research into different options or adjusting existing ways of doing things. Guidance and resources may be limited.
Planning and organisational skillsLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate organisational skills required. The job requires the organising and prioritising of multiple tasks, with some level of adjustment to plans on the basis of changing circumstances or deadlines.
Physical skillsLevel 0 of 5
0 of 72 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any particular physical skills (although there is likely to be some physical activity).

Responsibility

35% · 104 points▾

PeopleLevel 1 of 5
29 of 144 points
Very limited. Not required to supervise or perform a caregiving role. The job may involve providing basic guidance to or orientation for others, such as helping new colleagues settle in.
Goods and equipmentLevel 1 of 5
17 of 84 points
Limited responsibility for goods or equipment. The job involves the care and proper use of low-value tools or materials, with minimal responsibility for their maintenance or security.
InformationLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Moderate responsibility for information. The job involves managing information to ensure it is accurate, of high quality and secure. The job holder may make decisions about the handling of sensitive data.
Financial resourcesLevel 0 of 5
0 of 96 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any responsibility for financial resources.

Effort

15% · 79 points▾

Mental effortLevel 3 of 5
36 of 60 points
High level of mental effort. The job involves frequent concentration on complex tasks that require considerable mental effort, such as interpreting complex data.
Psychosocial and emotional effortLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate psychosocial and emotional effort. The job requires the regular management of emotional responses, such as dealing with sensitive or challenging individuals or situations.
Physical effortLevel 0 of 5
0 of 48 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any physical effort.

Working Conditions

10% · 24 points▾

Environment (physical, psychological or emotional)Level 1 of 5
17 of 84 points
Minimal exposure to hazards or stress. The job involves little or no exposure to physical hazards (e.g. chemicals, moving equipment, noise) and minimal emotional or psychological risks (e.g. occasional routine tasks with no emotional burden). There is minor exposure to dust, dirt, fumes, noise, waste, poor lighting, etc.
Organisational environmentLevel 1 of 5
7 of 36 points
Minimal organisational demands. The job requires standard working hours with no night shifts or irregular schedules. There is little or no need for travel or digital connectivity beyond typical working hours.