Partnerships Manager

The Role

Akoni works in close commercial partnership with some of the UK's largest wealth networks, supporting their advisers in placing client cash through our platform. This role is dedicated to one of those strategic network partnerships, a corporate distribution agreement giving a national network of advisers access to Akoni to refer their clients' cash.

This is both a sales and a relationship role. You will be proactively speaking with advisers, educating them on the Akoni proposition, encouraging and enabling them to refer their clients, and ensuring that any barriers to referral are identified and removed. At the same time, you will be the first point of contact when advisers have queries or need support.

What you'll be doing

Proactive Adviser Engagement

• Own a defined portfolio of advisers within the partner network, taking personal responsibility for the depth of engagement and the volume and quality of referrals generated
• Proactively reach out to advisers who are registered but not yet actively referring, understanding what is holding them back and working to unlock their activity
• Work to deepen engagement with active advisers, helping them identify more of their clients who could benefit from the Akoni platform
• Leverage your network to develop new introducing partnerships to Akoni

Proposition Training & Education

• Deliver clear, confident and compelling presentations of the Akoni proposition to advisers, individually and in group settings
• Keep advisers up to date with product developments, platform enhancements, and any changes to how Akoni operates within the network's framework
• Use insight from adviser conversations to feedback objections, platform friction points, or proposition gaps that are limiting referral activity

Reactive Support & Pipeline Management

• Act as a knowledgeable and responsive point of contact for advisers when they have questions about Akoni, the referral process, or platform features
• Resolve queries with pace and accuracy, always closing the loop with the adviser
• Support advisers through the onboarding of referred clients, ensuring any friction is addressed quickly
• Maintain a clear and current picture of your pipeline, tracking adviser engagement levels, referral volumes and conversion activity

What You'll Bring

Sales & Relationship Management

• Experience in a sales or relationship management role, with a proven track record of building trusted relationships face to face and converting engagement into commercial outcomes
• The personal presence and communication skills to represent Akoni confidently in front of financial advisers and wealth professionals, one-to-one or in a group setting

Financial Services Knowledge

• A solid understanding of the UK financial advice market, including the differences between independent, restricted and network advisers, and how cash management fits within an adviser's wider client proposition
• Experience working with, or selling into, a large adviser network, national wealth managers, IFA consolidators, or platforms operating under a corporate distribution agreement is highly desirable
• Sufficient financial literacy to have credible conversations about cash, interest rates, FSCS protection and multi-bank diversification

Commercial Drive & Self-Direction

• A commercially motivated self-starter who takes personal ownership of performance and does not wait to be told where to focus
• Organised and disciplined in how you manage your time, track your pipeline and follow up consistently

What We're Looking For:

Essential

• Worked with or at an IFA firm
• Sales Experience
• Relationship Management Experience
• Contract negotiation

Desirable

• Cash Management Background