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Client Service Specialist

Clifford Swan Investment Counselors
Pasadena, California

Firm Overview

Clifford Swan Investment Counselors is an independent, 100% employee-owned registered investment adviser serving high net worth individuals, families, and not-for-profit organizations. With over $4.5 billion in assets under management and approximately 950 high net worth and institutional clients, Clifford Swan is committed to providing objective investment management based on rigorous investment research and financial advice with personalized, responsive client service. Clifford Swan embraces a culture of mutual respect among colleagues, staff and leadership who remain rooted in the clarity of our founders’ timeless values – client-first focus, highly personalized service, attention to detail, and complete commitment to our clients’ financial success.

Position Overview

The Client Service Specialist collaborates with a team of experienced investment professionals to deliver exceptional wealth management services to Clifford Swan clients. As Investment Counselors, Clifford Swan upholds a fiduciary standard of care, providing objective, professional investment advice and portfolio management tailored to each client’s needs. The Client Service Specialist partners closely with the Investment Counselor to support complex client relationships, exercising independent judgment across account administration, client communication, and day-to-day operations. This position requires a strong understanding of processes, excellent communication skills, and a proactive, dependable, and team-oriented approach. Client service encompasses all activities necessary to effectively implement portfolio management strategies and investment counseling, helping clients achieve their financial goals.

Job Responsibilities

  • Partner directly with the Investment Counselor on client strategy, meeting preparation, and follow-through, contributing informed perspective on account structure, money movement, and service priorities.
  • Anticipate client and Investment Counselor needs, proactively identifying and resolving potential issues before they arise, and developing customized, tailored solutions that exceed expectations and address nuanced client concerns.
  • Act as a liaison, representing clients and the firm in interactions with custodians, external advisors, attorneys, accountants, and other outside partners on complex matters (trusts, estates, and multi-generational accounts).
  • Respond to client requests promptly, ensuring professionalism and attention to detail in all interactions.
  • Foster trust and collaboration by developing strong, dependable relationships with Investment Counselors and fellow members of the Client Service Specialist (CSS) team.
  • Provide backup support to other client service team members as directed by the Client Service Manager.
  • Oversee the accurate and timely preparation, review, and distribution of monthly and quarterly client account and tax reporting statements.
  • Prepare polished reports, presentations, and meeting materials in support of client and prospect meetings.
  • Manage complex account transitions, new account onboarding, and account maintenance, including registration, risk tolerance and investment objective capture, money movement processing, and beneficiary/trust documentation.
  • Review client account alerts and take appropriate action to address flagged items in a timely manner.
  • Maintain and continuously improve the integrity of client records in Salesforce and Orion (investment accounting and reporting system), collaborating with custodians on complex reconciliation and data issues.
  • Manage calendars and correspondence for assigned Investment Counselor(s).
  • Screen and prioritize incoming calls, emails, and mail, providing telephone coverage and routing time-sensitive matters appropriately; draft and proofread correspondence in a professional, consistent voice; and proactively follow up with clients on the status of service requests.
  • Serve as a technology resource for the Investment Counselor, providing hands-on support with CRM, portfolio reporting, and other internal firm systems, and troubleshooting issues as they arise.
  • Communicate directly and confidently with Investment Counselor on daily priorities and complex or sensitive client matters, exercising independent judgment on when to resolve, escalate, or involve firm leadership.
  • Actively participate in ongoing training and education programs to stay current on firm policies, procedures, and platforms.
  • Ensure rigorous adherence to compliance procedures and custodial requirements, and help identify and address gaps in existing procedures.
  • Keep client files well-organized and current, ensuring outdated reports and unnecessary documents are purged regularly.
  • Safeguard client and staff confidentiality, adhering to strict privacy standards at all times.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
  • 5+ years of financial services industry experience, ideally within a registered investment adviser, private bank, trust company, or wealth management setting.
  • Demonstrated experience handling complex, high net worth client relationships with a high degree of independence and discretion.
  • Strong working knowledge of trust, estate, and multi-generational account structures a plus.
  • Working knowledge of financial services products, including equities, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, insurance, and managed accounts.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office required; experience with Salesforce and Orion strongly preferred.
  • Knowledge of financial planning concepts; experience in financial planning software a plus.
  • Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team, with sound judgment and comfort operating with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Exceptional organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize and multitask across multiple concurrent, competing responsibilities in a fast-paced, evolving environment while ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a confident, professional style and the judgment to manage sensitive client and firm matters with discretion, building trust and rapport with Investment Counselor.
  • Strong written communication skills, with experience drafting correspondence and preparing reports and presentations, and a patient, clear communication style on technical and process-related topics — including supporting a senior advisor with technology adoption and day-to-day troubleshooting.
  • Flexible, adaptable, and goal-oriented, with a self-motivated, results-driven approach and a willingness to take on a variety of tasks as the needs of the team evolve.
  • Experience managing calendars and scheduling preferred.
  • Candidate must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship or restriction.

Expected base salary for the role will generally be $75,000 – $100,000 per annum at the commencement of employment with a target annual bonus of 15% of base salary. However, the base salary if hired will be determined on an individualized basis and is only part of the total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include other forms of compensation such as discretionary bonuses, incentive packages, and firm-sponsored benefit programs.

All applications must include a resume and cover letter. Please send this information to Gretchen Lee via email at GLee@cliffordswan.com.

Posted September 2026