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Jared T Smith

Financial advice professional based in Melbourne, Australia. With proven experience across leadership, sales, innovation, technology, operations and process engineering.

What I do

I combine deep expertise in financial advice with skills in information technology to solve complex problems and enable businesses and their staff to thrive. With 18 years experience in financial services, I have learned how to maintain a client-centric approach while delivering meaningful organisational change, engaging with stakeholders, and re-imagining business processes in a rapidly changing environment.

What I believe

Success requires integrity, passion and hard work

Success isn’t an accident but instead the culmination of one’s experiences and their character.

Embrace creativity in all its forms

Think differently, solve problems and bring your unique perspective to the world.

Be receptive to advice and value your mentors

Adopt feedback and seek it at every opportunity to develop continuously.

Only accept calculated risks

Maintain control, only take on manageable risks, know your limits and develop contingency plans; just in case.

Achievements

In 2022, ANZ’s retail insurance business was purchased by Zurich Australia and I worked with the project team to operationalise the new business (Zurich Assure) in roughly six months.

I worked across multiple streams of work, with my key deliverables being:

  • design, coding and delivery of the Zurich Assure Statement of Advice
  • implementing robo advice and digital fact finding solutions
  • design and configuration of Xplan to achieve business requirements
  • data integration of policy details from a range of insurers

In 2020, I developed, tested, and launched the Unity application for ANZ Financial Advice. This provided advisers a complete digital client discovery experience, and resolved the key challenges faced by advisers using the "Grow for Advice" application.

Unity has improved compliance outcomes for advisers (a 35% reduction in audit issues identified) and streamlined their workflow, resulting in millions of dollars worth of productivity cost and compliance savings.

More broadly, during my time at ANZ, I consulted on a wide range of business initiatives, including:

  • exploring next generation advice technologies
  • client engagement frameworks
  • business transformation
  • setting pricing models

Experience

Finance Committe Independent Member

Dates Employed: June 2023 – Present

Location: Ringwood East, Australia

Reporting to and supporting the board with strategic financial plans, monitoring operational and capital expenditure, and monitor the management of financial risks.

Product Owner - Digital Advice and Innovation

Dates Employed: Aug 2022 – Present

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Led the development of the digital, self-serve advice proposition, enabling customers to receive automated personal insurance advice without needing to engage a human financial adviser.

Role duties

  • Engaging with stakeholders to communicate the project vision and secure project resources.
  • Managing and prioritising solution requirements.
  • Engaging with internal and external engineers to develop product solutions.
  • Delivering a bespoke customer experience in line with Zurich Customer Standards.

Technology Manager

Dates Employed: Feb 2022 – Aug 2022

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Participated in the project to launch Zurich Assure, working across the Customer Experience and Adviser Experience streams to provide expertise across both advice and information technology.

Role duties

  • Drafting processes and documents to meet legislative requirements.
  • Provide strategic process guidance to key stakeholders across technology, product and operational teams.
  • Implementation of digital tools and data feeds to support advice processes.
  • Delivering technology solutions for advice staff.

Technology Assurance Manager

Dates Employed: July 2021 – Feb 2022

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Developed and maintained the Private Banking and Advice Technology and Information Security Policy and Standards suite to meet regulatory and ANZ requirements.

Role duties

  • Ensuring Private Banking and Advice complies with all relevant Technology and Information Security Policies.
  • Consulting with Compliance, Governance, Privacy and Technology to improve alignment with policy.
  • Providing guidance to senior leaders on technology related policies and their application to business initiatives.
  • Managing the governance of technology related forums and broader Assurance forums.
  • Delivery of regular training to business stakeholders related to Information Security.

Advice Enablement Manager

Dates Employed: June 2020 – July 2021

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Managed a team of Process Engineers with ownership of the end-to-end advice process, advice collateral and supporting tools, through a period of organisational restructure and technology disruption.

Role duties

  • Leading, supporting and coaching a geographically diverse team for success.
  • Managing regular updates to processes and documents due to legislative and organisational change.
  • Delivering and embedding new product solutions for frontline staff.
  • Provide strategic process guidance to key stakeholders across technology, product and operational teams.
  • Development and maintenance of bespoke digital tools to support advice processes.

Further experience (from 2005 to 2020)

Frontline Process Owner

Dates Employed: Sept 2019 – June 2020

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Maintained and enhanced all processes used by financial advisers and frontline staff, including leading business critical initiatives and associated change management.

Role duties

  • Communicating the vision, purpose and objectives of frontline processes and how they align with strategic business goals.
  • Development and maintenance of bespoke digital tools to support advice processes.
  • Leading process change and initiative delivery.
  • Working with stakeholders across multiple disciplines to efficiently deliver change.
  • Monitoring and management of process breaches or compliance incidents.

Digital Process Owner

Dates Employed: Sept 2018 – Sept 2019

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Responsible for managing and overseeing the objectives and performance of ANZ Financial Planning’s flagship Grow for Advice application, along with ongoing change management involved with simplification and digitization projects.

Role duties

  • Communicating the vision, purpose and objectives of digital processes and how they align with strategic business goals.
  • Working closely with Advice Coaches and L&D to develop and provide training and support for advisers.
  • Negotiating process conflicts with respective process owners and stakeholders.
  • Reviewing, approving and communicating process changes and improvements.
  • Monitoring and management of process breaches or compliance incidents.

Commercial Financial Planner

Dates Employed: Aug 2015 – Sept 2018

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Providing holistic financial advice to ANZ Business Banking clients including risk management strategies, superannuation and retirement planning, estate planning advice and other investments.

Role duties

  • Consistently exceed sales targets in fast paced team environment.
  • Maintain strong compliance in the top quartile of the team.
  • Worked with a diverse range of referral partners and clients, across regions.

Financial Planning Support Officer – Commercial

Dates Employed: Mar 2014 – Aug 2015

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Assisting commercial advisers to provide holistic financial advice to ANZ Business Banking clients including risk management strategies, superannuation and retirement planning, estate planning advice and other investments.

Role duties

  • Managed ongoing client interactions to ensure delivery of service standards.
  • Regarded as compliance ‘guru’ for the team and assisted in achieving high Advice Quality Ratings for the team.

Paraplanner

Dates Employed: Dec 2012 – Mar 2014

Location: Docklands, Australia

Working collaboratively with advisers to prepare Statements of Advice for clients with a strong focus on compliance, legislative change and process efficiency.

Role duties

  • Consistently exceeded KPIs for both quality and productivity.
  • Quickly took on a senior role in the team and assisted team with problems and queries, including training new staff.

Account Manager

Dates Employed: Aug 2010 – Dec 2012

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Retaining and building customer base through business merger, focusing on problem solving, client communication and reporting.

Role duties

  • Provided operational advice for process improvements and policy developments.
  • Resolved issues for clients by taking ownership and proactively negotiating with stakeholders.

Salary Packaging Consultant

Dates Employed: Jan 2009 – May 2010

Location: South Melbourne, Australia

Assisting clients to purchase new cars through tax effective novated leasing arrangements as well as establishing other salary packaging benefits for charities and rebatable employers.

Role duties

  • Consistently exceeded sales targets while maintaining compliance, customer satisfaction and a strong pipeline.

Investor Services Representative

Dates Employed: Mar 2005 – Jan 2009

Location: Abbotsford, Australia

Managing client accounts including direct credit details, dividend reinvestment elections, deceased estate processing and off-market transfers.

Role duties

  • Achieved highest productivity rating of the team without compromising on quality.

Education

Victoria University

Bachelor of Business (Accounting)

Jan 2005 – June 2008

This course provided a foundational education in business, accounting, finance, economics and marketing. It also helped to develop analytical and problem solving skills along with interpersonal skills.

GPA: 5.12 / 7.00
Charles Sturt University

Master of Applied Finance (Financial Planning)

July 2011 – Dec 2013

This course broadened my technical knowledge in finance, centralised on delivering holistic financial advice. It also provided compliance with RG146 and advanced standing towards the Certified Financial Planner designation through the Financial Planning Association of Australia.

GPA: 5.67 / 7.00
Kaplan Professional

Self Managed Superannuation Funds

Jan 2016 – June 2016

Fundamental knowledge of the establishment, operation and management of an SMSF including the development of strategies and personal recommendations.

Financial Planning Association

Certified Financial Planner® Certification

June 2017 – June 2018

This capstone of my formal education in financial planning. This course built upon my prior technical studies and further developed my understanding of ethical frameworks and professionalism. My ongoing membership is a confirmation of my long term commitment to the financial planning profession.

Kaplan Professional

Ethics and Professionalism in Financial Advice

Aug 2019 – Dec 2019

Build knowledge in ethics and professionalism as a financial adviser under the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority Ltd (FASEA) Code of Ethics