FREEING YOU TO DO WHAT YOU DO BEST

PROAKTIVE PEOPLE FREEING YOU TO DO WHAT YOU DO BEST

PROAKTIVE PEOPLE FREEING YOU TO DO WHAT YOU DO BEST WHY? Freeing you to do what you do best. This is our purpose. The reason why ProAktive exists. This is what we do for our clients, our suppliers and most importantly; our staff When you join ProAktive you embark on a voyage of discovery. Discovery of what you do best. HOW? We have a definition of ProAktive; Caring enough to want to understand each other, in order to create positive development in the knowledge that, when it is done well, everyone will be rewarded accordingly. And to have fun doing it. From this definition we have derived our brand values; Caring Understanding Developing Rewarding Enjoying We apply these values to our relationship with our clients, our suppliers and, of course, our staff. At ProAktive we care about our staff and go to great lengths to understand the talents, motivations and aspirations of each person. When we do this successfully we are able to develop those attributes and provide an exciting and fulfilling career that brings rewards to both the individual and the Group. And we have fun doing it. WHAT? ProAktive has a wide range of services and each service needs people with different skills. The ProAktive approach is to find people who want to be successful and happy at what they do in the workplace, and also those who may wish to progress through the organisation, introduce them to each service offering and to discover what they find most interesting. Whilst doing this we unearth their strengths and eventually discover what they do best. This approach has produced many of our most effective people and is one where everyone is rewarded accordingly. SO.. If you are an intelligent, hard working person who enjoys shared goals and mutual success, there is a career opportunity for you at ProAktive. 1

CLIENT SERVICES Insurance and Risk Management This is the core service of the business. All businesses carry the threat of something happening that can threaten their ability to survive whether it be a fire, flood, accident in the workplace or a whole range of potential risks. The role of ProAktive is to build a close working relationship with businesses so that we can understand the risks that threaten them. We then look for ways to remove or reduce the likelihood of the risk happening. Once this has been done we then transfer any remaining risk by insuring it with one or more of a wide range of insurers. Then in the event of something happening, our role is to help the client to manage the results of the event, minimise the damage and arrange the settlement of the claim in the most efficient way possible. All businesses are exposed to risk. Our purpose is to manage that risk for our clients; freeing them to do what they do best. Health and Safety All businesses have a duty to provide a safe place for their staff, clients, suppliers and the general public. Recent years have seen the development of substantial regulation which has been introduced to ensure that businesses do as much as possible to prevent accidents from happening. Management of Health and Safety is a highly skilled role and many businesses do not have the resources to do it effectively. When it is done well, it reduces the risk of an insurance claim and therefore reduces the cost of insurance. The role of ProAktive is to understand the business enough so as to identify threats to safety and to help them to put in place measures to prevent the accidents from happening. In order to do this we provide hands on support and advice, training, documentation and regular updates on the subject. This service substantially reduces the burden of Health and Safety for our clients; freeing them to do what they do best. 2

Employee Benefits Progressive businesses understand the need to provide their staff with a good package of benefits. Whilst salary is the main element of that package, the provision of such as pensions, life assurance, health cover etc. is also seen as an attractive part of an employee s package. There is a very wide range of products that businesses might consider offering to their staff and it is a very challenging task deciding what is most appropriate and then arranging it in the most efficient way to get the most benefit whilst keeping administration to the minimum. The role of ProAktive is to understand the needs of the business and to put packages in place for them which they can afford and which are most appreciated by their staff. This helps clients to attract, retain and motivate their staff in the most efficient way; freeing them to do what they do best. Employment Services Businesses employ people. The best businesses manage their staff well. Good practice and regulation have created demands on businesses and the management of people is a highly skilful role. Many companies do not have access to those skills within their own business. The role of ProAktive is to understand the business and to help them with all human resource issues. We provide a hands on personal service to the business helping them with all relevant documentation and keep them up to date on any new legislation etc. We also give support and advice with any issues that arise from the employment of staff such as recruitment, appraisal, discipline, severance etc. ProAktive reduces the burden of Human Resource Management; freeing businesses to do what they do best InterAktive At ProAktive we have developed an IT system which is only available to ProAktive clients. InterAktive is a highly sophisticated administration system which helps clients to manage their insurance, health and safety and employment procedures with the minimum of effort. InterAktive is highly valued by clients as it improves efficiency and cuts out unnecessary procedures and frees them to do what they do best. 3

ProAktive Wealth The majority of the ProAktive services are designed to free businesses to do what they do best. The owners and senior personnel in those businesses have similar needs as individuals and we at ProAktive pride ourselves in providing high quality solutions to those people and other wealthy individuals. Successful people often have nice houses, cars, holiday homes, jewellery, art etc. and this brings risks. These things can be lost, stolen or damaged and clients are often aware of these risks but don t have the time to manage them properly. Such people often also have substantial wealth to manage in terms of investment, tax mitigation, pension provision and protection and in the modern age this is a very skilful task. The role of ProAktive is to understand the needs of the client and to work with them to tailor solutions that suit their circumstances. We manage their wealth, protect the things they cherish and free them up to do what they do best Schemes At ProAktive we operate a schemes division which is designed to take packaged insurance products to the market. The schemes division uses the most modern distribution channels and operates a highly efficient management and administration system in order to achieve high sales and speedy response. This is a fast growing, dynamic area of the business requiring people who are comfortable in a fast paced, ICT based environment. 4

INTERNAL SERVICES The majority of ProAktive people are client facing but we also have some critical internal services which can generate career opportunities. Finance and Administration This team manages all the finances of the business including cashflow, payroll, accounting, credit management etc. The team also deals with general administration of the business and offers support administration for the client service teams. Marketing and lead generation The marketing of ProAktive is a very important function and we pay a great deal of attention to this. We need to preserve our good name and brand and also to promote it in the market place. We do this in a strategic way and this links in to a lead generation system which is crucial to the further expansion of the Group. This is a small team with a major responsibility Human resource Management You will have seen that we put great importance on the recruitment, retention and development of our staff. In order to do this we have an HR function which deals with everything that relates to the management of ProAktive people. 5

SKILLS Each service, whether internal or direct to the client needs a range of skills to make it work. These skills include; Technical Having an eye for detail Sales Promoting the services and persuading people to use them Relationship management Doing what it takes to keep clients satisfied Negotiation Getting the best deals from suppliers Creative We love to find new ideas or new ways of working Administration Making sure it all happens smoothly People Management Getting the best out of our staff. ROUTE TO SUCCESS Anyone new entering ProAktive with their eye on a career is encouraged to spend time in each service area so that they can get a clear idea of the service provided to see whether it is something that they could enjoy and excel at. We then take the time to match the skills and aspirations with the roles to get the best results for everyone. This frees everyone to do what they do best. 6

QUALIFICATIONS OUR CHARTERED STATUS We re proud to have been awarded the prestigious title Chartered Insurance Brokers by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) This title is only awarded to firms committed to developing and maintaining the knowledge and capability of their people so they can deliver the highest quality advice. Chartered status is the industry s gold standard for insurance brokers and is currently met by fewer than 100 firms across the country. In order to meet these high standards we offer and encourage staff to pursue a wide range of qualifications. The following pages explain the wide range of choices open to ProAktive staff to support their career of choice. Staff are encouraged to undertake some of the early stage examinations whilst experiencing work in service departments and then are guided towards more advanced level qualifications as the career path becomes clearer. TRAINING At ProAktive we have a access to a range of training courses dealing with wide ranging subjects such as; Time management Sales skills Negotiations shills Coaching skills ICT applications Appraisal skills 7

INSURANCE QUALIFICATIONS Certificate in Insurance - Building knowledge, developing core competence Core qualification for insurance staff working across all sectors of the industry 40 credits required, normally reached by taking 3 units from a choice of 9 subjects including one compulsory unit. Each unit requires around 50 hours of study Multi-choice exam question format taken at a time to suit the candidate Upon qualification, CII members are entitled to use the designation Cert CII Diploma in Insurance - Enhancing technical knowledge and understanding The Diploma is a technical and supervisory qualification for insurance staff and the logical progression from the certificate 120 credits in total are required with at least 90 gained at diploma level or above. There is a choice of 14 subjects with two compulsory subjects. Around 100 hours study per subject are recommended Exams can be taken in April & October and have a combination of short answer and essay questions Upon qualification, CII members are entitled to use the designation Dip CII Advanced Diploma in Insurance - Putting professionalism into practice This is a logical progression from Dip CII and provides an enhanced understanding of insurance practice both in terms of technical subject matter and overall application skills 290 credits are required in total with at least 90 at Advanced Diploma level. Choice of 12 units requiring between 120 150 hours per subject Exams can be taken in April & October and have a combination of essay, case study and short answers Upon qualification, CII members are entitled to use the designation ACII Fellowship - The highest qualification on offer from the CII This requires the completion of a personalised, structured advanced professional development programme. This can be linked to work based activity, and aligned to study for other qualifications, such as an MBA Upon qualification, CII members are entitled to use the designation FCII **************** 8

The structure of the qualifications offers great flexibility to develop technical knowledge and understanding in line with your career development rather than follow a rigid preset learning programme Various study options are available to suit everyone, including on-line study & revision aids and continuous assessment packages 9

FINANCIAL SERVICES QUALIFICATIONS Award in Financial Administration The Award in Financial Administration is tailored for operational staff working in the financial services sector. It is an introductory qualification to the financial services industry, including key aspects of legislation and regulation as well as helping to developing an appreciation of the process of investment planning, products types and the administration of life or pensions business. 2 Multiple Choice Exams Approximately 210 study hours Certificate in Paraplanning The Certificate in Paraplanning offers a qualification route that develops paraplanning skills and expertise, and imparts advanced technical knowledge in a number of key advisory areas. 3 Multiple Choice Exams 3 written coursework assignments Approximately 270 study hours Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning (Dip PFS) The Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning develops advanced technical knowledge and understanding across a broad range of key advisory areas. The Diploma meets the RDR qualification requirements for advisers to hold a QCF Level 4 qualification, enabling professional advisers to practice. 5 Multiple Choice Exams 1 Written Exam Approximately 370 study hours Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning (Chartered) The Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning enables professional advisers to develop their specialist planning capabilities, providing clear differentiation from the main body of advisers. It builds on existing skills and develops knowledge gained through previous study and workplace training. It consolidates and advances work already undertaken, most typically in completing the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning. Advanced Diploma holders are also eligible for Chartered Financial Planner status. To complete the Advanced Diploma you need to obtain 290 credits. A minimum of 120 of these must come from the Advanced Diploma with at least a further 40 being at Diploma level or above. The remaining credits can come from a combination of the available financial services units. PFS Fellowship Those wishing to continue their studies can also work towards Fellowship of the Personal Finance Society. A total of 350 credits are required to obtain the fellowship, this must include obtaining 290 credits through completion of the Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning. The remaining 60 credits can come from any of the examinations offered within the CII financial services qualifications framework. 10

Financial Services - Specialist Study Streams Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management The Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management is relevant for those undertaking discretionary investment activities, and for those in investment-related support roles who wish to further demonstrate their knowledge of investments. 2 Multiple choice exams Approximately 120 study hours Certificate in Equity Release The Certificate in Equity Release is relevant for anyone seeking to advise on equity release products (both home reversion plans and lifetime mortgages), and for those who work in a support role in this sector. 3 Multiple choice exams Approximately 190 study hours Tax/Pension/Investment Specialist For anyone who has completed the Diploma/Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning and looking to specialise in taxation, pension or investment advice. 1 Multiple Choice Exam 1 Written Exam Approximately 210 study hours 11

HEALTH AND SAFETY QUALIFICATIONS IOSH Managing Safely Industry recognised course providing a practical overview of health and safety in the workplace A four day course delivered in house covering all main health and safety issues including the environment. It includes an assessment at the end of the course and a practical work based project to ensure that learning objectives can be applied. Successful completion of these two elements is necessary for a pass certificate to be issued NEBOSH Certificate The first step to a career in Health & Safety The certificate comprises 3 units of study and requires approximately 130 hours of study usually completed by distance or e-learning Assessments can be taken in March, June, September & December and comprise a two hour written exam for 2 units and a two hour practical assessment The NEBOSH Certificate is a widely respected qualification, which meets the requirements for Technician Membership of IOSH NEBOSH Diploma The NEBOSH National Diploma is the flagship NEBOSH award and is the first UK vocational qualification to be developed specifically for health and safety professionals. The NEBOSH Diploma is the qualification for aspiring health and safety professionals, building directly upon the foundation of knowledge provided by the NEBOSH Certificate. It is designed to provide students with the expertise required to undertake a career as a safety and health practitioner The qualification is divided into 4 units, which are assessed separately and require around 500 of study time normally including attendance at evening class Exams take place in January and July and we would expect the Diploma to be completed over a 2 year period The qualification meets the academic requirements to apply for Graduate Membership (Grad IOSH) of Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). This is the first step to becoming a Chartered Health and Safety Practitioner as a Chartered Member of IOSH (CMIOSH). 12

MANAGEMENT QUALIFICATIONS We have a relationship with a local business school which offers the following courses which can be considered for people wishing to specialise in areas not covered in the previous pages Courses include: MBA - Masters of Business Administration Subject Groups: Marketing Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management Strategic Management CIMA Chartered Institute of Management Accounting Entrants joining the organisation at degree level would begin to work towards their CIMA professional qualification in Management Accountancy. Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Qualifications Certificate in Business Accounting The certificate gives a broad overview of various topics from an accountancy perspective, these include Economics, Business Mathematics & Law. those who successfully complete all certificate level papers will receive the designatory letters CIMA Cert BA. 5 Multiple choice Exams Operational Level - those who successfully complete operational level will receive the designatory letters CIMA Dip MA 3 Written Exams Enterprise, Performance & Financial Management Level - those who successfully complete management level will receive the designatory letters CIMA Adv Dip MA. 3 Written Exams Enterprise, Performance & Financial Strategic Level & the Test of Professional Competence 3 Written Exams Enterprise, Performance & Financial Initial Professional Development Work Based Practical Experience 1 Written Exam On successful completion of the Strategic level & the Test of Professional Competence (TOPCIMA) in Management Accounting, students can apply to be elected as members of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants & will receive the designatory letters. 13