OPT Financial Specialist Jobs
Financial Specialist roles cover financial analysis, reporting, budgeting, and compliance work that typically qualifies as a specialty occupation under OPT. Most positions require a degree in finance, accounting, or economics. STEM OPT extension eligibility depends on your specific degree classification, so confirm your CIP code with your DSO before applying.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Financial Planning Specialist works with Financial Advisors to gather all applicable data and prepare and explain financial plans to clients and prospects. This position may thoroughly review financial plans created by some department associates and present completed financial plans to clients and prospects. The Financial Planning Specialist assists branch offices using MoneyGuide (Stifel's online Financial Planning platform).
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Responds to inbound phone calls from Financial Advisors and members of their team.
- Communicate with Financial Advisors (and possibly clients) to obtain all necessary information for financial plan preparation while also providing in-depth knowledge of the Wealth Planning Questionnaire(s) and the department's services.
- Creates various levels of financial plans ranging from fundamental analysis to complex, comprehensive plans using the MoneyGuide financial planning software.
- Reviews and explains in detail the completed financial plans to Financial Advisors.
- Provides branches with support and training (via in-person, Zoom, or conference call) on MoneyGuide and financial planning best practices.
- Trains new Financial Planning Associates on using MoneyGuide and creating basic financial plans properly while ensuring they learn and follow department policies and procedures.
- Develops business opportunity identification skills and conveys any opportunities for increasing client usage to the Financial Advisor.
- May conduct information-gathering calls with Financial Advisors and their clients via Zoom or conference call to obtain critical information regarding the Wealth Planning Questionnaire(s).
- May assist with or present entirely completed financial plans to clients and prospects with Financial Advisors via Zoom or conference call.
- May conduct pre-reviews or final reviews of financial plans created by associates in the department.
- May spot-check a random sampling of financial plans created by Financial Advisors.
- May develop spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, newsletter articles and other project items as necessary.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Thorough understanding of the securities industry in general and various securities products.
- Detailed knowledge of financial planning services and techniques.
- Strong and reliable mathematical skills and attention to detail.
- Sound understanding of the financial planning process, department and firm policies/procedures, and industry regulations related to financial planning business.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Minimum Required: Business Degree in a related field or equivalent work-related experience.
- Minimum Required: 3+ years of securities industry experience with 1+ years of financial planning experience.
LICENSES & CREDENTIALS
- Minimum Required: FINRA Series 7 and 66 (or 63 and 65 instead of 66).
- Minimum Required: Life, Health, and Long-Term Care Insurance Licenses (or ability to obtain within 30-45 days of hire).
- Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) is preferred.
SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Experience with MoneyGuide is preferred.
- Experience with Zoom.
ABOUT STIFEL
Stifel is more than 130 years old and still thinking like a start-up. We are a global wealth management and investment banking firm serious about innovation and fresh ideas. Built on a simple premise of safeguarding our clients’ money as if it were our own, coined by our namesake, Herman Stifel, our success is intimately tied to our commitment to helping families, companies, and municipalities find their own success.
While our headquarters is in St. Louis, we have offices in New York, San Francisco, Baltimore, London, Frankfurt, Toronto, and more than 400 other locations. Stifel is home to approximately 9,000 individuals who are currently building their careers as financial advisors, research analysts, project managers, marketing specialists, developers, bankers, operations associates, among hundreds more. Let’s talk about how you can find your place here at Stifel, where success meets success.
At Stifel we offer an entrepreneurial environment, comprehensive benefits package to include health, dental and vision care, 401k, wellness initiatives, life insurance, and paid time off.
Stifel is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
INTRODUCTION
The Financial Planning Specialist works with Financial Advisors to gather all applicable data and prepare and explain financial plans to clients and prospects. This position may thoroughly review financial plans created by some department associates and present completed financial plans to clients and prospects. The Financial Planning Specialist assists branch offices using MoneyGuide (Stifel's online Financial Planning platform).
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Responds to inbound phone calls from Financial Advisors and members of their team.
- Communicate with Financial Advisors (and possibly clients) to obtain all necessary information for financial plan preparation while also providing in-depth knowledge of the Wealth Planning Questionnaire(s) and the department's services.
- Creates various levels of financial plans ranging from fundamental analysis to complex, comprehensive plans using the MoneyGuide financial planning software.
- Reviews and explains in detail the completed financial plans to Financial Advisors.
- Provides branches with support and training (via in-person, Zoom, or conference call) on MoneyGuide and financial planning best practices.
- Trains new Financial Planning Associates on using MoneyGuide and creating basic financial plans properly while ensuring they learn and follow department policies and procedures.
- Develops business opportunity identification skills and conveys any opportunities for increasing client usage to the Financial Advisor.
- May conduct information-gathering calls with Financial Advisors and their clients via Zoom or conference call to obtain critical information regarding the Wealth Planning Questionnaire(s).
- May assist with or present entirely completed financial plans to clients and prospects with Financial Advisors via Zoom or conference call.
- May conduct pre-reviews or final reviews of financial plans created by associates in the department.
- May spot-check a random sampling of financial plans created by Financial Advisors.
- May develop spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, newsletter articles and other project items as necessary.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Thorough understanding of the securities industry in general and various securities products.
- Detailed knowledge of financial planning services and techniques.
- Strong and reliable mathematical skills and attention to detail.
- Sound understanding of the financial planning process, department and firm policies/procedures, and industry regulations related to financial planning business.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Minimum Required: Business Degree in a related field or equivalent work-related experience.
- Minimum Required: 3+ years of securities industry experience with 1+ years of financial planning experience.
LICENSES & CREDENTIALS
- Minimum Required: FINRA Series 7 and 66 (or 63 and 65 instead of 66).
- Minimum Required: Life, Health, and Long-Term Care Insurance Licenses (or ability to obtain within 30-45 days of hire).
- Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) is preferred.
SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Experience with MoneyGuide is preferred.
- Experience with Zoom.
ABOUT STIFEL
Stifel is more than 130 years old and still thinking like a start-up. We are a global wealth management and investment banking firm serious about innovation and fresh ideas. Built on a simple premise of safeguarding our clients’ money as if it were our own, coined by our namesake, Herman Stifel, our success is intimately tied to our commitment to helping families, companies, and municipalities find their own success.
While our headquarters is in St. Louis, we have offices in New York, San Francisco, Baltimore, London, Frankfurt, Toronto, and more than 400 other locations. Stifel is home to approximately 9,000 individuals who are currently building their careers as financial advisors, research analysts, project managers, marketing specialists, developers, bankers, operations associates, among hundreds more. Let’s talk about how you can find your place here at Stifel, where success meets success.
At Stifel we offer an entrepreneurial environment, comprehensive benefits package to include health, dental and vision care, 401k, wellness initiatives, life insurance, and paid time off.
Stifel is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
See all 76+ OPT Financial Specialist Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Financial Specialist
Target employers with established visa programs
Banks, asset managers, and Fortune 500 finance teams sponsor OPT workers regularly. Search for companies with a track record of H-1B visa filings in financial analyst and specialist roles, as those employers are far more likely to extend your authorization after OPT ends.
Confirm your STEM OPT eligibility early
Finance degrees under CIP code 52.0801 and economics degrees under 45.0601 often qualify for the 24-month STEM extension. Verify your degree's CIP code with your DSO before applying, since it significantly expands the window employers have to sponsor you.
Frame your authorization timeline upfront
Hiring managers in financial services move quickly. Stating your OPT end date and STEM extension eligibility in your cover letter or recruiter screen prevents late-stage rejections and helps sponsors plan the H-1B filing calendar around your authorization window.
Prioritize roles with clear specialty occupation footing
Financial Specialist positions requiring CPA candidacy, CFA enrollment, or a specific finance degree signal stronger H-1B specialty occupation eligibility. Generalist finance roles with loose degree requirements can complicate future sponsorship, so read job descriptions carefully before applying.
Build technical skills that widen your employer pool
Proficiency in SQL, Python for financial modeling, or ERP platforms like SAP expands your candidacy into fintech and larger enterprises. These employers sponsor OPT workers more aggressively than smaller firms and are more comfortable with the authorization process.
Network within finance professional communities
CFA Society chapters, FP&A forums, and university alumni networks in finance regularly connect students with hiring managers who sponsor visas. Direct referrals into sponsoring employers reduce the time spent filtering out roles that won't support your OPT status.
Financial Specialist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Financial Specialist jobs typically qualify as a specialty occupation for OPT?
Most Financial Specialist roles qualify as specialty occupations because they require at minimum a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a related field. The degree-to-job connection must be direct, so roles that accept any bachelor's degree regardless of field are weaker candidates for future H-1B sponsorship. Always review the job description's stated degree requirements before applying.
Can I get a STEM OPT extension as a Financial Specialist?
It depends on your degree's CIP code, not your job title. Finance degrees classified under CIP 52.0801 and quantitative economics degrees under 45.0601 are on the STEM designated degree program list, making you eligible for the 24-month extension. Accounting and general business degrees are often not eligible. Confirm your specific CIP code with your DSO before assuming you qualify.
Where can I find Financial Specialist jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT and international students, so every listing on the platform is filtered for visa sponsorship openness. Searching there saves you from applying to roles where sponsorship has already been ruled out, which is a significant time drain in a high-volume field like financial services.
How does the 90-day unemployment rule affect my Financial Specialist job search?
During your OPT authorization period, you cannot accumulate more than 90 days of unemployment. Financial services hiring cycles can run six to ten weeks from application to offer. Starting your search at least three months before graduation or your current OPT start date gives you enough runway to secure an offer without burning through your unemployment allowance.
Do I need to report a Financial Specialist job to my DSO?
Yes. Any job you work during OPT must be reported to your DSO within 10 days of starting. The position must be directly related to your degree, full time during standard OPT, and at least 20 hours per week during the STEM extension. Keep a record of your employer's name, address, and job title in your SEVP portal entry.