Program Associate Visa Sponsorship Jobs in North Carolina
Program associate roles in North Carolina are concentrated in Research Triangle Park, Charlotte, and Durham, where organizations like RTI International, Duke University, and major financial institutions regularly hire for these positions. Many employers in this corridor have established visa sponsorship programs, making North Carolina one of the more active states for international candidates pursuing program associate opportunities.
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INTRODUCTION
Merrill Wealth Management is a leading provider of comprehensive wealth management and investment products and services for individuals, companies, and institutions. Merrill Wealth Management is one of the largest businesses of its kind in the world specializing in goals-based wealth management, including planning for retirement, education, legacy, and other life goals through investment advice and guidance.
Merrill’s Financial Advisors and Wealth Management Client Associates help clients pursue the life they envision through a personal relationship with their advisory team committed to their needs. We believe trust comes from transparency. Our trusted advisory teams are equipped with access to the investment insights of Merrill coupled with the banking convenience of Bank of America.
Merrill is committed to an in-office culture that supports collaboration, engagement, and career development. Our approach includes clear in-office expectations, while providing an appropriate level of flexibility based on role-specific responsibilities and business needs.
At Merrill, we empower you to bring your whole self to work. We value the unique perspectives in our thoughts, business, and within our employees and clients. Our Wealth Management team represents an array of different skills and experiences that individuals bring from all backgrounds and careers; whether gained through military service, community college education, or a wide range of work and life experiences. These journeys foster resilience, leadership and innovation, strengthening our workforce and positively impact the communities we serve.
The Advisor Development Program is designed for individuals excited to make a career transition and follow their passion of becoming a Financial Advisor.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Wealth Management Client Associate – Advisor Development Program (WMCA - ADP) role is an entry role into our Advisor Development Program where the destination role is becoming a full-scale Financial Advisor at Merrill. This progression role is responsible for providing client service support to Financial Advisors (FAs).
As a WMCA - ADP your journey begins by obtaining your Securities Industry licenses, where you will receive dedicated study time for your Securities Industry Essentials [SIE], Series 7, and Series 66 Exams. Your SIE, Series 7 & 66 must be obtained within 120 days; (63 & 65 accepted, in lieu of 66, if previously held). Once you obtain your licenses, you will be taught the foundational skills needed to be a WMCA - ADP.
This job is responsible for providing client service support to multiple FAs. Key responsibilities include supporting enterprise strategic objectives, operational excellence goals, and client advocacy within the FA’s business, while customizing solutions based on their specific needs. Job expectations include serving as the most frequent point of contact within Merrill to address all service needs of their clients and acting as a resource for FAs on the team.
Once you have reached your key milestones, including proficiency in your current role and the completion of experiential activities showcasing your ability to become an advisor, you will then progress into the next stage of the Advisor Development Program, beginning building a book of business as a Financial Advisor trainee. You will complete dedicated training preparing you for this role and once complete you will continue to work in a Merrill office where you will be acquiring, building, and managing client relationships while considering a client’s complex financial picture and guiding them with advice and solutions.
Once you complete your performance requirements as a Financial Advisor trainee you will reach the ultimate destination of becoming a Merrill Financial Advisor. You will be supported along the way with dedicated programs, tools, and resources throughout your career journey.
The Advisor Development Program consists of progressive roles to ultimately become a Merrill Financial Advisor. Our progressive roles in the Advisor Development Program engage in:
- Developing a book of business in order to meet and exceed established performance hurdles
- Effectively prioritizing and sourcing prospective clients, capitalizing on referrals, assessing customer needs, referring customers to the appropriate internal specialists, and executing highly customized solutions to meet client needs
- Recommending investment products and services that are suitable for prospects based on their objectives, resources, time horizon, risk profile and preferences
- Balancing investment growth, referral activities, customer follow up, prospect building, administrative compliance and personal growth and development according to both a day-to-day and longer-term planning
- Organizing and managing resources (time, people, budget) to run a productive practice
- Seeking the expertise of specialists, where appropriate, to identify planning and investment strategies for a client
- Completing mandated training, assessments, performance goals and continuing education requirements
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Displays confidence working as a self-starter in a sales role
- Builds strong client relationships through effective communication and collaboration
- Displays a proactive mindset and effective time management
- Demonstrates a results-driven growth mindset and prioritizes client interests
- Identifies appropriate client solutions through application of learnings and new information
- Exceptional interpersonal and relationship building skills
- Effective communication skills (written and verbal)
- Proven ability to quickly build trust and credibility
- Proven ability to assess needs of and recommend appropriate solutions
- Proven ability to work both collaboratively on a team with key partners and independently
- Proven ability to listen and probe for clarity and understanding
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a proven ability to source clients through extensive prospecting and networking
- Strong follow-through skills
- Computer/technical literacy and proficiency in applications such as Microsoft Suite
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree and/or a minimum of one year of work experience
- Learns and adapts to new technology or applications
- Executes multiple tasks simultaneously
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
- Partners with Financial Advisors, Client Relationship Managers, and Market Supervision Managers on all aspects of client servicing, risk, investments, and banking products, while receiving appropriate guidance and escalating issues as needed
- Provides excellent Client Service to the bank's clients through educating them on all of the bank's service and banking offerings
- Ensures timeliness, accuracy, and completeness in client materials and follows up on all client and Financial Advisor (FA) requests
- Assists with ensuring practices are in alignment with the bank's policies and procedures to support operational excellence, protect the bank's clients, and manage risk
- Identifies, deepens, and maintains client relationships through emphasizing the bank's offerings and promoting incorporation of banking into day-to-day practices, while communicating outputs to the FA
- Performs general business growth support functions aligned to the role of the Client Associate or Wealth Management Client Associate, providing business development, investment solutions, and/or business management support to multiple FAs
SKILLS
- Account Management
- Client Management
- Customer and Client Focus
- Issue Management
- Oral Communications
- Business Development
- Client Solutions Advisory
- Pipeline Management
- Prioritization
- Trade Operations Management
- Administrative Services
- Client Investments Management
- Emotional Intelligence
- Referral Identification
- Written Communications
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
High School Diploma / GED / Secondary School or equivalent
This position is subject to SAFE Act registration requirements. Pursuant to the SAFE Act requirements, all employees engaged in residential loan mortgage originations must register with the federal registry system and remain in good standing. Since your position requires SAFE Act registration, you will be required to register and to submit to the required SAFE Act background check and registration process. Failure to obtain and/or maintain SAFE Act registration may result in your immediate termination.
SHIFT
1st shift (United States of America)
HOURS PER WEEK
37.5
Program Associate Job Roles in North Carolina
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Search Program Associate Jobs in North CarolinaProgram Associate Jobs in North Carolina: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for program associates in North Carolina?
Organizations with consistent sponsorship track records for program associate roles in North Carolina include RTI International, Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and large financial institutions headquartered in Charlotte such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Nonprofits, research institutes, and healthcare systems in the Research Triangle area also sponsor these roles with some regularity, particularly when candidates hold specialized degrees.
Which visa types are most common for program associate roles in North Carolina?
The H-1B visa is the most frequently used visa for program associate roles, provided the position qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field. Some candidates already in the U.S. on F-1 OPT or STEM OPT may be working in these roles before their employer pursues H-1B visa sponsorship. Research or university-affiliated positions occasionally use J-1 visa exchange visitor status as well.
Which cities in North Carolina have the most program associate sponsorship jobs?
The Research Triangle, encompassing Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, accounts for the highest concentration of program associate sponsorship opportunities in North Carolina, driven by its density of universities, research institutions, and policy-focused nonprofits. Charlotte is the second major hub, particularly for program associates in financial services and corporate social responsibility functions. Greensboro and Winston-Salem have smaller but active markets tied to healthcare and education sectors.
How to find program associate visa sponsorship jobs in North Carolina?
Migrate Mate filters program associate jobs specifically by visa sponsorship, so you can browse North Carolina opportunities without sorting through employers unlikely to sponsor. The platform surfaces roles at research institutes, universities, nonprofits, and corporate employers across the Research Triangle and Charlotte. Using Migrate Mate lets you focus on organizations that have actively sponsored international candidates for program associate positions rather than applying broadly and discovering sponsorship limitations late in the process.
Are there state-specific factors that affect visa sponsorship for program associates in North Carolina?
North Carolina's high concentration of research universities and federally funded institutes creates a pipeline of employers already familiar with sponsoring international staff, which can simplify the process compared to states with fewer such institutions. The Research Triangle Park corridor in particular has institutional infrastructure supporting international hiring. Prevailing wage determinations for program associate roles are set by the Department of Labor based on the specific county and job duties, so compensation requirements vary between Raleigh, Charlotte, and smaller metro areas.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored program associate jobs in North Carolina?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.