As a financial planning expert, you will work in a variety of functions in the financial services sector, e.g. in financial planning, management consulting, occupational pensions and corporate insurance, in the credit and trading departments of banking institutions and in auditing companies. This opens up interesting career and earning opportunities.

An SME financial expert with a federal diploma has the following skills:

• SME financial experts have in-depth knowledge of tax and insurance issues, pension planning and legal matters.
• When it comes to succession planning, they know whether a merger, division or concentration, reorganization, demerger or change of legal form is an option.
• You are familiar with the preparation and execution of corporate transactions.
• In addition to technical skills, they also have social skills.
• They are able to provide assistance in resolving conflicts and in credit or sales negotiations.

As a federally certified financial planning expert, you should meet the following personal requirements:

• analytical skills
• strong sense of responsibility
• Ability to lead employees and work in a team
• Ability to develop, implement and control projects
• Good knowledge of business administration, finance and accounting
• Organizational talent

The training lasts 50 days and lasts 16 months. It can be completed on a part-time basis. Those who subsequently complete and pass the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) may use the title of certified SME financial expert.

An SME financial expert performs the following tasks:

• Advice and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on all financial and corporate strategy issues, in particular succession planning and private financial planning
• secure financing and ensure that the company is attractive to providers of equity or debt capital
• Financial planning when setting up a business
• Identify strategic opportunities, but also gaps and weaknesses of the company
• Develop and implement corporate strategy
• Define corporate goals and develop measures
• sustainably improve the financial and future viability of the company

• Change management
• Holistic management
• Management of human capital
• Succession and value development process
• Project management
• Law
• Private financial planning
• Risk Management
• Negotiation and conflict resolution
• Taxes
• Financing for SMEs
• Integrated SME financial consulting
• Corporate transactions

Anyone wishing to register for the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) to become an SME financial expert (outdated designation: financial planning expert) is required to provide proof of the following admission requirements:

• Completed Federal Professional Examination in Financial Planning with Federal Diploma of Higher Education or equivalent qualification
• Professional experience of at least four years in the financial services industry
• Passed module certificates:
  • Holistic management, succession and advertising development processes, change management
  • Project management
  • Management of human capital
  • Negotiation and conflict resolution
  • Financing for SMEs
  • Risk Management
  • Law
  • Taxes
  • Corporate transactions
  • Private financial planning

• Diploma in Business Administration CHE
• Graduate banker CHE
• Insurance economist CHE

Universities of Applied Sciences offer Bachelor's degree programs in Business Administration with various specializations, such as Controlling and Accounting or Banking and Finance. Postgraduate courses could also be of interest to you, e.g. in the form of a Master of Advanced Studies in Financial Consulting or Private Banking and Wealth Management.