Fidelity Investments plans to hire dozens of new associates in the Houston region this year as part of a nationwide expansion effort.
The Boston-based financial services firm announced earlier in April that it would be adding approximately 4,000 licensed representatives, technologists and customer service representatives across its U.S. footprint over the next six months. Of those 4,000 planned additions, Fidelity aims to hire around 1,000 remote financial planners in more than 20 markets.
The firm is immediately hiring for more than 50 new associates based in the Houston metro region, said Janelle O’Haugherty, a spokesperson for Fidelity Investments. The new financial planners will mostly work remotely but will occasionally gather at local Fidelity offices and branch locations for team meetings, training and other events and activities, the company said. Fidelity aims to have the remote financial planners hired in the Houston region by the end of the third quarter.
Fidelity is also targeting headcount expansions in cities like Philadelphia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Phoenix; Los Angeles; Seattle; and more.
“Growing our U.S. footprint and expanding our technology teams will allow us to source diverse and innovative talent to meet our customers’ changing financial needs today and in the future,” said Mark Barlow, general manager of personal investing for Fidelity.
The hiring effort comes as Fidelity looks to bolster its staffing to better serve retail, workplace and intermediary customers, the company said. With increased call volumes amid market uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic, Fidelity “rapidly accelerated” its hiring efforts to meet growing customer demand for its services. During 2020, the company hired 7,200 new associates across its U.S. footprint, 5,150 of whom were in client-facing roles.
Fidelity Investments has more than $10.2 trillion in assets under management and employs more than 47,000 associates. Fidelity has eight branch locations in the greater Houston region, including in Houston, Friendswood, Katy, Sugar Land and The Woodlands, according to its website.
This article originally appeared on Houston Business Journal.
