Investment Operations Specialist – Multi Asset Fund Manager

Our client, a City based MultiAsset fund manager is seeking a highly experienced Investment Operations person with 8 years minimum experience of fund operations, security settlements and various other duties. They are seeking a self starter who can join the team confidently and hit the ground running. Current AUM is circa £10+ billion with over 170 employees in the UK.

Overall Job Purpose

• Oversight with the tema for our outsourced custody and middle/back-office functions responsible for trade processing, matching and settlement; security reconciliations and standing data maintenance, all within agreed quality, timing, and output targets, together with NAV reconciliation (investment trusts) and Corporate Actions.
• Responsible for supporting trading desk and fund managers. React to and resolve issues as and when they arise, so must have a thorough understanding of the end-to-end investment management process.
• Manage and deliver projects as directed by the Senior Investment Services Manager and the Head of Investment Services.
• Act as cover / support for the Head of Investment Services - Fixed Income during periods of absence / busy periods.

General Support

• Support Senior Investment Services Manager and Head of Investment Services with their responsibilities as required.
• Implement, manage and contribute towards projects as required (i.e. system, product and regulatory changes).
• Act as a subject matter expert for custody and middle/back-office issues.
• Contribute to oversight program for all functions carried out by third party vendors.
• Provide support to the Head of Investment Services - Fixed Income

Middle Office

• Review daily reconciliation of stock and cash between Bloomberg AIM and NT IOO records and assist in the investigation of breaks where necessary.
• Daily portfolio reconciliation against the fund administrators / custodian NAV reports; investigation of all differences outside of agreed tolerance levels, updating of cash positions on Bloomberg AIM to agree to NAV reports (investment trusts)
• Any other reconciliation requirements (e.g. structured product pricing).
• Monitoring all aspects of derivative lifecycle (ETF and OTC).
• Investigate and resolve any breaks with prime brokers and fund administrators (CFD trading).
• Ensure that all regulatory reporting is carried out either internally or by outsource partners accurately and within deadlines.
• Monitor oversight of daily Bloomberg RHUB function, including management of periodic reconciliation and maintenance of associated issues log.
• Respond to queries from internal and external partners and clients and escalate where necessary to senior managers.
• Instruction of Investment Manager decisions for all non-mandatory corporate actions to third party administrator / custodian.
• Completion and maintenance of tax documentation (e.g. W-8BEN-E).
• Production of Internal MI as requested.
• Monitoring trade flow to outsourced middle office.
• Process security and FX trades; instruct settlement of trade transactions in line with the underlying fund’s valuation points and reporting requirements.
• Utilising CTM OMGEO, monitor trade matching process, check output, record unmatched items and then follow up (investment trusts).
• Send trade instructions to fund administrator via web portal upload or email and ensure all transaction cut-off periods are met (investment trusts).
• Issue settlement instructions for trades (utilising CTM OMGEO, web portal upload or via fax) and other transaction types to custodian within agreed timescales (investment trusts).
• Match security trades based on details received from fund managers and brokers; resolve trade discrepancies with brokers.
• Liaise internally with Dealing Desk to update trades; check output to ensure that details are accurately reflected onto the portfolios.
• Follow up queries with client / brokers; daily check of failed trades information received from custodian as well as investigating interest claims that have been received.
• Ensure trade confirmations where required, are received from brokers.
• Process fund payments, notifying fund managers of cash movements.
• Process and submission of placing / sub-underwriting participation documentation, including onward reporting to fund administrators / custodians for settlement & inclusion in NAV(s) where applicable.
• Reconciliation of month end financing fees, interest (CFD trading).
• Month end stock reconciliations to custodian records (investment trusts/seg mandates).