Senior Fund Administrator

Role purpose

The Senior Fund Administrator is responsible for overseeing off-market trade processing, on the end-to-end administration of Unit Trusts and Unitised traded instruments. This role involves managing the full trade lifecycle, ensuring timely settlements, performing reconciliations, and addressing client queries efficiently. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in fund administration, trade support, and financial operations.

Key Responsibilities

Fund Administration

• Oversee and review all transactions across Unit Trusts and Unitised traded instruments to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Execute confirmation and settlement instructions for all trades, ensuring accuracy and timely processing.
• Conduct reconciliations related to valuations, cash, units, and confirmations to maintain data integrity.
• Address and resolve client queries efficiently, ensuring a high standard of service and responsiveness.
• Assist the manager in monitoring daily tasks to ensure completeness and accuracy of processes.
• Generate and analyse MIS reports related to trade volumes, key controls, and process/system performance to identify and mitigate risks.
• Maintain and support trade processes throughout the trade lifecycle, ensuring proper execution and record-keeping.

Reporting and Analysis

• Assist the team manager in the escalation, drafting, and review of incident reports, ensuring timely and accurate documentation of issues when required.
• Support audit and regulatory reporting processes, ensuring all documentation is accurate, complete, and in compliance with industry regulations.

Compliance and Regulatory

• Ensure all deadlines are met and escalate any issues promptly and appropriately to minimise risks and operational disruptions.
• Ensure adherence to relevant regulations and industry standards, maintaining compliance across all processes and reporting requirements.
• Oversee the ongoing development and updating of procedures, ensuring best practices are maintained.

Stakeholder collaboration

• Act as the main point of contact for clients, fund managers, and custodians regarding off-market transactions.
• Work closely with internal teams, including risk, compliance, and legal, to mitigate operational risks.

Ad-Hoc Tasks

• Perform ad-hoc accounting and reporting tasks as requested by clients or management.
• Ensure ad-hoc requests are handled efficiently and accurately.
• Identify and drive process improvement initiatives to meet the demands of a developing product set, client base and trading growth.

Competencies

• Adaptability & Resilience: The ability to be flexible and work effectively in a variety of changing situations, environments, and with diverse individuals and groups.
• Attention to Detail: The ability to thoroughly focus on the finer aspects of a task, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and quality in their work.
• Client Focus: The ability to prioritise and address the needs and expectations of clients or customers, ensuring their satisfaction and fostering long-term relationships.
• Effective communication: The ability to clearly convey information, ideas, and expectations through various channels, while also listening actively and understanding others' perspectives.
• Numerical Skills: The ability to understand, interpret, and work with numbers effectively.
• Problem-Solving & Analytical Skills: The ability to identify problems, brainstorm and analyse answers, and implement the best solutions.
• Teamwork & Collaboration: The ability to work effectively with others, both within a team and across teams or departments, to achieve shared goals.
• Time Management: The ability to effectively manages time and resources to meet deadlines; prioritises tasks based on importance and urgency; balances multiple tasks and projects efficiently and handles interruptions effectively.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or related field.
• 3+ years experience in financial services (investment management) industry
• Diploma or course in SA Financial Market Instruments will be an advantage
• Previous trade cycle experience in Unit Trusts and the Unitised trading process would be advantageous.
• Good knowledge and understanding of the Financial Markets and Financial instruments.
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite, particularly Excel.