Institutional Business Operations Manager

Closing Date

2025/12/19

Reference Number

COR

Job Title

Institutional Business Operations Manager

Job Type Classification

Permanent

Location - Country

South Africa

Location - Province

Western Cape

Location - Town / City

Cape Town

Job Description

To lead and manage the full institutional client delivery function, overseeing a multidisciplinary team responsible for client service and new business operations, communications, presentation material, events, reporting, data, and project execution. This role ensures that all elements of client-facing execution – from daily deliverables to strategic initiatives – are delivered timeously with excellence, efficiency, and alignment to the company's standards. The role will also ensure that systems, workflows, and operational processes are continuously reviewed and improved, leveraging off innovation where appropriate across all client delivery and new business activities.

In addition to leadership responsibilities, the incumbent will be expected when necessary to actively contribute to hands-on task delivery as a flexible team member, particularly during periods of high demand or capacity constraints, to ensure deadlines are met and service excellence is maintained.

Duties and Responsibilities

Team Leadership & People Management:

• Manage a team including Client Associates, Communications Specialist, Presentation Co-ordinators, Event Co-ordinator, Data Analyst.

• Set clear objectives, provide coaching and feedback, conduct performance reviews, and drive a culture of high standards and collaboration.

• Monitor team workload and reassign resources as needed to meet business priorities.

• Collaborate proactively with other senior team members to ensure a seamless workflow within the wider team and foster effective collaboration with other departments where needed to ensure alignment and efficient cross-functional delivery. Handle complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and follow- up to ensure resolution.

Client Associate Oversight:

• Oversee day-to-day execution of all client deliverables including reports, meeting packs, onboarding documentation and FICA/AML requirements, DDQ's, tenders, ad hoc requests and completion of databases.

• Ensure accuracy, consistency, and timely delivery across all outputs.

• Develop service-level expectations and task tracking for better visibility and accountability.

Communications & Content Delivery:

• Work closely with the Communications Specialist to maintain and improve client content quality.

• Ensure consistent brand tone and language across platforms.

• Deliver accurate, timely communication to internal and external stakeholders. This includes ensuring a communications pipeline is maintained and monitored, with clear timelines for all re-occurring and ad hoc communications.

Presentation & Visual Material Coordination:

• Supervise Presentation Co-ordinators to maintain visual standards across all decks and presentation material.

• Support preparation of pitch decks, reviews, and bespoke client content.

• Obtain regular feedback from stakeholders with a view to continuously improving the quality of presentations and refinements of process where needed.

Event Management Oversight:

• Support and guide the Event Co-ordinator in planning, project managing and executing all client events.

• Ensure events align with client strategy and brand positioning.

• Review post-event insights and feedback to improve future planning.

Data, Reporting & Management Information:

• Oversee the Data Analyst to produce and maintain management dashboards and client analytics.

• Develop regular reporting that informs client trends, team performance, and project progress.

• Use data insights to inform improvements in service delivery, efficiency, and risk management.

• Ensure that team members, where applicable, are inputting data timeously to enable accurate, timely and integrated management information

Project & Process Management:

• Own the pipeline of strategic and operational projects within the CIB team.

• Drive execution of key initiatives such as onboarding redesign, report automation, FFS, system.

• Track progress, manage stakeholders, and mitigate risks to delivery timelines. Ensure all cross-functional teams are engaged early in projects, identify impacts on their areas, and provide the necessary inputs and deliverables to enable successful implementation.

• AI integration and adoption.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Act as the escalation point for service delivery issues across the client team.

• Identify and implement opportunities to improve workflows and leverage technology.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Investments, Compliance, IT, Finance, Implementation, Operations and Marketing. Ensure appropriate cross-functional SLAs are in place, monitored and complied with.

• Promote a culture of learning and knowledge sharing within the team and cross-functionally

• Assist with task delivery, particularly within the CA Team, when necessary

Ideal Experience

• 10+ years' experience in a client service or operations leadership role within investment management or financial services.

• Proven experience managing teams across multiple workstreams.

• Strong familiarity with client-facing deliverables, reporting tools, CRM systems and events.

Ideal Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in Business and/or Finance

Most Important Attribute

• Good people manager.

• Strong project and workflow management capability.

• Excellent communication, delegation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels, from junior team members to senior leadership.

Systems Knowledge

• MS Office – Outlook, Excel, and Word

• Knowledge of the Salesforce system would be an