Security Valuation Specialist

Vanguard; Scottsdale (AZ); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard's Security Pricing team seeks a Security Valuation/Fund Accountant, Specialist to help value fixed income, equity, and FX investments across Vanguard funds and institutional products. You will analyze prices, resolve complex pricing issues, and ensure valuation integrity and timely reporting to committees.

This role requires collaboration with Investment Management, fund advisors, data vendors, custodians, pricing governance bodies, and audit/compliance teams.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree (Accounting or Finance preferred) or equivalent experience is preferred.
• A minimum of three years' general experience or two years' industry experience. Accounting or finance related experience preferred.
• Excellent analytical ability, research and time management skills.
• Working knowledge of various technologies (MS Office, Bloomberg, Reuters Eikon, etc.).
• Proven teamwork capabilities; strong relationship management and interpersonal skills.
• Attentive to details and deadlines; ability to manage multiple initiatives. Strong project management, planning and organizational skills.
• Experience in the development and implementation of initiatives from strategy through to execution.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to organize and present information in a clear and concise way to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to work in a multi-site environment and support Global Fund Accounting operations and initiatives.
• Experience in Corporate Actions and OTC Derivatives pricing is preferred

Responsibilities

• Research, analyze, and determines security valuations in order to ensure timely and accurate valuations of all securities and foreign exchange rates held within domestically and internationally domiciled mutual funds, Separately Managed Accounts and institutional products.
• Ensures that the process strictly adheres to the funds' prospectus and/or Board of Directors' (BOD) pricing policies, and reviews relevant reporting to be provided to the Pricing Review Committee and BOD.
• Independently identifies and resolves complex operational issues and assists less tenured crew.
• Supports the management team with review of daily, weekly and monthly pricing deliverables.
• Takes the initiative to create or modify processes to support fund initiatives, financial statement reporting requirements, and regulatory changes.
• Serves as liaison between the Investment Management Group, fund advisors, third-party data vendors, custodian banks, pricing governing bodies, and audit and compliance teams when issues or opportunities arise.
• Represents Vanguard professionally within stakeholder interactions as a subject-matter-expert.
• Proactively resolves elevated issues relating to stakeholder relationships and can elevate as necessary to management.
• Leads business critical projects by completing a comprehensive impact analysis, recommending appropriate solutions, and participating in the implementation process.
• Able to effectively communicate with project team members, stakeholders, and sponsors.
• Partners with project managers/leads, business clients, department leadership, and IT to determine the scope and requirements for efforts related to FFS 2020, a multiyear organizational transformation program.
• Provides coaching and training to support on-boarding and continuous education activities to build subject matter expertise.
• Coaches others and provides feedback to crew and management on various operational items and project management activities.
• Identifies process improvement opportunities and proactively propose solutions to senior management.
• Identifies and resolves mission critical process concerns independently.
• Acts as a lead of an initiative team to foster an effective work environment, collects and reports on VUE metrics, maintains effective controls to mitigate risk, ensures contingency preparedness, supports and maintains end user computing tools, and/or supports new product launches as they relate to Security Pricing.
• Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.
• Facilitates department overviews and sit-with sessions to prospective new hire and rotational candidates and provides feedback to management team.

Skills

Analytical ability

Time management

Teamwork

Communication

Detail oriented

Project management

Multi-site coordination

Adaptability

Education

Accounting/Finance degree

Tools

MS Office

Bloomberg

Reuters Eikon

Job description

Join Vanguard's Security Pricing team in a critical role supporting the accurate valuation of fixed income, equity, and foreign exchange investments across Vanguard funds and institutional products.

As a Security Valuation/Fund Accountant, Specialist, you'll combine your analytical and financial expertise with opportunities to solve complex pricing issues, lead key initiatives, and partner across investment, accounting, audit, compliance, and external organizations. This is an opportunity to build deep subject-matter expertise while directly supporting the accuracy and integrity of Vanguard's fund valuations.

Responsibilities

• Research, analyze, and determines security valuations in order to ensure timely and accurate valuations of all securities and foreign exchange rates held within domestically and internationally domiciled mutual funds, Separately Managed Accounts and institutional products. Ensures that the process strictly adheres to the funds' prospectus and/or Board of Directors' (BOD) pricing policies, and reviews relevant reporting to be provided to the Pricing Review Committee and BOD.
• Independently identifies and resolves complex operational issues and assists less tenured crew. Supports the management team with review of daily, weekly and monthly pricing deliverables. Takes the initiative to create or modify processes to support fund initiatives, financial statement reporting requirements, and regulatory changes.
• Serves as liaison between the Investment Management Group, fund advisors, third-party data vendors, custodian banks, pricing governing bodies, and audit and compliance teams when issues or opportunities arise. Represents Vanguard professionally within stakeholder interactions as a subject-matter-expert. Proactively resolves elevated issues relating to stakeholder relationships and can elevate as necessary to management.
• Leads business critical projects by completing a comprehensive impact analysis, recommending appropriate solutions, and participating in the implementation process. Able to effectively communicate with project team members, stakeholders, and sponsors. Partners with project managers/leads, business clients, department leadership, and IT to determine the scope and requirements for efforts related to FFS 2020, a multiyear organizational transformation program.
• Provides coaching and training to support on-boarding and continuous education activities to build subject matter expertise. Coaches others and provides feedback to crew and management on various operational items and project management activities.
• Identifies process improvement opportunities and proactively propose solutions to senior management. Identifies and resolves mission critical process concerns independently.
• Acts as a lead of an initiative team to foster an effective work environment, collects and reports on VUE metrics, maintains effective controls to mitigate risk, ensures contingency preparedness, supports and maintains end user computing tools, and/or supports new product launches as they relate to Security Pricing.
• Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned. Facilitates department overviews and sit-with sessions to prospective new hire and rotational candidates and provides feedback to management team.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree (Accounting or Finance preferred) or equivalent experience is preferred.
• A minimum of three years' general experience or two years' industry experience. Accounting or finance related experience preferred.
• Excellent analytical ability, research and time management skills.
• Working knowledge of various technologies (MS Office, Bloomberg, Reuters Eikon, etc.).
• Proven teamwork capabilities; strong relationship management and interpersonal skills.
• Attentive to details and deadlines; ability to manage multiple initiatives. Strong project management, planning and organizational skills.
• Experience in the development and implementation of initiatives from strategy through to execution.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to organize and present information in a clear and concise way to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to work in a multi-site environment and support Global Fund Accounting operations and initiatives.
• Experience in Corporate Actions and OTC Derivatives pricing is preferred

Special Factors

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission-we're on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person le