Assistant Manager – Executive Performance & Reward Services (EPRS)

CO_SANFPL Apex Fund & Corporate Services SA (Pty) Ltd; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 520,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

Apex Group is seeking an Assistant Manager for Executive Performance & Reward Services (EPRS) to support a portfolio of client entities, including employee benefit trusts and share plans. The role involves day‑to‑day ownership of client matters, supervising juniors, and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders across jurisdictions.

The successful candidate will bring fiduciary and governance experience, strong organizational skills, and excellent communication in English, enabling

Qualifications

• Relevant experience within trust, corporate, fiduciary, employee benefits, share plan or a comparable professional or financial services environment.
• Experience managing or taking significant responsibility for a portfolio of clients or entities.
• Experience reviewing work and providing guidance to junior team members.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail and high levels of accuracy.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to identify issues, exercise appropriate judgement and elevate matters proportionately.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships across jurisdictions and with external stakeholders.
• Good understanding of corporate governance and working within governing documentation, delegated authorities and established procedures.
• Experience of employee benefit trusts, employee share plans, nominee arrangements and/or securities administration would be advantageous.
• A relevant professional qualification, or progress towards one, in trust administration, governance, law, accounting or a related discipline would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop understanding of allocated client portfolios and requirements.
• Plan and monitor client deliverables and regulatory obligations.
• Oversee administration of employee benefit trusts and share plans.
• Coordinate and review share plan activity including acquisitions and vestings.
• Ensure transactions are supported and documented per deeds and rules.
• Review minutes, resolutions and client documentation.
• Provide supervision and coaching to junior team members.
• Escalate issues to Managers or Directors.
• Liaise with clients, lawyers, tax advisers and bankers.
• Maintain accurate client records and workflows.
• Identify and elevate operational, legal or regulatory risks.
• Ensure adherence to Apex policies and compliance.
• Support new business, onboarding, plan changes and terminations.
• Contribute to process improvements across EPRS.

Skills

Fiduciary services

Share plans experience

Client portfolio management

Governance knowledge

English communication

Stakeholder liaison

Job description

Assistant Manager – Executive Performance & Reward Services (EPRS)

The Apex Group was established in Bermuda in 2003 and is now one of the world’s largest fund administration and middle office solutions providers. Our business is unique in its ability to reach globally, service locally and provide cross-jurisdictional services. With our clients at the heart of everything we do, our hard-working team has successfully delivered on an unprecedented growth and transformation journey, and we are now represented by over circa 13,000 employees across 112 offices worldwide.Your career with us should reflect your energy and passion. That’s why, at Apex Group, we will do more than simply ‘empower’ you. We will work to supercharge your unique skills and experience. Take the lead and we’ll give you the support you need to be at the top of your game. And we offer you the freedom to be a positive disrupter and turn big ideas into bold, industry-changing realities. For our business, for clients, and for you

Role Purpose

To support the management and delivery of a portfolio of clients within the EPRS division, including employee benefit trusts, employee share plans, nominee arrangements and associated corporate structures. The Assistant Manager will take day-to-day ownership of allocated client matters, supervise and review the work of junior team members and act as a key point of contact between the South African administration team, client-facing teams and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a detailed understanding of allocated client portfolios, governing documentation, share plans and client-specific requirements;
• Plan, coordinate and monitor client deliverables, transactions and statutory or regulatory obligations to ensure deadlines and service standards are met;
• Oversee the administration of employee benefit trusts, share plans, nominee arrangements and associated corporate entities;
• Coordinate and review share plan activity including share acquisitions and disposals, vestings, option exercises, share transfers, distributions, funding and other corporate actions;
• Ensure transactions are appropriately supported, authorised and documented in accordance with trust deeds, plan rules, corporate authorities and internal procedures;
• Review minutes, resolutions, correspondence, transaction documentation, board/trustee packs and other work prepared by administrators and senior administrators;
• Provide day-to-day supervision, technical guidance and coaching to junior team members, including allocation and monitoring of workloads;
• Act as an escalation point for routine operational and technical matters, identifying issues requiring referral to Managers, Senior Managers or Directors;
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders including clients, lawyers, tax advisers, brokers, custodians, registrars, auditors and bankers;
• Ensure client records, registers, workflows, diaries and client-specific procedures are maintained accurately and kept up to date;
• Identify and promptly elevate operational, legal, regulatory or client risks;
• Ensure adherence to applicable Apex policies, procedures, controls and compliance requirements;
• Support new business, client onboarding, plan implementations, structural changes and client termination activities;
• and Contribute to process improvements and the development of consistent working practices across the EPRS team.

Skills & Experience

• Relevant experience within trust, corporate, fiduciary, employee benefits, share plan or a comparable professional or financial services environment;
• Experience managing or taking significant responsibility for a portfolio of clients or entities;
• Experience reviewing work and providing guidance to junior team members;
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines;
• Excellent attention to detail and high levels of accuracy;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English;
• Ability to identify issues, exercise appropriate judgement and elevate matters proportionately;
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships across jurisdictions and with external stakeholders;
• Good understanding of corporate governance and working within governing documentation, delegated authorities and established procedures;
• Experience of employee benefit trusts, employee share plans, nominee arrangements and/or securities administration would be advantageous;
• A relevant professional qualification, or progress towards one, in trust administration, governance, law, accounting or a related discipline would be advantageous.

Key Competencies

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to engage effectively across teams, jurisdictions and levels of seniority;
• Proactive and accountable, taking ownership of matters through to completion;
• Sound judgement and initiative, with a pragmatic and solutions-focused approach to problem solving;
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, client-focused environment;
• Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills;
• Confident in supervising, coaching and providing constructive feedback to junior team members, encouraging accountability and development;
• Adaptable and quick to learn, with the curiosity and capability to develop a strong understanding of the technical requirements of EPRS;
• Confident in asking questions and constructively challenging where appropriate, with the confidence to communicate concerns and proposed solutions clearly;
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing deadlines;
• High standards of accuracy, attention to detail and quality.

Disclaimer: Unsolicited CVs sent to Apex (Talent Acquisition Team or Hiring Managers) by recruitment agencies will not be accepted for this position. Apex operates a direct sourcing model and where agency assistance is required, the Talent Acquisition team will engage directly with our exclusive recruitment partners.

About Apex Group

We are dedicated to driving positive change in financial services while fuelling the growth and ambitions of asset managers, allocators, financial institutions, and family offices. Established in Bermuda in 2003, the Group has continually disrupted the asset serving industry through our investment in innovation and talent. Today, we set the pace in asset servicing and stand out for our unique single-source solution and unified cross asset-class platform which supports the entire value chain, harnesses leading innovative technology, and benefits from cross-jurisdictional expertise delivered by a long-standing management team and over 13,000 highly integrated professionals. We’re a people-powered business, and our people are full of ambition. Together, we’re inspired to lead the new era of data and tech enabled service. Bringing new products and services to market. Sharpening our client focus. Disrupting the market to exceed expectations. Innovating across a range of specialisms. With our focus on making a difference to our people, our planet and our society, you’ll experience more here than you would at most other companies. Prepare to accelerate. We’re a people-powered business with a vision to inspire a new era of service-led FinTech. We’re expanding globally and offering more to our clients. This means you get more opportunities to grow with us. So prepare to accelerate. We’ll make sure the time and effort you put in takes you further, faster. Positive change starts with you. We’re a people-powered business with a vision to inspire a new era of service-led FinTech. We’re expanding globally and offering more to our clients. This means you get more opportunities to grow with us. So prepare to accelerate. We’ll make sure the time and effort you put in takes you further, faster. The journey is yours to own. When you stretch yourself, you grow. We want you to explore ways of working that will see you thrive as part of something bigger. We’ll help you with a solid structure, challenging projects, vibrant networks, supportive colleagues and approachable leaders. All the things you need to own your unique journey. Find out more about us