Senior Manager - Private Equity (Fund Accounting & Administration)

Apex Group Ltd (Uk Branch); Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Apex Group Ltd (UK Branch) is seeking a Senior Manager for Private Equity Fund Accounting in Cape Town, South Africa. In this permanent role, you'll be responsible for end-to-end fund administration and client engagement, overseeing operations and leading teams. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years in PE fund accounting, including 3+ years at a managerial level, and strong proficiency in client management, process improvement, and financial reporting under IFRS. Competitive compensation and a supportive work environment are offered.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Private Equity Fund accounting and administration.
• 3+ years at managerial level.
• Experience preparing/reviewing financial statements under IFRS or relevant GAAP.

Responsibilities

• Deliver end-to-end Private Equity fund administration.
• Oversee client engagement and operational oversight.
• Lead process improvements and team developments.

Skills

PE Fund accounting and administration experience

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Excel skills

People leadership

Education

Relevant degree in finance, accounting or related field

Tools

eFront

Allvue

GL/investor reporting tools

Job description

Job Title: Senior Manager – Private Equity Fund Accounting and Administration

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Employment type: Permanent

Reporting to: Locally to Head of Private Equity Operations (South Africa) and internationally to the Client Director

Role Summary

The Senior Manager is accountable for end-to-end delivery of Private Equity fund administration for one or more strategic clients. You will provide hands-on operational oversight and senior client engagement, acting as the escalation point for complex delivery, technical and risk matters. Working across Fund Administration and adjacent service lines (ManCo, AIFM support, Depositary), you will coordinate stakeholders to deliver accurate, on-time outputs, strengthen controls, drive process improvement, and coach VPs and Managers.

Key Deliverables (KPIs)

• On-time, accurate delivery of agreed outputs (NAV/financial packs, capital activity, investor reporting, and other scoped deliverables).
• Own escalations end-to-end (root cause, remediation, and prevention).
• Audit-ready delivery and strong control outcomes (timely closure of queries; adherence to governance standards).
• Proactive operational risk management for assigned clients (identify, mitigate, monitor).
• Lead and develop the Manager / Assistant Manager (coaching, delegation, performance, retention).
• Deliver measurable process improvements (reduced defects/rework, shorter cycle times, lower risk).

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Client Engagement (Hands-On)

• Own delivery for one or more strategic/complex clients, staying close to day-to-day execution where required.
• Build deep knowledge of the client’s strategy, governance, operating model, and priorities.
• Be the client’s trusted operational partner; support Manager / Assistant Manager on communications while remaining visibly engaged on key topics.

Operational Escalation & Problem Solving

• Primary escalation point for complex operational, technical, and delivery issues.
• Lead cross-team resolution across jurisdictions/service lines with clear ownership and deadlines.
• Balance priorities, client impact, and operational risk; drive root-causes fixes (not workarounds).

Cross-Service & Internal Navigation

• Navigate the organisation on behalf of clients across Fund Accounting and Administration and adjacent areas (ManCo, AIFM support, Depositary, Onboarding, Compliance and Risk).
• Align internal teams and messaging; ensure issues are owned and not handled in silos.
• Set clear ways of working and expectations for both clients and internal stakeholders.

Technical & Delivery Oversight

• Interpret LPAs/side letters and ensure terms are correctly operationalised (fees, waterfalls, reporting).
• Perform senior reviews of key deliverables and strengthen review frameworks across the team.
• Maintain oversight across the broader portfolio while staying close to delivery detail.

Team Leadership & Capability

• Lead, coach and develop VPs/Managers in escalations, prioritisation and senior client engagement.
• Set standards for operational excellence, accountability and quality across the team.

Risk, Control & Quality

• Own operational risk for assigned clients; ensure adherence to control frameworks, governance and internal policies.
• Lead responses to audits, due diligence requests and internal quality reviews for strategic clients.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify recurring issues and drive scalable improvements in process, controls and ways of working.
• Support change initiatives including fund launches, migrations, transitions and system enhancements.

Required Experience, Qualifications & Skills

• 8+ years’ PE Fund accounting and administration experience, including 3+ years at managerial level.
• Experience preparing/reviewing fund financial statements and reporting under IFRS or relevant GAAP framework, including audit support.
• Proven escalation management for complex funds/clients with strong judgement and prioritisation.
• Strong working knowledge of LPAs/side letters and translating terms into operations (fees, waterfalls, reporting).
• Experience coordinating delivery across multiple service lines and stakeholders.
• Private equity systems exposure preferably eFront or Allvue. Demonstrated strong Excel skills and familiarity with GL/investor reporting and workflow tools advantageous.
• Strong communication and problem‑solving skills; able to drive process improvement.
• Proven people leadership (coaching, performance management, developing teams).
• Detail‑oriented and effective under pressure and deadlines.