Specialist - Operational Controls and Oversight

Apex Group; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 350,000 - 520,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive remuneration

Training and development opportunities

Job summary

Apex Group is seeking a Specialist in Cape Town to lead operational controls and oversight across reconciliation processes. You will ensure data loads are completed, accounts are correctly set up, and client data requests are managed within SLA.

You will also drive risk management, issue resolution with clients and vendors, and contribute to continuous improvement of reconciliation workflows using Power BI and related tools.

Qualifications

• A tertiary accounting qualification (minimum B.Com or equivalent).
• Previous reconciliation experience with exposure to financial instruments.
• Strong IT and systems skills and ability to work with data and dashboards.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and client-facing experience.

Responsibilities

• Ensure data loads (R120, MT940, MT535) are completed and trigger requests sent to Reconciliation team in India.
• Oversee new account setups on reconciliation platforms and ensure SWIFT messaging is arranged.
• Manage client data and requests within SLA via Cherwell or email.
• Provide daily risk and age analysis and manage exception reporting to mitigate risks.

Skills

Accounting background

Reconciliation experience

IT and systems skills

Client communication

Asset management knowledge

Education

B.Com or its equivalent

Tools

Cherwell ITSM

Reconciliation platform

SWIFT messaging

Power BI

Job description

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

Specialist – Operational Controls and Oversight

Cape Town, Apex House

Job specification

• Operational Management: Ensure that all applicable data loads have been completed (R120, MT940, MT535 etc) and provide trigger request to Reconciliation team in India at start of day.
• Ensure that all new account set ups has been completed on the applicable reconciliation platform and that required swift messaging has been arranged via the On-boarding team, Client or 3rd party.
• Manage all client data and requests pro-actively and within agreed timelines as per the SLA – Cherwell or email.
• Ensure all exception reporting is managed on the day and any potential risk mitigated timeously.
• Ensure that all manual processing provided by the Reconciliation team in India is validated and processed timeously, taking into consideration the applicable funds valuation point as well as client specifics with regards to bps impact.
• Post notification from the Reconciliation team in India, perform oversight of the completed recons (cash, scrip or call) and distribute via the standard RPA process.
• Perform required interest and expense calculations as required, distribute to client for sign off, process based on approval and send confirmation to the Reconciliation team in India.
• Assist the Reconciliation team in India with GAP record identification and loading of required entries on the reconciliation platform.
• Actively assist in the scoping, developing and testing of additional auto match rules to enhance business efficiency.
• Manage daily stats via both platforms (Power BI dashboard & Manual stats file) – to ensure high levels of oversight is maintained with key focus on breaks aged > 5 days.
• Take first line ownership and accountability for the following middle ware systems linked to the Reconciliation process: SSRS Reporting portal, Xceptor data tables, closing balance file linking and distribution, Rec Summary Variance reporting.
• Play a key part during transitions / fund restructures – including attending runbook meetings and ensuring that all criteria are received timeously and aligned with standard operating models.
• Ad hoc request as and when required by the business.

• Risk Management: Assessing opportunities for improved efficiencies within the reconciliation process, including new technologies and tools.
• Perform daily / weekly / monthly Risk and Age analysis.
• Attend client meetings and drive a collaborative approach to break management and resolution with our external Clients.
• Provide input on incident reports as and when requested.
• Assist with Audit queries as required for: Client Financial Year end ISAE3402.

• Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external clients regarding matters pertaining to break investigation and resolution.
• Build strong working relationships with external parties / vendors (Custodian, Clearing House, Manco etc).

Skills Required

• Qualifications: A tertiary accounting qualification (minimum B.Com or equivalent); Previous experience at an Asset Manager will be an advantage; Previous reconciliation experience with full exposure to all types of financial instruments in the market; Previous experience in monitoring and ensuring quality of output; Previous experience in process review.
• IT and Systems Skills and Knowledge: Proven competence and an aptitude for working with systems;
• Skills and Abilities: Detailed understanding of reconciliations, and links between independent reconciliations; A good practical knowledge of the asset management industry; Detailed understanding of the independent administration process; Previous experience in dealing with clients; Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal); Confident, enthusiastic and self-motivated; A track record of achievement.

What you will get in return

• A genuinely unique opportunity to be part of an expanding large global business;
• Competitive remuneration commensurate with skills and experience;
• Training and development opportunities.

Additional information

We are an equal opportunity employer and ensure that no applicant is subject to less favorable treatment on the grounds of gender, gender identity, marital status, race, color, nationality, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic, responsibilities for dependents, physical or mental disability. Any hiring decision are made on the basis of skills, qualifications and experiences.

We measure our success as a business, not only by delivering great products and services and continually increasing our assets under administration and market share, but also by how we positively impact people, society and the planet. For more information on our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) please https://www.apexgroup.com/corporate-social-responsibility/

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.