Head of Investment Operations at Old Mutual South Africa

Role Overview:

• The Head of Investment Operations is responsible for the efficient and effective management of a world-class investment support platform. This includes management and oversight of the investment administration, fund accounting, structured credit implementation (SCI) and performance teams.

Key Result Areas

Operational Leadership

• Oversee daily operations including trade processing, portfolio administration, fund accounting, investor reporting, and data management.
• Develop and implement scalable operational processes to support business growth and efficiency.
• Manage the relationship and service delivery effectiveness of the outsource service provider.

Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing operations team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Ensure all operational activities comply with regulatory requirements, industry standards and international best practice.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks through a strong internal control environment.

Technology and Innovation

• Collaborate with IT to enhance operational systems and workflows.
• Drive automation and digital transformation initiatives to optimize processes.

Client Service Excellence

• Ensure timely and accurate delivery of client reporting and performance analytics.
• Act as a key point of contact for resolving complex operational issues.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with investment professionals, client sales, compliance, and finance teams to align operational strategies with business objectives.
• Represent the operations function in executive meetings and decision-making forums.

Performance Monitoring

• Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure operational effectiveness.
• Prepare and present operational performance reports to senior management.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s degree or professional certifications such as CFA, CAIA, or CA preferred).
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in asset management operations or a related field, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of financial markets and investment products.
• Proven track record of driving operational improvements and managing complex projects.
• Experience with portfolio management systems, data analytics tools, and workflow automation.

Competencies:

• Excellent leadership and team management skills.
• A self-starter / proactive, showing strong action orientation, with excellent planning and prioritising skills.
• Display strong attention to detail, a high level of accuracy in her/his work.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong ability to build and maintain relationships and networks.
• Manages the end-to end business process capability from design through to implementation, and ongoing optimisation. Collaborates and co-creates with other senior managers and subject matter experts to build the organisations process capability.

Responsibilities

• Continuous Improvement
• Lead the review of existing operations and the implementation of innovation processes across the department or sub-function to ensure the required continuous improvement outcomes are delivered.
• Business Performance Metrics
• Oversee a broad area of business performance metrics, including the design and development of key performance indicators, metrics, and reports to maintain strategic alignment with the company's financial objectives.
• Data Collection and Analysis
• Make authoritative recommendations that have a significant impact on the business over the short and long term. Recommendations could be technical or professional in nature.
• Root Cause Analysis
• Manage a segment of the organization's root cause analyses, ensuring precise issue investigation, identification of underlying causes, and development of corrective actions.
• Solutions Analysis
• Develop innovative solutions by integrating and analyzing complex and diverse information sources.
• Lean Implementation
• Manage a substantial segment of the organization's lean implementation, ensuring process optimization and waste reduction.
• Training development and delivery
• Design and develop training systems to ensure employees within a business unit achieve their full performance potential. Deliver training programs for senior executives.
• Quality Assurance Testing Design
• Develop and validate complex new test methods and procedures for a product or operations segment, incorporating new technologies and meeting changing organizational, customer, and/or regulatory requirements.
• Personal Capability Building
• Act as subject matter expert in an area of technology, policy, regulation, or operational management for the team. Maintain external accreditations and in-depth understanding of current and emerging external regulation and industry best practices through continuing professional development, attending conferences, and reading specialist media.
• Organizational Capability Building
• Evaluate the capabilities of staff within the department to identify gaps and prioritize development activities. Implement the organization's formal development frameworks within the area of responsibility. Coach and mentor others to support the development of the organization's talent pool.
• Leadership and Direction
• Identify and communicate the actions needed to implement the function's strategy and business plan within the business area or department; explain the relationship to the broader organization's mission, vision, and values; motivate people to commit to these tenets and do extraordinary things to achieve local business goals.
• Performance Management
• Manage and report on performance within the department or area of responsibility; set appropriate performance objectives for direct reports and hold individuals accountable for achieving them; take appropriate corrective action where necessary to ensure the achievement of annual business objectives.

Skills

• Action Planning, Adaptive Thinking, Analytical Thinking, Budget Management, Business, Business Case Development, Client Service, Communication, Current State Assessment, Data Analysis, Data Compilation, Data Modeling, Evaluating Information, Gaps Analysis, Leadership, Operational Efficiency, Operations Management, Policies & Procedures, Project Performance Management (PM), Solution Analysis, Team Management

Competencies

• Communicates Effectively
• Cultivates Innovation
• Decision Quality
• Ensures Accountability
• Manages Complexity
• Optimizes Work Processes

Education

• Chartered Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)(Foreign Qualification), NQF Level 7 - Degree, Advance Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate or equivalent  (Required)

Closing Date

• 13 February 2025 , 23:59