Principal Investment Consultant at Alexander Forbes

Purpose of the Job:

•  To keep and grow clients by being the trusted advisor that delivers impartial, expert investment advice in a professional manner to an institutional client base ensuring at all times that Alexforbes' standards are maintained and best advice is adhered to 
•  To provide insightful advice resulting in superior investment outcomes for our institutional clients. 
•  To implement the advice-led investment consulting process and to drive the philosophy internally and externally, taking appropriate best advice in-house solutions to clients where applicable and appropriate with demonstrable value-add to the client 
•  To ensure client satisfaction by providing quality service through co-ordinating all internal and external contacts. 
•  To manage and grow a profitable portfolio of clients and manage clients at risk 
•  To influence, challenge and shape investment thinking within the business and industry. 
•  To assist in the development of junior staff

Overview:

Key Performance Area:

Client Responsibilities:

• Provide investment advice pertaining to client’s specific needs and in accordance with the advice-led investment consulting framework and FAIS
• To be the lead consultant to clients covering responsibilities such as:
• Governance
• Ensure all client investment strategies are aligned to Alexander Forbes best advice
• Portfolio construction including asset allocation (interpretation of modelling with ALM specialist’s assistance), application of the reference portfolio framework, asset manager selection and blending
• Interpretation of performance reports
• Presenting investment strategies and performance to clients
• Compile comprehensive consulting reports for clients on investment-related matters
• Keep clients updated with developments in the investment market.
• Perform investment performance presentations, workshops, trustee training as and when required
• Lead discussions on ESG
• Assist the client in assessing unlisted investment opportunities
• Manage investment component of trustee meetings
• Secretarial functions relating to agenda packs, meeting attendance and minutes where required
• Effective verbal and written communication to internal and external parties
• Ensure timeous response to client queries and requests
• Ensure that standard documents, such as quarterly reports, surveys, records of advice etc, are issued timeously to clients.
• Co-ordinate the entire workflow process for servicing the client portfolio by managing the work of junior consultants and other internal and external service provider, asset managers etc
• Retain responsibility for all FICA and FAIS documentation.
• Ensure deadlines are met and client expectations are managed
• Maintain and grow client base
• Build and maintain a relationship of trust with client
• Remain client-focused at all times

Financial Objectives:

•  Set appropriate budgets and financial objectives with HoD
•  Monitor progress against objectives
•  Accurately capture time so that clients can be billed accordingly
•  Ongoing reviewing of fees in line with any changes, and assessment of appropriate fee structure
•  Ensure the correct fees are being charged, and that additional work is being charged.
•  Ensure clients are invoiced and fees are collected timeously and expenses are controlled
•  To be opportunity seeking by expanding services and products provided to the client portfolio using in-house solutions where appropriate
•  To use ones network to acquire new business and expand the client base
•  To comply with all financial policies and procedures
•  Accountable for P&L in respect of margins, expenditure, client fees

 Strategic Responsibilities:

• Give strategic input into the broader business strategy including growth plans, strategic revenue initiatives and new business initiatives
• Accountable to the Head: Investment Advisory for execution of plans and delivery of results
• Effective monitoring of projects and accountability for implementation within own portfolio of clients
• Effective implementation of the advice-led investment consulting framework
• To influence investment thinking by producing thought leadership material to position to market, to media, at industry conferences
• To raise the profile of AF Investments as leading providers of investment advice
• Build and maintain strategic, financial and operational relationships with key business heads within AF.
• Management of strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Ensure that all legal agreements are aligned with company strategy and are in accordance with legal requirements. Risk awareness and the management of advice risk is of vital importance in the position.

People Management and Self Development:

• Live the AF values of Integrity, Customer First, Care and Leadership and to lead by example
• Drive a high-performance culture
• Responsible for motivation and development of the team
• Provide training, guidance, growth opportunities and mentorship to junior members of the team ensuring improved employee engagement and long term retention of junior talent
• Provide honest & timely feedback on delivery, areas of strength and areas for improvement to junior staff
• Set, communicate, and implement development plans for subordinates and assess performance regularly for direct reports
• Display self-awareness and insight into areas of strength and development seek out challenges to improve skill set
• Seek and act on constructive performance feedback
• Remain abreast of new innovations, regulations, and technologies in the investment consulting space.

Requirements & Qualifications:

•  5 - 10 years experience in Investment Consulting to institutional investors
•  10 - 15 years experience in Financial markets and investments experience
•  B. Com or B Sc Hons (with post grad qualification) and CFA/MBA/ Actuarial Fellowship, CFP/ CAIA or other     equivalent qualification
•  RE 5
•  Authorised FAIS REP registered with the FSCA
•  License categories registered:
•  For advice and intermediary services Cat 1.3 – 1.18, 1.20 – 1.22, 1.24, 1.26
•  For intermediary services only Cat 2.10 – 2.20, Cat