Senior Director, Portfolio Services

At Barings, we are as invested in our associates as we are in our clients. We recognize those who work diligently for us and reward them for personal and professional integrity, communication skills, distinct competencies and expertise in specific strategies, ability to collaborate as a team member and true dedication to the interests of our clients.

We thank you for your interest in joining the Barings team, and invite you to explore our current employment opportunities.

This role will support and oversight the day-to-day operations and reporting for Private Credit/High Yield Funds and fulfill other ad-hoc Projects working closely with the Client and Finance Operations team in Australia. In supporting the Funds, the candidate will be required to liaise with various internal stakeholders and service providers including auditors on operational BAUs typically monthly, quarterly and annual processes, maintaining controls and procedures, fund accounting and client reporting. Collaborating and building relations with third-party fund administrators (TPAs) is essential to ensure smooth fund operations and timely client deliverables is paramount for this role.  Finally, this role will also be required to support wealth management operation of our funds.

Primary Responsibilities

• The responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to:

• Review of financial statements and accounting packages for complex clients, including all supporting work papers and disclosure documents; using multi-currency at both the share class and portfolio level as well as review distribution calculations, management fees, carry interest, expenses, capital call and interest payments to the investors
• Manage fund launch process working closely with internal teams and administrator/custodian to ensure all parties deliver on time, cover new funds prior to reallocating funds to junior team members
• Produce investor reporting package such as investment manager’s report, portfolio details report and various ad-hoc reporting in order to meet regulatory and client reporting requirements
• Role will help establish proper workflows and operational oversight of new credit products/funds locally in Australia as well as be a liaison between operations and business partners both in Australia and between the global offices.
• Monitor investment activity, review cash flow projections and manage liquidity requirements
• Provide support to investment teams across deal transactions and fund closing process
• Ensure fund operating expenses and budgets are in-line with documentation and perform quarterly budget reviews
• Produce and review of board packs to attend and present at board meetings to the Directors of the funds in various jurisdictions, as applicable.
• Analyse movements and trends in performance (IRRs, multiples) at asset and fund levels including the use of share class and portfolio hedging, as well as understand and apply the mechanics of multi-currency tranche level hedging gains and losses and their associated impact on returns
• Assist team management and resources in the long run.  Help train team members and educate internal support teams on fund knowledge and Barings’ operational processes.
• Support the sales team in responding to regular client enquiries and requests
• A commitment to delivering an exceptional service to clients, with ability to work quickly and establish effective working relationships
• Experience in ad hoc project work, system implementation/upgrade and process improvements and effecting change where needed
• Daily cash management and co-ordination of drawings on the credit facility and from investor drawdowns
• Preparation of monthly information on KRIs, in order to help senior management analyse, attribute & comment on operational performance
• Review work and reporting produced by junior accountants, assist with developing and training new/junior accountants, identifying knowledge gaps, and provide feedback to manager - opportunity to contribute to new team build out
• Act as main contact with both internal (Portfolio Managers, Analysts, Business Development in Australia, UK and US for investment and operational queries) and external stakeholders (managing the relationship with third party administrators (“TPAs”), auditors including annual site visits, KPI service level meetings etc)
• Oversee annual financial statements and its supporting schedules.  Working with various internal and external parties for the fund’s external audit
• Experience and understanding of wealth management and associated operation of the funds

Qualifications

• Accounting qualification required.
• 12+ years’ experience in asset management/financial service.
• Recent and relevant experience covering responsibilities stated above.
• Prior experience across Fund Accounting software
• Aladdin and/or eFront experience (preferred) but not essential.
• Excellent Power BI and Excel skills.
• Prior experience working on closed and open-end funds/Private Credit/High Yield fund accounting/administration/audit with experience in funds management, fund accounting, fund administration or fund audit
• Experience in multi-currency reporting, hedging strategy and new fund launches
• Attention to detail while functioning within global processes
• Proactive and ability to work with minimum supervision with the essential skill to think outside the box and see the bigger picture focusing on not only BAU but also process enhancements from a local and global perspective
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with key internal Barings stakeholders including direct exposure to other business lines e.g. Portfolio Managers, Sales, Legal, Compliance, Corporate functions across the organisation
• Significant experience of managing TPA relationships with a proven track record in resolving any associated operational issues e.g. KPI client service meetings, high level interactions with relationship managers etc
• Significant experience of analysing and providing query resolutions on private credit/high yield funds
• Demonstrable experience of cash management and/or treasury functions e.g. cash forecasting, FX hedging requirements etc
• Detailed understanding and interpretation of legal documentation including prospectus, Limited Partnership Agreements, Credit and other third party agreements
• Good understanding of operational risks and controls
• Strong communication skills both verbally and written, to liaise with Legal/Tax/PMs/Sales and other demanding stakeholders across the firm and ability to work to tight deadlines and flexible to meet workload
• Both individual contributor and team management skill are required
• Experience in wealth management operation is preferred

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Requisite Skills

Additional Skills

Barings is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer; Minority/Female/Age/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Individual with Disability/Protected Veteran. We welcome all persons to apply.