Job Description
Title: “Fund Finance Associate”
Location: Austin, TX or Newport Beach, CA (Hybrid: 4 days in office, 1 day remote)
Salary: 100-115K
We are seeking a Fund Finance Associate to join our Fund Finance team. In this role, you will have two areas of focus:
- Learning and mastering the firm’s intermediary payments process while ensuring timely and accurate payment to firm’s largest clients, and
- Being an agent for change and continuous improvement—providing meaningful contributions to streamlining and automating current workflows and processes while improving financial controls.
The incumbent will have a strong background in mutual funds, specifically with operational/back-office, transfer agent and/or sub-transfer agency, distribution fee and revenue sharing experience, and proven project management and process improvement skills. This position requires strong written and verbal communication skills as there will be regular interactions with all levels of colleagues at the firm.
About You:
- You challenge the status quo by asking “why” and identifying new and better ways of doing things
- Exceptional organizational and project management skills, including the ability to multi-task and lead many ongoing initiatives
- Resourceful, inquisitive, and enjoy problem-solving. Many of the concepts and/or solutions we face are sophisticated, and you bring a desire to work through these complex scenarios
- Proven track record to deliver on assigned responsibilities through pursuing excellence, outstanding attention to detail, and using interpersonal and communication skills
- You seamlessly adapt to shifting priorities and enjoy working with ambiguity
- A standout teammate who builds positive relationships and collaborates across multiple functions and/or levels of a globally diverse organization, including outside service providers
- Track record of building credibility and trust through consistent behavior, high integrity, and judgment
- Intellectual curiosity, a dedication to professional development, an ability to learn, and an interest in staying on top of emerging trends
- Self-motivated and thrive in a fast-paced environment
- High emotional intelligence, are flexible, and resilient
- Proven record navigating unstructured processes and simultaneously handling responsibilities with multiple, exciting demands
- Encourage a positive work environment and culture for all employees
Responsibilities:
The role will be responsible for understanding, reviewing, and properly accounting for expenses relating to financial intermediaries that distribute and service mutual funds, and will include:
- Reviewing and understanding contractual fee arrangements to ensure they are in line with our fee guidelines and meet our invoicing requirements
- Analyzing computations and payment amounts for accuracy and proper accounting
- Managing the payments made to financial intermediaries, ensuring proper set-up with our vendor, completeness, accuracy, and timeliness per new/existing agreements and internal metrics
- Reviewing and submitting for approval 12b-1, Sub-TA, and marketing support invoices
- Regularly interfacing with, directing, and overseeing external vendors who provide initial review and validation
- Collaborating with various groups within firm, such as legal and client-facing, to discuss, analyze, and manage the economics of new and amended financial intermediary agreements
- Providing management with reporting/insights into drivers of expenses, trends over time, and “what if calculations” for proposed changes in economic terms
- Driving continuous improvement in all financial processes, leveraging technology and resources for efficiency, enhanced controls, and effectiveness
- Developing an understanding of our current processes and implementing and/or recommending ways to improve them
- Preparing and reviewing financial analysis and metrics
- Other responsibilities as our business grows and evolves
Position Requirements:
- Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance or Accounting preferred; an MBA, CPA, or CFA a plus
- 2-5 years of relevant experience (transfer agency, intermediary payments, mutual funds, accounts payable)
- Experience in accounts payable/billing department in a financial firm preferred (e.g., BlackRock, Fidelity)
- Strong quantitative skills
- Controls-minded to identify and improve processes and mitigate risk
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (required); OBIEE, SAP, a plus