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Form of workRole Overview
The Manager, Portfolio Operations (Core) is responsible for ‘business-as-usual’ deliverables supporting the Agency’s investment teams.
As an expert in Investment Operations across multiple asset classes, the Manager will be highly competent in managing all activities relating to liquidity, account and transaction management, proxy voting and asset safety. It is critical all portfolio activities and instructions relating to the investment strategy are executed in compliance with internal procedure and control protocols.
Advanced understanding of the investment market, portfolio data & analytics, valuations and transaction processing activities across all investment sectors is essential. The role requires a proactive and curious approach to problem solving and a passion for identifying process improvement opportunities. The Manager is expected to co-ordinate and oversee the team’s daily workload, managing capacity and appropriate prioritisation of activities to ensure deliverables are met.
It is critical all portfolio activities and instructions are executed in compliance with internal procedure and control protocols.
Training, coaching, and supporting team members is a critical part of this role to ensure an in-depth, first principles understanding of all tasks and processing standards are maintained. The Manager will be responsible for the upkeep of risk documentation and be a key participant in all operational risk meetings.
Additional responsibilities include supporting the Senior Manager, Portfolio Operations in designing development plans for team members from a technical and behavioural perspective, identify and drive continual process improvement opportunities, support the implementation of effective and suitable technology and systems, and provide subject matter expert contributions to team initiatives and Agency-wide projects.
The key duties of the position include:Key Tasks and Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategy
• Provide feedback to the Senior Manager to help set individual training plans and goals for team members.
- Contribute to the strategic direction of the Core team’s operating model – people, process, and technology.
- Provide training, coaching and support to team members and other Portfolio Operations staff.
• Cultivate an open, curious, and inclusive environment for the team and set the example for living the Future Fund values.
• Drive standards across BAU activities ensuring the team follow process, risk, and control protocols.
• Identify & drive process enhancements with a focus on control and efficiency.
Portfolio Operations
• Showcase a high degree of initiative and a proactive approach to drive an optimal BAU delivery, ensure process efficiency and accuracy is always maintained.
- Ensure all risks associated with relevant processes are identified, assessed, and appropriately treated and ensure high quality, current and accurate capture of processes via process mapping and procedure documentation.
- Ideate, test and implement initiatives to improve Portfolio Operation’s operating model.
• Oversee cash/liquidity management activities across multiple funds and asset classes.
• Ensure all voting activities relating to listed investments are implemented in line with the Agency’s Governance Policy
• Establish investment accounts and assets at the Custodian and maintain relevant account referential datasets.
• Prepare or authorise instructions relating to the implementation of portfolio investment activities.
• Provide relationship management support for relevant third-party service providers.
• Work with service providers to remediate issues through strategic solutioning and in consultation with key internal stakeholders.
• Produce management information reporting with insightful operating model analysis for BAU activities.
Managing Complexity
• Ability to manage multiple, interdependent projects and activities.
• Be aware of external changes affecting the team, communicate and effectively manage the impact.
• Be cognisant of and manage all upstream/downstream impacts arising from the team’s operating model changes.
Stakeholder Management
• Key member and active participant within the Portfolio Operations team and across the wider Operations group.
• Establish & maintain positive relationships with the Investment Management Team and other internal support functions.
• Proactive and insightful engagement with external partners including the Custodian (a key stakeholder relationship), Investment Manager’s and Proxy Services Providers
Skills and Competencies
Qualifications
• Tertiary qualification in finance, economics, business, IT related disciplines
• Post-graduate or professional qualifications come highly regarded
Experience
• Expert understanding on applicability of transaction implementation processes across multiple asset classes.
- Strong liquidity management experience and exposure to other treasury management functions.
- Experience using the Aladdin platform.
• Proven ability to manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• A background in institutional funds management, custody services as well as industry/other superannuation funds or funds administration.
• Demonstrated ability as a pro-active team player with tasks and issues assigned followed through to completion.
The Future Fund is Australia’s sovereign wealth fund, investing for the benefit of future generations of Australians. The Future Fund Board of Guardians, supported by the Future Fund Management Agency, invests the assets of six public asset funds: the Future Fund, the Medical Research Future Fund, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land and Sea Future Fund, the Future Drought Fund, the Emergency Response Fund and the DisabilityCare Australia Fund. Each fund has an investment mandate that is determined by the Australian Government under legislation.
Our role is to generate strong, risk-adjusted returns over the long term.
