Client Service Manager

Company Description

IQ-EQ is a leading Investor Services group which combines global expertise with an unwavering focus on client service delivery. We support fund managers, global companies, family offices and private clients operating worldwide.

Job Description

• Concentrates in driving business growth and the development of talent. Spends time in reviewing and assessing overall team performance.
• Balances stakeholders by establishing good working relationship with the cluster counterparts and other support groups (e.g. HR, GPT, IT, BAT, etc.)
• Concentrates in engaging and developing teams and individuals. Expected to perform review of core processes, complex ad hoc work, and all other client requirements, as needed. Provides consistent feedback on accuracy and timeliness of outputs made by their AM teams.
• Responsible for reviewing and completion of NAV and Financials of the private equity funds that include recording journal entries, monthly/quarterly/annual financials, processing payments, investor notices and various client reporting.
• Responsible for the review and completion of capital call and distribution workings along with notices and release to respective investors.
• To facilitate conversion of Private Equity Funds from other accounting applications to Investran/Paxus.
• To facilitate onboarding new Private Equity Funds in the accounting platform (Investran/Paxus).
• Monitors overall teams' results and performance based on the KPIs (ex. Quality and Timeliness, Error Report, Increased Productivity and Lowers Overtime, among others). 
• Initiates and facilitates meetings to address overall teams' performance and develop/coach non-performing individuals.
• To facilitate various accounting and administration processes of complex clients and conduct all work in accordance with IQ-EQ India Global Client Delivery's policies and procedures, as needed. (when AM is unable to, depending on capacity).
• As a supervisor, the Manager leads, organizes, coordinates, develops, monitors the performance, delegates tasks and responsibilities to their direct reports and their team members (skip level), as needed.
• Ensures balanced work allocation across their teams and reallocates resources accordingly.

Core Responsibilities

• Responsible for review of Financial Statements with Disclosures and other ad-hoc service requests for complex funds and/or corporate clients. 
• Responsible for the preparation of complex reporting requirements, when necessary.
• Monitors the timely and accurate deliverables of their teams, and intervene, as necessary.
• Acquire knowledge to become specialists of their designated clients' requirements and deliverables.
• Monitors their teams' compliance as they follow procedures and checklists following SSAE and other similar statutory requirements of the clients their teams handle.
• Provides guidance and coaching to the team in both technical and more on the non-technical aspects of their role. 
• Seeks knowledge and expertise for their own professional development.
• Initiates the development of the technical competencies of their teams by providing feedback on their deliverables and endorsing them to the appropriate learning & development activities
• Monitors the development and assigned trainings of their teams.
• Monitors and provides support to cluster counterparts escalations and involves the relevant stakeholders.
• Monitors the agreed timelines of deliverables with the cluster counterparts and provides support for escalations to ensure that their teams carry out the work, as agreed.
• To be able to effectively communicate and relate with various stakeholders of the team. Maintains and enhances relationships through crucial conversations.
• Monitors that all client cluster requirements are thoroughly being reviewed and follows standards.
• To act as an alternate for the Head of Delivery based on business needs which may include cluster client responsibilities, administrative tasks, and team management.

Tasks & Duties

Cluster Client Delivery

• Acquires functional knowledge and understanding of the clients’ agreements, Scope of Work (SOW), SLA’s and other necessary information needed to review and/or prepare deliverables.
• Monitors if the team has the needed information, data and supporting documents are received for the review/preparation of the needed requirements. Addresses and escalates issues, as needed.
• Monitors the consistency and quality of the deliverables within the agreed timeframes of the teams. 
• Provides support (for timelines) and address issues (for quality), as needed.
• Provide support for the rest of the team and other teams by allotting additional capacity, as needed. At the same time, initiates the request for support needed from other teams.
• Monitors and communicates the review comments of the team and then follows up to address pending comments for preparers, as needed.
• To act as first line of escalations for the preparers of any requests not properly actioned by the CS Support team. (e.g. BAT, GPT)
• Monitors and oversees the interpretation of the requirements of the client and in some instances, does the research and validates in the absence of an Assistant Manager.
• Reviews and acts as the team approver of submitted reports and compliance cases with root cause information, corrective action, and preventive measures in a timely manner. Responsible in discussing the details and actions done with the HODs and CDDs.
• Oversees the quarterly debrief meeting with the cluster to review the team's performance. Then addresses concerns and drives resolutions based on its criticality and complexity. 
• Decides the proper treatment for transactions when differences in points of view arise, and escalate recommendations to appropriate authorities, as needed.
• Decides on escalated recommendations and if necessary, escalate to SMEs or technical team.
• Monitors and works with the Assistant Manager to enforce process standards across the teams.
• Acts as first level of escalation of issues/concerns from the funds assigned to their clusters.
• Supports Project Managers by functioning as SMEs, coordinating with stakeholders, and allocating resources.

Workflow Management

• Ensures timesheets are completed daily and accurately filed for all hours worked.
• Reviews and approves timesheets of their team and ensures they are completed daily and accurately filed for all hours worked in a timely manner (of their AM's and SA's).
• Reviews and pre-approves filed overtime of their team (AM's and SA's).
• Setups, monitors and updates all deliverables via the workflow planner in a timely manner, as needed.
• Monitors and ensures the completeness and accuracy of all deliverables via the workflow planner in a timely manner. 
• Analyses and proactively manages team capacity deliverables by allocating needed resources/support.

Systems

• Understands and uses best practice on accounting platform/s.
• Understands and becomes knowledgeable on how to generate reports using reporting platform/s.

Risks

• Monitors relevant procedures, checklists and SSAE requirements are adhered to and completed to mitigate errors.
• Monitors reported breaches, complaints or errors to appropriate authorities are acted upon in a timely manner.
• Acquires knowledge of risk factors and potential breach.
• Reviews and acts as the team approver of submitted reports and compliance cases with root cause information, corrective action, and preventive measures in a timely manner. Responsible in discussing the details and actions done with the HODs and CDDs.

Other

• May undertake any additional tasks and/or responsibilities as part of their professional development which may or may not be related to their specific function.
• Escalate any other work-related issues/concerns to the appropriate authorities and acted on in a timely manner.
• Participate in interviews, as needed.

Key behaviours we expect to see

In addition to demonstrating our Group Values (Authentic, Bold, and Collaborative), the role holder will be expected to demonstrate the following:

• Resourcefulness - Securing and deploying resources effectively and efficiently.
• Balances Stakeholders - Anticipating and balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Courage - Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.
• Develops Talent - Developing people to meet both their career goals and the organisation's goals.
• Builds Networks - Effectively building formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organisation.
• Drives Results - Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
• Optimises Work Processes - Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Persuades - Using compelling arguments to gain the support and commitment of others.
• Builds Effective Teams - Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Business Insight - Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organisation's goals.
• Collaborates - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Decision Quality - Making good and timely decisions that keep the organisation moving forward.
• Directs Work - Providing direction, delegating, and removing obstacles to get work done.

Qualifications

Essential

Education / professional qualifications

• Graduate of accounting or any business-related course with 8+ years relevant accounting experience.
• At least four (4) years supervisory experience.

Background experience

• Experience with managing service operations and client deliverables.
• Experience in managing staff and/or conducting appraisals.
• Sound knowledge of IndAS, IFRS and GAAPs of different jurisdictions (US, UK, and Lux). Preparing and reviewing of Financial Statements using applicable laws and regulations.
• Fluency in English and an additional foreign language.

Technical

• Actual work experience in the preparation and/or review of working paper files, financial statements with disclosures and other financial information. Operational experience in fund accounting services is required, preferably in handling private equity.

Computer / program knowledge

• Intermediate Excel skills such as pivot tables, lookup, “if” and other similar functions.
•  Experience in e-mail, word processing, presentation and video conferencing applications such as Microsoft Office.
•  Effective written and advance verbal communication skills.
• Experience in using accounting software (Investran/Paxus).

Desired

• Completed Certified Public Accountant/ACCA qualification, if applicable.
• Experience working in Financial Services or Shared Services office environment.
• Experience working in a multinational office environment.
• Open to travel and other secondment opportunities abroad.
• University Degree in Accountancy and other accounting-related courses.