Fund Accounting

Description

About this role

Fund Accounting / Oversight

BlackRock is one of the world’s preeminent asset management firms and a premier provider of global investment management, risk management and advisory services to institutional, intermediary and individual investors around the world. BlackRock offers a range of solutions — from rigorous fundamental and quantitative active management approaches aimed at improving out-performance to highly efficient indexing strategies designed to gain broad exposure to global capital markets. Our clients can access our investment solutions through a variety of product structures, including individual and institutional separate accounts, mutual funds and other pooled investment vehicles, and the industry-leading iShares® ETFs.

Team Overview:
The Swiss Product Oversight and Governance team of BAMS (BlackRock Asset Management Switzerland AG) is responsible for the Swiss fund operational platform. We have outsourced major functions to internal departments within the BlackRock Group and to external providers.

Become part of a team of 4 employees and one manager who are jointly responsible for Swiss fund platform We own all fund outsourcing relationships, primarily for the functions fund accounting and financial / regulatory reporting, securities lending, portfolio compliance, transfer agency oversight, securities lending, investment stewardship, trade operations. This includes improving existing SLAs, reviewing provider performance and their critical metrics, driving improvement projects, signing off provider and fund invoices, management reporting.

We help various BlackRock departments to launch, run and change products. Swiss POG additionally supports boards, assists legal and compliance in meaningful regulatory and legal matters specific to the funds and supports the sales and marketing teams (through technical knowledge of both the funds in relation to jurisdictional requirements and accounting expertise).

We are looking for good knowledge of the Swiss mutual fund industry, fund management, solid understanding in Swiss fund regulations (CISA, CISO, SFAMA publications), UCITS. Experience and / or a degree in (fund) accounting is a major plus, as are SQL / programming skills. You are able to successfully lead, communicate and execute projects in these areas.

Key Responsibilities:

- Instruct, lead the external fund services provider and internal providers, with a focus on fund accounting and ideally with experience in the fields of investment management, financial reporting, portfolio compliance, transfer agency, securities lending and/or fund operations.
- Ability to communicate effectively as the operations representative at board meetings, sub-committees and industry groups; contribute to reports clearly articulating operational developments, issues and actions.
- Provide an authoritative source of business, industry and technical fund administration expertise on functional and process requirements.
- Collaborate with peers and partners to identify, drive and complete change projects.Build positive relationships with contributing business areas within BlackRock to actively engage and lead fund launch and product change. Especially maintain a strong working relationship with investment managers, product tax, product managers, legal and compliance, risk managers.Identify, evaluate and address risk management items rigorously; take prompt actions to communicate and close.
- Ensure team approach is consistent with global best practice for controls, oversight and management of service providers and where appropriate provides input and creates initiatives to enhance fund operating processes.
- Act as point person for fund and corporate auditors.
- Oversee and monitor other external and group-internal delegates, act as key BlackRock contact point for delegates, perform reviews and annual onsite visits, for functions like: Product Tax, Transfer Agency, Portfolio Compliance, Sec Lending, Trade Operations
- Represent BlackRock in the Swiss marketplace, industry and, participate relevant industry working groups.

Skills & Qualifications
- University degree in business administration, economics, finance, or in another field.
- Preferably additional industry qualification (e.g., Certified Public Accountant, CFA, FRM), or industry experience as well as sound knowledge of Swiss GAAP, Swiss fund regulations (CISA, CISO, SFAMA publications); IFRS and UCITS knowhow preferred.
- Proven significant experience in improving and running operational processes; creative ideas and open to change.
- Tech-savviness, experience in process automation, SQL / programming skillsDeep understanding of investment processes and controls across all (Swiss) product structures.
- Self-starter capable of working independently, highly dedicated with a real passion for performance, willing to take ownership of issues and follow through to resolution with excellent attention to detail.
- Communicate