Investment Operations Manager

Since Aspen was founded in 2002, we have become a leading, diversified specialty insurance and reinsurance company. We respond thoughtfully and creatively to find the best outcomes for our clients and business partners through carefully-tailored solutions.

We believe the way we work is just as important as the work we do, and we are guided by our core values of respect, honesty, trust and professionalism.

Aspen is a great place to develop your career offering an exciting and challenging environment where achievement is rewarded.

Role Purpose 

The role reports to the SVP of Accounting and Operations and is responsible for all aspects of the investment operations including custody, trade support, transaction management, collaterals/margin calls, vendor management, risk and control, data management and change management. working alongside internal and external stakeholders, this role provides exposure to broad spectrum of investment operations. It’s a perfect platform for investment operation specialist who is aspired to move up on their career.

Our Aspen Values are expected to be reflected in the delivery and performance of every role.

Key Accountabilities

Strategy and Planning 

• Contributes to functional strategy development and prioritises operational deliverables and activities of team to support delivery of overall business targets
• Manages tactical plan and provides support to others to achieve positive results for the business in line with strategy
• Develops and implements operations procedures, workflows and service standards in accordance with growth and business requirements.

Policy, Process and Procedures 

• Report to SVP of department with related operational activities with impact on policies, procedures, budget planning, forecast and results monitoring
• Responsible for reporting and maintaining all custody accounts, portfolio accounts and transferring cash and securities as required.
• Liaise closely with the custodians to ensure the accurate safekeeping and reporting of assets for each legal entity.
• Work with investment manager’s operation team to oversee product changes and process enhancement especially for non custodied private assets.
• Develop and manage the collateral and daily margin calls for liquidity facilities including repos.
• Lead in operating model design for new asset classes or bespoke investment solutions
• Report and maintain restricted assets/state deposits related to different aspects of the insurance business.
• Develop and adhere to clear documentation and filing protocol
• Liaise with counterparties, custodians, external investment managers, investment banks, and accountants to ensure any issues are resolved in a timely manner.

Environmental Awareness/Customer Focus 

• Manage various aspects of investment reporting including the month end process to meet reporting deadlines.
• Assist with internal and external audit queries to ensure smooth audit review process.
• Lead projects relating to the improvement of processes and other strategic initiatives.
• Experienced in conducting change projects in custody and operations. Demonstrate project management skills on change projects like onboarding new managers, new asset classes etc.
• Lead on vendor management, feedback, contract and invoicing. Be the gate keeper of custodian costs and be able to produce management information and look for opportunity to optimise saving
• Evaluates business processes and workflows for efficiency
• Application of control environment and ensure all activities are fit for purpose either detection or prevention of errors.
• Risk owner for assigned process controls like RCSA

Technical Performance 

• Understand how multi managers operating model work, connectivity between custody and outsourced investment managers, custody and accounting,
• Solid knowledge on custody life cycle, custody operation in different jurisdictions, risks and compliance requirements
• Good understanding of upstream downstream impact of business processes.
• Strong relationship management skills with custodians. Capable of conducting end to end relationship oversight activities
• Experienced in management collaterals and restricted assets
• Liaison for the department in troubleshooting and reconciling processing issues against tight deadline.
• Maintain and operate the electronic system used for transferring securities, payments and reporting holdings with the custodians.
• Capable of producing useful management information. Can summarise, evaluate and analyse large volume of data points.
• Proficient in data management and capable of working with data warehouse, risk analytics tool or equivalent to produce impactful management information.

Skills & Experience 

• Extensive experience in the insurance industry, asset management or asset servicing management experience with proven track record
• Management of staff, resources, mid-level reporting, projects, workflows and procedures.
• Experience with systems and applications, intermediate to advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite
• Self-management skills – dependable conscientious, motivated, productive, resourceful, problem solver, organized and efficient.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent

At Aspen we know that having a diverse and inclusive workforce is good for our people, good for our business and good for the environments in which we operate.  We therefore welcome applications from people which allows us to draw on diverse cultures, perspectives, skills and experiences.