Associate Director, Corporate & Funds
The Corporate & Funds division provides administration, governance and related services to a diverse international client base across a range of asset classes and structures. In Jersey, the team supports Jersey Private Funds and other regulated and unregulated fund, corporate, partnership, joint venture and co-investment structures, working closely with clients, investment managers, boards, advisers and other service providers.
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Job Summary
The Associate Director will provide technical, operational and relationship leadership within the Jersey Corporate & Funds team, building and developing a high-performing team. The role will oversee complex fund and corporate clients, with a particular focus on Jersey Private Funds and real estate structures.
The postholder will develop colleagues, grow profitable client and referrer relationships and support the team’s financial and operational performance. The role will contribute to Elevate28 by identifying prospective clients, priority sectors and services, supporting pitches and strengthening Jersey’s position in Jersey Private Funds, real estate and high-touch administration.
The successful candidate will combine Jersey funds and real estate expertise with sound judgement and commercial awareness. Experience of digital assets or defence and resilience investment strategies, together with the ability to develop viable services for emerging opportunities, is desirable.
Job Accountabilities
Leadership and People Management
- Lead, coach and develop team members, setting clear expectations and promoting accountability, technical excellence and continuous improvement.
- Support recruitment, induction, objective setting, appraisals, succession planning, performance management and professional development.
- Provide accessible technical guidance and constructive review, enabling colleagues to make sound decisions and progress their careers.
- Promote collaboration across Jersey and the wider Praxis Group and provide appropriate cover for senior colleagues.
- Champion Praxis’ values and foster an inclusive, respectful and high-performing working environment.
Corporate & Funds Administration and Client Management
- Lead key client relationships through structured engagement and account planning, anticipating needs, managing retention risks and identifying profitable growth opportunities.
- Provide technical leadership across Jersey Private Funds and real estate structures, including partnerships, companies, cell structures, co-investments and joint ventures.
- Oversee the full client administration lifecycle, including establishment, onboarding, capital activity, investor dealing, distributions, governance, financial reporting, valuations, restructurings and wind-downs.
- Ensure mandates, service levels, delegated responsibilities and client expectations are clearly understood, documented and delivered.
- Review complex board papers, minutes, transaction documentation, investor reporting, management accounts and financial statements, escalating technical matters where appropriate.
- Anticipate technical and service issues, identify practical solutions and obtain specialist advice where required.
- Act as an authorised signatory and hold directorships or committee appointments where appropriate, subject to approval and regulatory requirements.
- Lead the effective onboarding and transition of new mandates into business-as-usual delivery.
- Operational, Financial and Commercial Management
- Take responsibility for the operational performance, quality and resilience of the client portfolio and assigned team.
- Manage capacity, workflow and deadlines, while promoting standardised processes, digital onboarding, fund technology, automation and reliable management information.
- Monitor utilisation, billing, profitability, debtors and other KPIs, using management information to improve cash generation, revenue and margin.
- Ensure mandates are clearly scoped, appropriately priced and supported by a controlled, scalable operating model before acceptance.
- Identify opportunities to improve client service, control, efficiency and margin without compromising quality or risk standards.
- Lead or contribute to operational change, systems implementation and other local or Group projects.
Risk Management and Corporate Governance
- Maintain a detailed understanding of Jersey’s legal and regulatory framework for fund and corporate services, including applicable JFSC requirements, anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and sanctions obligations.
- Ensure client entities and the administration team operate in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, constitutional documents, agreements, policies and procedures.
- Identify, assess, document and escalate legal, regulatory, operational, financial crime and reputational risks in a timely manner.
- Promote strong governance, complete and accurate records, effective oversight and appropriately evidenced decision-making.
- Work closely with Compliance, Risk, Finance and Operations and support the effective resolution of complaints, incidents, breaches and remediation actions.
- Stay current with regulatory and market developments affecting Jersey funds, digital assets and strategically relevant sectors.
Business Development
- Support pitches and prospective client meetings as a fund administration subject-matter expert.
- Prepare and review proposals, service descriptions, implementation plans and responses to requests for proposals.
- Scope operating models and service requirements accurately, identifying dependencies, risks, resource needs and third-party inputs.
- Prepare robust and commercially appropriate pricing for mandates, ensuring assumptions, complexity, risk and expected activity are properly reflected.
- Build client, referrer and intermediary relationships and collaborate across Praxis to generate referrals, introduce services and grow sustainable revenue.
- Identify target prospects, sectors and services, convert market insight into qualified opportunities and maintain accurate pipeline information.
Skills and Knowledge
- Comprehensive technical knowledge of Jersey fund administration, with substantial practical experience of Jersey Private Funds and comparable Jersey structures.
- Strong understanding of fund operations, governance, investor activity, financial reporting and the roles of investment managers and service providers.
- Strong knowledge of real estate investment structures, including acquisitions, disposals, financing, joint ventures, development activity and asset reporting.
- Proven ability to oversee complex, multi-entity and multi-jurisdictional structures and to manage material client relationships.
- Proven ability to grow client relationships and identify prospects, market opportunities and additional services.
- Detailed knowledge of Jersey’s legal, regulatory and financial crime framework as it applies to fund and corporate services.
- Strong commercial judgement, including the ability to scope services, assess delivery effort and risk, and price mandates accurately.
- Excellent leadership, coaching, communication, organisation and stakeholder-management skills.
- Ability to analyse complex information, exercise sound judgement and communicate clear, practical recommendations.
- Confidence contributing to pitches and proposals and presenting technical matters to clients, boards and intermediaries.
- Desirable: understanding of defence and resilience investment strategies, associated asset classes, stakeholders and risk considerations.
- Desirable: relevant experience of funds investing in digital assets, blockchain-enabled businesses or related service models.
Minimum Education and Experience
- A relevant professional qualification meeting Category A status recognised by the Jersey Financial Services Commission, or an equivalent qualification appropriate to the role.
- Ideally educated to degree level in a relevant discipline such as law, accountancy, finance or business.
- Significant relevant experience in Jersey fund and corporate administration, including experience at senior management level and direct responsibility for complex fund structures.
- Demonstrable experience leading and developing teams and managing operational and financial performance.
- A strong record of continuing professional development and maintaining current technical and regulatory knowledge.