Associate Director - Private Clients - Jersey

The position 

This position requires good attention to detail and someone who is a technical expert with Trusts Structures. This role falls within the scope of the Jersey Financial Service Commission’s definition of “Senior Management Function” Category 3. 

Your responsibilities

• Contribute to the effective development of regulatory, compliance and risk management policies and procedures
• Oversee the management of your client's portfolios, offering advice from our internal processes and collaborating with your team
• Pro-actively act as a director and alternate director of client companies administered by CSC, conduct client meetings and contribute to board meetings of CSC operating companies
• Manage the performance of the team to deliver agreed business plan goals and targets 
• Contribute to the leadership function and in doing so, ensure adherence to CSC values 
• Deliver effective communication within the team, providing regular reporting and feedback, so that agreed strategy and business plans are achieved
• Be accessible and approachable to all of your team members, offering guidance and development when required
• Deliver innovative and effective leadership in line with CSC’s values
• Act as director or alternate director of client companies administered by CSC and CSC operating companies 
• Ensure that the delivery of client service in the team meets agreed service standards 
• Pro-actively develop key client relationships and actively contribute to cross-selling opportunities

Your profile

• Experience in a similar role
• JFSC Category A employee, holding a Table 4 qualification
• Team leadership skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to understand, inspire and develop others
• Effective communicator
• Ability to formulate, consider and select the most appropriate solutions
• Ability to work effectively in a team

Associate Director – Guernsey

Job summary:

To develop Praxis’ fiduciary services business in Guernsey. Typically, this will involve promoting fiduciary services to existing and prospective clients and intermediaries. Creating an environment of constant business growth in line with company strategy will also be important.

To assist in business development, particularly in relation to extending services provided to existing clients and developing and maintaining good working relationships with intermediary providers. This will require the post holder to support and conduct research into new fiduciary products that respond to client needs within Praxis’ target market.

To work closely with the directors to implement all aspects with the Company’s business strategy as it impacts on Guernsey and within the framework of the Praxis Group as a whole. In particular the post holder is expected to work with the directors to improve profitability whilst limiting both the Company and clients’ exposure to risk. The post holder will have a client portfolio commensurate with the level of management responsibility.

Job accountabilities:

Client Relationship Management

• Take overall responsibility for all aspects of the client relationships within area of control.
• Create strong, profitable relationships based on mutual respect with clients and a profound knowledge of the client’s affairs and encourage staff to do likewise.
• Anticipate client needs and manage client expectations in terms of service delivery without over promising.
• Use understanding of financial and investment issues to develop the most appropriate strategies to meet needs of clients.
• Anticipate technical problems when dealing with client issues, think laterally and creatively to find solutions and, where necessary, seek expert advice.
• Anticipate tax problems when dealing with complex client issues or structures and recognise when to seek expert advice.
• Regularly seek feedback from clients to enhance future performance.
• Encourage liaison between Praxis’ business units to ensure clients receive highest possible level of service.
• Assist the directors with contentious client issues, making decisions as appropriate.
• Critically review sets of company or trust accounts or other financial reports.
• Act as an ‘A’ signatory on bank accounts.
• Actively participate in the take on of new business.
• Act as a director of managed companies as required.
• Play an active part in the management of the managed companies to which they have been appointed a director.
• Provide cover for directors when required.

Business Development

• Continually network with contacts outside of Praxis to further the development of the business.
• Seek opportunities to attend business forums and social functions to promote fiduciary services in general and Praxis’ expertise in particular.
• Promote the view that Praxis’ target market only includes clients of the very highest calibre who are discerning individuals connected with legitimate business activities.
• Encourage all fiduciary staff to seek opportunities to grow business with existing clients.
• Travel to meet existing and prospective clients, and nurture long term business relations with intermediaries who introduce new business.
• Adapt personal style to take account of the culture, individual and/or corporate contacts in which they are doing business.
• Demonstrate to clients the ability, supported by Praxis skill base and other specialists, to provide advice on all aspects of wealth management.
• Ensure that the company is fully informed about new clients and developments with existing clients.
• Keep up to date with changes in the market that have the potential to impact on offshore structures.
• Keep abreast of product and service developments that may enhance and add value to existing and potential client relationships.
• Have a general awareness of financial and economic developments globally.

Risk Management

• Understand and apply local legislation relating to drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorist financing and any other legislation that impacts on the conduct of fiduciary business within the jurisdiction.
• Stay up to date with changes in legislative and professional standards that impact on Praxis’ work.
• Manage complaints, operational risks, suspicions etc. in accordance with local procedures.
• Ensure understanding and adherence to Praxis’ risk management policies and procedures and, where appropriate, be proactive in identifying and proposing improvements.
• Support and advise in the setup of new clients; development of client handling procedures; closure of existing structures; KYC and exception monitoring.
• Identify and respond appropriately to risk situations relevant to the company and/or its clients and implement adequate internal controls to mitigate risk.
• Follow up client complaints to ensure that they have been satisfactorily resolved.

Corporate Governance

• Act as an ambassador for Praxis, raise the company’s profile, build its reputation and gain respect in the marketplace.
• Implement company strategy by developing the Jersey business plan to meet group objectives.
• Actively champion Praxis’ values by promoting a culture of professionalism, teamwork and leadership.
• Display a high degree of commitment at work at all times and strive for excellence.
• Have detailed understanding of Praxis’ vision and align the Jersey planning accordingly.
• Promote the view that the role of each individual contributes to Praxis’ vision.
• Assist in setting policies in relation to administered entities.
• Assist in implementing Praxis’ standards and policies.

Leadership and Communication

• Lead and manage the team to include recruitment, performance management and development, reward and remuneration and engagement and motivation.
• Inspire others and lead by example in order to promote teamwork, develop people and encourage development across the company.
• Regularly attend meetings with managers / directors, in order to cascade information and receive feedback.
• Explain technical issues in a way non-technical people can understand.
• Actively champion Praxis' values by promoting a culture of professionalism, teamwork, and leadership.
• Support, advise, be decisive and provide direction.
• Make expertise available to others by acting as a coach and/or mentor for more senior members of staff.
• Encourage a positive approach to change.

Personal Development

• Attend seminars and workshops, read industry publications and advisory briefs and follow developments in wealth management to enhance professional and technical knowledge.
• Shape own development to reflect the affairs, priorities and interests of clients and/or to meet the needs of Praxis.
• Systematically plan and prioritise time and tasks in order to effectively handle multiple work activities simultaneously.
• Be aware of own impact and change style/approach to suit situation.
• Maintain evidence of continuing professional development with at least 25 hours CPD per annum. No more than five hours of recorded CPD should be accounted for by time spent reading professional and industry publications.

Professional qualifications and experience

• The holder of this position should ideally be educated to degree level in a business-related subject such as law or accountancy and be a member of a relevant professional body. 
• The post holder should have a minimum of 15 years’ experience in fiduciary services, with at least 5 years senior management experience.

Required skills

• Comprehensive knowledge of and a proven track record in offshore fiduciary services.
• A proven track record in handling complex offshore fiduciary issues.
• A proven track record in client relationship management.
• Previous exposure to marketing and business development initiatives.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills for dealing with staff, intermediaries and clients.
• Excellent time management and organisation.
• Good presentation skills.
• Sound judgement.
• Good understanding of financial markets and finances in general.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to inspire and be a motivational leader.
• Knowledge of compliance issues and the regulatory framework within with Praxis operates.

Job Description

Job Title:             Client Director

Jurisdiction:             Guernsey

Department:             Corporate and Fund Services

About Us

Suntera Global is a multi-jurisdictional provider of fund, corporate and private wealth services. We believe in empowering responsible ambition through the professional delivery of fund, company and trust administration as well as outsourced compliance, escrow, accounting, and tax services. We have over 400 specialists supporting a global client base from offices in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Hong Kong, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Luxembourg, Malta, and the US. For more information visit suntera.com.

About the Role

The Corporate and Fund Services team have a fresh and modern approach which sets them apart from their peers. Through their open and creative approach to working alongside their clients they build upon one another’s ideas and expertise to create the ideal solution.

The purpose of the role will be to manage the people within a client delivery pod, mainly administering fund clients, acting as Client Director for key relationships and (if required) acting as a Director of client vehicles, including some POI Licensees.

The Client Director will take pride in managing client expectations and providing efficient, timely and high-quality administration services.

Key responsibilities include:

• Acting as line manager for Client Delivery Pod
• Acting as Client Director for key clients
• Acting as Director of Client Vehicles including POI Licensees (if required)
• Managing workloads and ensuring all key tasks are diarised and completed as required
• Working with Head of Client Delivery and other pod leaders to manage workload across the client delivery function
• Providing a high level of professional service to a portfolio of client relationships and attending generally to fund and corporate structures
• Preparing for and attending board meetings
• Overseeing the drafting of board meeting agenda, minutes and written resolutions, and ensuring all governance requirements are met
• Assisting the company boards in ensuring good governance
• Liaising with professional firms as required
• Dealing with Capital Calls and Distributions
• Processing of documentation relating to investment transaction
• Liaising with various parties through transactions or corporate actions
• Adhering to operating procedures and internal policies
• Being proactive in supporting company-wide objectives
• Ensuring you and your team comply with regulatory and legal requirements
• Any other ad-hoc tasks and responsibilities as assigned to you by your manager
• To ensure cover within the team during any absences

About You

You will have strong relevant experience and strong interpersonal skills. The following attributes would also be advantageous:

• A minimum of 10 years’ client relationship management experience, including Closed-Ended Alternative Fund experience
• The ability to lead, manage and develop a team
• Directorship experience
• Client onboarding experience
• ICSA, ACCA, or similar, professionally qualified or part-qualified
• Business development experience
• Good network of contacts
• Good grasp of oral and written English
• Working knowledge of Word, Excel and Outlook
• Communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Customer service skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Organisational skills
• Ability to manage priorities and multiple deadlines in a dynamic and proactive way

This is an exciting opportunity to join a professional team and develop new ways of working, where you will have the opportunity to input into the evolution of our business processes on an ongoing basis. In addition to a competitive salary, you will be rewarded with a performance-driven bonus, a comprehensive benefits package, and the training and career opportunities that come as standard with a dynamic and rapidly growing group of companies.

Key People

The team members, line managers and hiring managers the candidate may interact with during the hiring process and on the job.

• Mark Vidamour, Head of Corporate and Fund Services
• Chris Le Page, Head of Client Delivery, Corporate and Fund Services

About Belasko

We are a proudly independent fiduciary and fund administration provider with offices in Guernsey, Jersey, Luxembourg and the UK. We launched in 2011 to provide bespoke solutions to institutional and private clients with a clear and unbiased focus on quality across three service lines: Funds, Corporate Services and Private Wealth. Today we employ over 120 professionals across each of our four locations and have ambitions to grow further, primarily through organic growth and also through targeted M&A activity where it is in line with our strategic vision.

We have a clear focus to grow our Fund Administration offering to appeal to those fund managers looking for more peace of mind and consistency of delivery, particularly where client service standards might be falling with incumbent providers. To achieve this, we have developed a technology solution and on-boarding team that make it easy to transfer administrator, or set-up a new fund with complete confidence that we will plan the details with them up front.

Belasko Vision

Our Values

JOB DESCRIPTION

Role Title: Fund Client Service Director

Reporting to:   Guernsey Managing Director

About the role

Belasko Administration Limited (“Belasko”) provides full scope fund, corporate and private wealth administration services.

Belasko is seeking to strengthen its senior management team through the appointment of a new Guernsey Fund Client Service Director to lead the strategic and operational delivery of our service offering to Belasko’s clients. The role is primarily focused on funds delivery but through the provision of leadership and strategic direction, the role will oversight and encompass the corporate and private wealth service teams.

The position will report directly to the Guernsey Managing Director and will work closely with the Belasko Group Head of Funds, and the Group Commercial Director.

Key responsibilities include:

People

• Ensure an optimal team structure is in place locally that integrates with other jurisdictions and group team members as applicable.

• Take ownership of team recruitment as supported by our HR team to ensure appropriate levels of resourcing to attain team objectives.
• Implement structured training plans to support the continued development and investment of our team.
• Oversee the performance management of the team and ensure alignment of individual objectives to wider team and group objectives.

Client

• Maintain client service excellence by embedding a client service culture and monitor delivery against KPIs; provide reporting to the Group Head of Service Line and the Local Managing Director.
• Act as Client Relationship Owner to defined client relationships, taking ownership of end-to-end delivery across the Belasko Group and ensuring client service delivers to Belasko’s core values.
• Act as a signatory for client entities.
• Act as board member on a portfolio of regulated and unregulated client entities.

Governance & Regulatory

• Act as board member on Belasko Administration Limited (and affiliates).
• Member of the Guernsey leadership team, specifically leading the Funds Strategy for Guernsey and supporting other strategic initiatives as required.
• Ensure client structures and the local funds business are in full compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Proactively implement, monitor and enhance controls for the Funds team, supported by group policies and procedure owners.

Financial

• Manage the budgets and forecasting for the team; key focus areas being profitability, recoverability, and cash collection; provide reporting to the Group Head of Service Line and the Local Managing Director supported by the Group Finance Director.
• Deliver against business development targets through a targeted approach as agreed with the Group Commercial Director.
• Generation of Thought Leadership to clients and the market.

Qualifications & Experience:

The successful candidate will hold:

• A degree and / or a relevant professional qualification; At least 10 years’ experience in the offshore financial services industry. Fund Administration experience is essential, and experience in the fiduciary and / or private wealth sectors is an additional benefit
• Proven track record in delivering client service excellence, leadership and management skills; and
• Previous experience in acting as a director on regulated client and operating company boards.

Skills Required:

The successful candidate will require:

• Detailed working knowledge of administration deliverables and a commitment to client service excellence achieved through delivery of key performance indicators.
• Detailed working knowledge of the local regulatory, tax, legal, company Secretarial and Governance environment with the ability to demonstrate application of the rules and regulations governing our industry, across client and internal frameworks.
• A deep understanding of the risk management and governance environment, having previously been exposed to or held regulated board roles or served on board sub-committees encompassing risk management and client acceptance / new business mandates.
• Strong presentation and communication skills with track record in managing internal and external stakeholders and third parties / partners as well as current and prospective client relationships
• Ability to develop and mentor a high-performance team and enhance the guiding framework that ensure Belasko’s team are supported and developed whilst maintaining the highest of client delivery standards and quality.
• The ability to work independently, be innovative and develop / explore technology solutions to enhance the delivery of strategic goals, internal and external service excellence.