Senior Project Manager – Asset Management

Location: Cape Town

**Asset Management / Front Office experience- Non-negotiable**

 Please note: Candidates without direct project delivery experience within Asset Management will not be considered.

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Project Manager with proven delivery expertise within the Asset / Investment Management industry, specifically across Front Office, Transfer Agency, Fund Operations, Risk, Compliance, and Investment Technology environments.

This role requires a commercially astute leader who understands the full investment value chain and has successfully delivered complex strategic, regulatory, and transformation programmes within regulated Asset Management environments.

The successful candidate will have led initiatives that directly support business growth, operational resilience, regulatory alignment, and technology modernisation.

The ideal candidate must have demonstrable experience delivering projects across one or more of the following areas within Asset Management:

 

Transfer Agency & Investor Services

• TA platform migrations and enhancements
• Client onboarding & AML programmes
• Digital investor front-end transformations
• Operating model changes within TA environments
• Experience with platforms such as SS&C, TCS BaNCS, Flexcube, FNZ One, Zilo, T-Cube, Finworks or similar

 

Portfolio Management & Trading

• Front Office transformation initiatives
• OMS/EMS implementations or upgrades
• Portfolio management workflow optimisation

 Regulatory Change Programmes

• FCA / PRA / FSCA regulatory initiatives
• ESG & Sustainability reporting
• MiFID II, IFR/IFD, EMIR
• Operational Resilience programmes

 Front, Middle & Back Office Strategic Change

• End-to-end business and platform transformation initiatives
• Operating model redesign and restructuring across Front, Middle and Back Office functions
• Operational efficiency and cost optimisation programmes
• Process re-engineering and workflow optimisation
• Outsourcing transitions and service provider integrations
• System implementations and upgrades across core Asset Management platforms, including:
• InvestOne
• Charles River
• Aladdin
• SimCorp
• HiPortfolio
• Eagle
• Similar Asset Management core systems

 

Digital & Operational Transformation

• Automation initiatives
• Data transformation and reporting programmes
• Enterprise-wide operational efficiency initiatives

 

Key Responsibilities – will include:

             Project Planning & Execution:

• Define project scope, objectives, outcomes, and success criteria aligned to strategic Asset Management goals.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, timelines, financial forecasts and resourcing models.
• Lead complex delivery across Front Office, Transfer Agency, Fund Operations, Risk, IT, and Finance, as well as third-party providers (custodians, fund administrators, technology vendors).
• Ensure delivery within agreed scope, budget, and timelines, maintaining strong governance, documentation, and audit readiness.
• Drive operating model improvements, process optimisation, and platform enhancements where required.

 

Stakeholder & Governance Management

• Act as the primary liaison for senior stakeholders including Portfolio Managers, COO, CRO, Compliance, Risk, Technology, and external regulators.
• Lead Steering Committees and governance forums, ensuring structured reporting and decision-making.
• Manage expectations, secure approvals, and facilitate structured communication across all levels.
• Facilitate clear and effective communication both verbally and written among project team members.

Risk & Issue Management:

• Proactively identify delivery, regulatory, and operational risks, implementing effective mitigation strategies.
• Lead regulatory initiatives including Operational Resilience, ESG/Sustainability reporting, MiFID II updates, and other jurisdictional regulatory changes.
• Maintain robust RAID logs and ensure compliance obligations are embedded throughout the project lifecycle.
• Partner with Risk, Compliance, and Internal Audit to ensure control effectiveness.

 

Budget, Vendor & Resource Management

• Manage Project Budget and ensure costs are controlled and accounted for.
• Coordinate with Finance, Procurement, and Vendor Management teams regarding contract oversight and commercial negotiations.
• Allocate and manage cross-functional project resources for optimal delivery.

Performance Monitoring and Reporting

• Ensure Track project progress using KPI’s and performance metrics.
• Prepare high-quality reporting packs for ExCo, Steering Committees, and PMO
• Conduct post-project evaluations (Lessons Learned) to identify improvements for future projects.

Key Skills & Competencies:

• Minimum 8+ years’ experience as a Senior Project Manager within Asset / Investment Management.
• Proven delivery across Transfer Agency, Fund Administration, or Front Office transformation initiatives.
• Strong understanding of trade lifecycle, fund structures, NAV processes, investor servicing, and regulatory reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex cross-functional programmes in regulated environments.
• Solid knowledge of regulatory frameworks impacting asset managers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Stakeholder Management Skills
• Strong problem-solving, analytical thinking, and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to work in fast-paced, global environments with competing priorities.
• Proficiency in Project Management Tools (MS Project, Asana, Jira, Trello, Smartsheet, Confluence etc.)

 

Qualifications & Industry Certifications

Required/ Strong Advantage:

 PRINCE2 Practitioner (UK & International)

• PMP – Project Management Professional (PMI)
• PMI-ACP – Agile Certified Practitioner
• Agile / Scrum Master Certification
• SAFe Agilist / SAFe Practitioner
• Relevant bachelor’s degree (Finance, Investments, Business, Information Systems)