Senior Vice President – Listed Fund Accounting

The Apex Group was established in Bermuda in 2003 and is now one of the world’s largest fund administration and middle office solutions providers. Our business is unique in its ability to reach globally, service locally and provide cross‑jurisdictional services. With our clients at the heart of everything we do, our hard‑working team has successfully delivered on an unprecedented growth and transformation journey, and we are now represented by over 13,000 employees across 112 offices worldwide. Your career with us should reflect your energy and passion. That’s why, at Apex Group, we will do more than simply ‘empower’ you. We will work to supercharge your unique skills and experience. Take the lead and we’ll give you the support you need to be at the top of your game. And we offer you the freedom to be a positive disrupter and turn big ideas into bold, industry‑changing realities. For our business, for clients, and for you.

Job Summary

The individual performing this role will work closely with the fund accounting and company secretarial teams and will have responsibility within that team for delivery of financial statements for UK listed funds (annual and half‑yearly reports) and other financial reporting for clients. The individual will also take a lead role, along with the directors of the Company, in managing relationships with clients and ensuring a high‑quality delivery of service to those clients, including approval of management account and Net Asset Value calculations (daily, monthly and quarterly). The individual must have an excellent level of knowledge of IFRS / UK GAAP applicable to UK listed companies and preferably listed investment trusts.

Job Accountabilities

• Overall responsibility for annual/half‑yearly reporting for UK investment trusts and any other client financial reporting requirements.
• Managing client relationships for at least three investment trust clients, taking overall responsibility for ensuring all fund administration and company secretarial deliveries and service expectations are met.
• Responsibility for UK listed investment trusts audit process and timing of audits; ensure all audit and non-executive directors’ queries/comments are cleared on time and liaising with auditors for sign off the annual reports.
• Liaising with investment managers/advisers in production of annual/half‑yearly reports.
• Working closely with the fund accounting and company secretarial teams to ensure that financial reports (half‑yearly and annual accounts) are prepared on an accurate and timely basis.
• Working closely with the operations director(s) and senior manager(s) on the financial reporting and operations team to ensure delivery of net asset values and management accounts on an accurate and timely basis and, in particular, taking responsibility for alternative asset class funds (for example debt, infrastructure and renewable energy etc).
• Work closely with third party service provider such as type setters/designers in production of annual/half‑yearly reporting.
• Liaising with/working closely with the operational teams (fund accounting and company secretarial) during the financial and other reports preparation process.
• Responsibility for ensuring that financial statements are released and filed in accordance with both management set deadlines and statutory deadlines.
• Responsibility for ensuring tax filings for UK listed funds are completed within regulatory deadlines and close liaison with tax advisers.
• Ensuring financial statements are compliant with UK GAAP (FRS 102 & 104), IFRS and AIC SORP and other standards as applicable.
• Ensuring financial statements are compliant with relevant stock exchange rules as applicable.
• Monitoring, highlighting and reporting on changes to UK GAAP (FRS 102 & 104), IFRS and AIC SORP and other standards as applicable to clients and other team members.
• Attending Board meetings with company secretaries and acting as a lead on financial reporting matters and proving general market and sector expertise.
• Providing technical advice on various accounting matters (if any) to fund accounting team/operations directors.
• Managing audit relationships with auditors (big four and other auditors).
• Responsibility for regulatory compliance in relation to all finance related matters for clients and management company.
• Acting as a signatory for client accounts.
• Reviewing and approving NAV calculations for a wide variety of clients.
• Reviewing client management accounts produced by the fund accounting team.
• Invoice approvals and authorising expenses and investment transaction payments.

Minimum Experience

Minimum of at least five years at senior manager level ACCA/ACA or equivalent qualification, with substantial relevant post qualification experience. It is advantageous that the candidate will have a minimum of 3 years of financial services audit experience, with a bias to UK listed investment trusts, at a mid‑size or large audit firm.

Special Skills

• Excellent problem‑solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent knowledge of UK GAAP/FRS, IFRS, AIC SORP and other accounting standards applicable to listed funds.
• Excellent knowledge of stock exchange rules as applicable to listed funds.
• Ability to work on own initiative and with other team members.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high quality service to clients.
• Excellent communication skills at both client and internal levels.