Investment Operations Team Lead

About the role

The Investment Operations Team Lead is responsible for building technical capability within the operations team, sharing operational knowledge and managing risks. The role acts as the first escalation point for operational issues and ensures the investment team can operate efficiently and effectively.

Key responsibilities

• Lead day‑to‑day operational activities across listed, OTC, unlisted, fixed‑income and credit instruments, ensuring controls and service standards are applied.
• Own the full trade lifecycle – pre‑trade readiness, trade support, post‑trade settlement monitoring and resolution of trade failures.
• Manage operational oversight of OTC derivatives, unlisted credit and infrastructure assets, including valuations, reconciliations and documentation.
• Drive new fund launches, mandate transitions and fund closures, coordinating onboarding across Operations, Compliance, Legal and Investment teams.
• Maintain the relationship with Prescient Fund Services, overseeing reconciliations, NAV reviews and open‑item management.
• Lead, mentor and develop the Investment Operations Specialist and KYC/Onboarding Specialist, promoting cross‑training and reducing key‑person dependency.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements (DTCC, EMIR) and support audits and reporting.
• Identify and implement process improvements and automation to enhance operational efficiency.

Required profile

• 5–8 years of experience in Investment Operations, Fund Administration or Asset Management Operations, preferably within the South African market.
• Strong background in fixed‑income operations, OTC derivatives and unlisted investment processes.
• Proven experience managing fund launches, mandate transitions or complex onboarding projects.
• Previous supervisory or team‑lead experience with a focus on capability development.
• Relevant tertiary qualification in Finance, Investments, Economics or Commerce; additional certifications are a plus.

Required skills

• Fixed‑income operational processes (bonds, money‑market, credit instruments).
• OTC derivatives operations and collateral management.
• Trade lifecycle and settlement monitoring.
• DTCC and EMIR regulatory reporting.
• Automation and workflow optimisation tools.