Settlement Officer – Trade Matching & Settlement

About the role

The Settlement Officer will support Prescient Fund Services clients by ensuring accurate and timely trade matching and settlement across multiple asset classes. This role is based in Westlake, Cape Town and involves close interaction with brokers, custodians and internal teams.

Key responsibilities

• Capture, process, match and settle trades (equities, fixed income, derivatives, unit trusts, FX, swaps, etc.) in the accounting system.
• Prepare manual settlement instructions for unlisted trades such as private placements, off‑market and offshore investments.
• Reconcile broker/counterparty confirmations with client notifications and send settlement instructions via SWIFT.
• Maintain broker settlement details, contact information and brokerage rates.
• Compile incident reports and resolve internal/external queries from brokers, clients and custodians.

Required profile

• Minimum 3 years of experience in trade settlement or investment operations.
• Relevant tertiary qualification in finance, commerce, economics or related field (post‑graduate advantageous).
• Strong attention to detail, ability to work under pressure and maintain client and counterparty relationships.

Required skills

• Proficiency with SWIFT messaging for settlement instructions.
• Experience using trade matching and settlement systems linked to accounting platforms.
• Knowledge of equities, fixed income, derivatives, unit trusts, FX and swap products.