Head of Operations

Reporting to the CEO, the Head of Operations will have overall responsibility for leading, managing and continuously improving the operations of the Fund Administration business in Ireland. The Head of Operations will be responsible for the operational departments within the Irish administration business, namely Accounting (Hedge, UCITS, PE, Credit), Investor Services, Onboarding, Financial and Regulatory Reporting. The Head of Operations will play a key role in ensuring operational excellence, scalable growth, client satisfaction, regulatory compliance and profitability of the company.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy

·       Responsible for the overall operations of the administration teams.

·       Work with the CEO and senior management team to ensure all client facing teams are operating in the most efficient manner.

·       Develop and implement advanced management information reporting that provides accurate and in-depth KPIs to ensure optimal business performance.

·       Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and exercise best practices for all engagements.

·       Act as operational lead for the entity’s role in group-wide offshoring projects.

·       Adoption of technology and a suitable location strategy to allow the business units grow in a scalable manner without adding commensurate cost.

·       Work closely with the CEO and Financial Controller to manage and adhere to financial plans.

·       Keep abreast of markets, industry trends and regulatory changes.

Clients:

·       Continually striving to pursue client excellence.

·       Act as a senior escalation point for clients.

·       Developing knowledge and taking the lead on all client challenges.

·       Oversee onboarding of new funds and clients, ensuring seamless integration and service delivery.

·       Frequently engage in client presentations, demonstrations and prepare in-depth cost analysis to determine fee proposals.

 Leadership

·       Overall responsibility for staffing within the entity including recruitment, resource allocation and performance management.

·       Serve as a key member of the senior management team, contributing to overall business strategy.

·       Oversee and provide strong leadership to the senior management group to maintain a highly motivated team prepared to meet the demands of an ever-changing and high growth business environment.

·       Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing teams across accounting, investor services, and operational support.

·       Oversee quality control throughout the entity, establishing goals for each department in partnership with the senior management team.

·       Ensure the senior management teams meet reporting deadlines, financial targets, and strategic initiatives.

·       Promote team building and communication across the entity through mentorship, collaboration, team events, and committees.

·       Enforce adherence to legal guidelines and in-house policies.

·       Ensure the entity’s complicity with legal and business ethics.

·       Develop strong working relationships with service providers.

·       Serve as a senior role model for the entity culture, led by example and motivate employees.

·       Manage and cultivate existing relationships with stakeholders, both internal and external.

·       Publicly represent Waystone as the business leader in the community.

Operational:

·       Ensure systems, procedures and controls and in place to maintain smooth daily operations of fund administration services including NAV production, investor reporting, reconciliations, AML/KYC onboarding, and fee calculations.

·       Ensure the heads of departments are running effective planning, scheduling and KPI production for clients.

·       Ensure all processes within the business are automated where possible and striving to move any manual process to system-based solutions.

·       Develop and maintain a robust oversight framework for outsourced activities, including KPIs, SLAs, and escalation protocols to ensure outsourcing arrangements align with regulatory guidelines.

·       Optimize processes and workflows for efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.

·       Drive automation and digital transformation initiatives.

·       Establish robust risk management and internal control frameworks across operations.

·       Deliver key operational metrics and KPIs to the Board/Risk Committee and stakeholders.

·       Ensures all regulatory and compliance requirements are met.

·       Ensure the entity is adequately prepared for any disaster recovery issues.

REQUIREMENTS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education:

·       Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Law, Business, or related field.

·       A minimum of 15 years’ post-qualification experience in Fund Administration.

Experience:

·       Proven track record in managing teams and delivering operational excellence.

·       Detailed knowledge of Fund structures and set-ups.

·       Understanding of industry best practice and regulatory landscape.

·       Excellent staff management and team building skills.

·       Excellent communication skills.

·      High levels of analytical capability and problem-solving skills.

·       Innovative and strategic approach.

·       Constantly seeking improvement and efficiencies.

·       Proven track record in client-facing roles, with strong networking and relationship-building skills.

·       Exceptional time management, organizational, communication, critical thinking, and attention to detail skills.

·       Proficiency in MS Office and analytical tools; experience with information management software preferred.