Job Description

Fund services | Corporate | Capital markets | Private client | Regulatory & Compliance

We help clients succeed by unlocking new value through expertise, trust and scale. We deliver solutions that solve complex challenges faced by asset managers, financial institutions, corporates, high net-worth individuals and family offices.

With a curious mindset, we ask the right questions to get to the right solution, faster. We collaborate to win together, sharing successes and shaping the future of our global business. Our culture of support and recognition provides the tools and opportunities for you to grow, while unlocking the most value for our clients and making your mark with Ocorian.

Expertise: We deliver specialist, tech-enabled solutions for our clients grounded on deep industry expertise.

Trust We’re a trusted partner to over 8,000 clients globally. We are proud to have long-lasting partnerships with our clients.

Scale With more than 1,500 colleagues, we operate across 20+ countries, our scale enables us to support our clients globally and locally, providing a seamless client experience across borders and service lines.

In Belfast, we have a team of c.120 colleagues, with c.70 focused on Fund Services across our Accounting, Administration, Investor Services, Company Secretarial and Depositary teams.

The local office was established in the Titanic Quarter in 2011 and has grown to become a key strategic office for the wider group. We currently have c.50 staff providing Global Enablement Functions for Ocorian including Marketing, Internal Finance, IT, Compliance and HR.

In the Fund Accounting team, we work closely with the finance departments of our clients and consider ourselves as an extension of their team.

• On an ongoing basis, we bookkeep cash transactions and reconcile to bank accounts.

• On a quarterly basis, we calculate accruals, prepayments, loan interest and other accounting journals to provide our clients with an accurate TB and ledger. We then receive the valuation of investments from the clients and record these to allow us to finalise the TB and prepare management accounts comprising Statement of Comprehensive Income, Statement of Financial Position, Statement of Cash Flows and related notes.

• On a semi-annual or annual basis, we prepare full statutory accounts for each fund ranging from simple entities to complex group structures and PLCs. We draft and maintain timetables, host calls with all parties and manage the audit on behalf of our clients. For some clients, we attend formal board meetings to present accounts and related matters.

The Fund Accounting team has c. 30 accountants based in Belfast and provides a career pathway from school leavers entering a Higher-Level Apprenticeship, through graduate Trainee Fund Accountants, part-qualified Assistant Fund Accountants and qualified Fund Accountants. We also have Senior Fund Accountant and Manager level roles for more experienced staff.

We offer hybrid working, typically with 2 days in the office and 3 days working from home.

Main Responsibilities

The Fund Accounting Manager would work as part of a team who are responsible for the planning and preparation of financial reports for a portfolio of funds, ensuring reporting deadlines are met and the delivery of client accounting requirements follow Ocorian’s contractual obligations. As part of the management team, you will be involved in strategic development, and the training and development of the accounting team.

This is a senior position, typically requiring an ACA, ACCA or equivalent qualified person with excellent technical knowledge and understanding of current accounting standards, particularly IFRS and UK GAAP.

Core Accounting

• Review of day-to-day bookkeeping (to include but not limited to) expenses, VAT, accruals, prepayments, loan interest calculations, investment and investor transactions such as movement in valuations provided by the client / Investment Manager
• Review of quarterly management accounts comprising Statement of Comprehensive Income, Statement of Financial Position (showing Net Asset Value), Statement of Changes in Equity and Statement of Cash Flows in accordance with individual fund requirements
• Review of interim and annual financial statements, and managing the relationship with auditors
• Ensure that regulatory and statutory reporting requirements are met and that current accounting standards (UK GAAP or IFRS) and best practice principles are applied to the accounts production process and kept current as such standards and principles develop

Stakeholder Management

• Develop an understanding of clients, including the nature of their transactions and reporting requirements, and help maintain the client relationship
• Develop and maintain a process to ensure the timely delivery of client accounting requirements in relation to financial reports and accounts
• Lead client meetings involving accounting related matters
• Liaise with clients, auditors and other professional advisers to agree timetables for the production of accounts

Other duties

• Motivate staff, maintain quality control measures and seek to constantly to improve departmental and individual performance
• Ensure Ocorian’s policies and procedures are used and adhered to within the accounts team and contribute to the continuing development of those policies and procedures, including for new funds
• Contribute to the training, development and performance appraisal of the accounts team by maintaining quality control measures and seeking to constantly improve departmental and individual performance
• Facilitate clear communications throughout the team by (inter alia) weekly departmental meetings to review work in progress
• Assist in the preparation of fee quotations for new business opportunities and meet with potential clients.
• Review and release of client payments prepared by the Administration team
• Any other such duties that might be reasonably required for this role

Qualifications

Knowledge, skills and experience

The role would suit a qualified accountant with relevant experience and the ability to demonstrate:

• Solid and pragmatic accounting skills and technical accounting knowledge
• Excellent presentational, written and verbal communication skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Excellent organisational and planning skills including managing expectations and determining that which is important versus that which is urgent
• Solid Excel, Word and general IT skills
• Professionalism and ability to win the respect of clients
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• Ability to interact with colleagues at all levels
• The drive to make continuous improvements
• Flexibility to adapt as the role develops

Additional Information

All staff are expected to embody our core values that underpin everything that we do and that reflect the skills and behaviours we all need to be successful. These are:

• We are CLIENT CENTRIC – Clients are at the centre of our world, and we’re committed to providing expertise and specialist solutions to meet their most complex challenges.
• We are AMBITIOUS – We aim high. We think and act globally, seizing every opportunity to delight our clients and support our colleagues - wherever in the world they may be.
• We are AGILE – We act on our initiative to get things done for our clients. Our independence gives us the flexibility and freedom to keep things simple, efficient and effective.
• We are COLLABORATIVE – With a curious mindset, we ask the right questions to get to the right solution, for our clients faster. We collaborate to win together and share our successes.
• We are ETHICAL – We behave with integrity at all times and assume positive intent, building trust through responsible actions and honest relationships.

Equal Opportunities for Everyone

Please let us know if there’s anything we can do to make the process easier for you. You can reach us at careers@ocorian.com

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, or veteran, neurodiversity or disability status.

information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.