Investment Accounting Systems Manager – Permanent

Overview

The Manager, Investment Accounting Systems owns and oversees the organisation’s PAM investment accounting platform, ensuring it remains reliable, well controlled, and aligned with business needs. The role covers system ownership, project delivery, vendor management, process improvement, and stakeholder engagement across Finance, Investments, Technology, and Risk.

Key Areas of Responsibility

PAM Ownership & Investment Systems

• Own the day-to-day business relationship with PAM and act as a subject matter expert for the platform.
• Establish priorities for system improvements, operational activities, and business requirements.
• Ensure PAM supports accurate and timely investment accounting and reporting.
• Maintain appropriate standards for data quality, system integrity, operational resilience, and process control.
• Work with business and technology teams to identify opportunities for system and process improvements.
• Oversee interfaces and data flows between PAM and connected investment, finance, reporting, and operational systems.
• Investigate and resolve complex system or process issues, escalating where appropriate.

Operational & Team Leadership

• Provide direction and support to team members involved in PAM-related activities.
• Coordinate operational activities and priorities across relevant accounting and investment operations teams.
• Act as an escalation point for system incidents, data issues, process exceptions, and other PAM-related matters.
• Coordinate internal and external resources to ensure issues are resolved efficiently and with appropriate consideration of operational risk.
• Promote consistent processes, documentation, and controls across PAM activities.

Vendor Management

• Manage the relationship with the external provider supporting PAM.
• Monitor service delivery, agreed service levels, system performance, and issue resolution.
• Participate in regular service reviews and discussions concerning product development, enhancements, and future capabilities.
• Communicate business requirements and prioritise functionality requests with the provider.
• Manage escalations and support the resolution of significant service issues.
• Identify opportunities to improve the value, efficiency, and functionality delivered through the platform.

Systems Projects & Change

Support and lead investment systems initiatives, including:

• Major enhancements to the investment accounting environment.
• Platform upgrades and related technology changes.
• Introduction of new functionality and system capabilities.
• Business requirements definition, impact assessment, testing, implementation, and post-implementation support.
• User communications, training, and adoption activities.
• Changes affecting interfaces, data flows, reporting, and related operational processes.

Entity & Acquisition Integration

Support the investment accounting aspects of bringing new entities or portfolios into the operating environment, including:

• Establishing and validating opening investment data within PAM.
• Reviewing data quality and resolving implementation issues.
• Supporting the transition of processes and responsibilities to new users or teams.
• Providing guidance and training on relevant PAM processes and controls.
• Coordinating activities across Finance, Investments, Technology, operational teams, and external service providers.

Reporting, Controls & Governance

• Support recurring investment accounting activities and reporting cycles, including data processing, reconciliations, classification activities, and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate user-access requests, amendments, reviews, and removals.
• Perform or support periodic access and control reviews within PAM.
• Assist with segregation-of-duties assessments and other control activities.
• Maintain appropriate evidence for control testing and audit purposes.
• Support internal and external audit requests relating to PAM, investment accounting processes, data, and controls.
• Maintain procedures, process documentation, control descriptions, and user guidance.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen controls, simplify processes, and reduce operational risk.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Accounting, Finance, Business, Information Systems, or a related field.
• 5+ years’ experience in investment accounting, investment operations, financial systems, securities processing, reconciliations, or related areas.
• Experience with PAM or a comparable investment accounting platform is desirable.
• Good understanding of investment accounting processes, investment data, portfolio reporting, and financial systems.
• Experience working with system interfaces, data flows, and technology-enabled business processes.
• Experience managing external technology or service providers and monitoring service performance.
• Experience contributing to or leading systems projects, including requirements gathering, testing, implementation, training, and transition to business-as-usual.
• Strong analytical, organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable working across Finance, Investments, Technology, Risk, and operational teams.
• Experience within insurance, asset management, investment management, or broader financial services would be advantageous.
• Understanding of financial controls, user-access governance, audit requirements, and operational risk is preferred.

Deliverables:

• Maintain a stable, reliable, and well-controlled PAM environment.
• Resolve system and operational issues efficiently.
• Deliver system enhancements and projects effectively and with minimal disruption.
• Support accurate and timely investment accounting and reporting.
• Facilitate effective onboarding of new entities, portfolios, or business requirements.
• Maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external service providers.
• Ensure appropriate user-access and control standards are maintained.
• Provide effective support for audit and control activities.
• Identify and implement practical improvements to processes, data quality, automation, and system functionality.
• Drive strong service performance from external technology providers.

Role Focus: PAM ownership, investment systems operations, third-party relationship management, change delivery, entity onboarding, controls, reporting, and user-access governance

• Investment Accounting & Operations: Strong understanding of investment accounting, investment operations, portfolio data, and associated reporting processes.
• Investment Systems: Ability to manage a critical investment platform and translate business requirements into practical system solutions.
• Supplier Management: Experience managing external technology partners, service performance, escalations, and ongoing improvements.
• Project & Change Delivery: Ability to manage systems change from initial requirements through testing, implementation, adoption, and operational support.
• Leadership: Ability to provide direction, coaching, and functional leadership across a range of teams and stakeholders.
• Process Improvement: A continuous-improvement mindset with a focus on efficiency, automation, data quality, and operational effectiveness.
• Controls & Risk: Strong awareness of data integrity, user access, operational controls, segregation of duties, and risk management.
• Audit & Governance: Ability to support audit, compliance, control testing, and governance requirements.
• Stakeholder Management: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical and business environments.