Senior Manager – Private Equity Fund Accounting and Administration

Job Title: Senior Manager – Private Equity Fund Accounting and Administration

Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Employment type: Permanent
Reporting to: Locally to Head of Private Equity Operations (South Africa) and internationally to the Client Director

Role Summary: The Senior Manager is accountable for end-to-end delivery of Private Equity fund administration for one or more strategic clients. You will provide hands-on operational oversight and senior client engagement, acting as the escalation point for complex delivery, technical and risk matters. Working across Fund Administration and adjacent service lines (e.g., ManCo/AIFM support, Depositary), you will coordinate stakeholders to deliver accurate, on-time outputs, strengthen controls, drive process improvement, and coach VPs and Managers.

Key Deliverables (KPIs)

• On-time, accurate delivery of agreed outputs (NAV/financial packs, capital activity, investor reporting, and other scoped deliverables).

• Own escalations end-to-end (root cause, remediation, and prevention).

• Audit-ready delivery and strong control outcomes (timely closure of queries; adherence to governance standards).

• Proactive operational risk management for assigned clients (identify, mitigate, monitor).

• Lead and develop the Manager / Assistant Manager (coaching, delegation, performance, retention).

• Deliver measurable process improvements (reduced defects/rework, shorter cycle times, lower risk).

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Client Engagement (Hands‑On)

• Own delivery for one or more strategic/complex clients, staying close to day-to-day execution where required.

• Build deep knowledge of the client’s strategy, governance, operating model, and priorities.

• Be the client’s trusted operational partner; support Manager / Assistant Manager on communications while remaining visibly engaged on key topics.
  

Operational Escalation & Problem Solving

• Primary escalation point for complex operational, technical, and delivery issues.

• Lead cross-team resolution across jurisdictions/service lines with clear ownership and deadlines.

• Balance priorities, client impact, and operational risk; drive root-cause fixes (not workarounds).

Cross‑Service & Internal Navigation

• Navigate the organisation on behalf of clients across Fund Accounting and Administration and adjacent areas (ManCo/AIFM support, Depositary, Onboarding, Compliance and Risk).

• Align internal teams and messaging; ensure issues are owned and not handled in silos.

• Set clear ways of working and expectations for both clients and internal stakeholders.
  

Technical & Delivery Oversight

• Interpret LPAs/side letters and ensure terms are correctly operationalised (fees, waterfalls, reporting).

• Perform senior reviews of key deliverables and strengthen review frameworks across the team.

• Maintain oversight across the broader portfolio while staying close to delivery detail.
  

Team Leadership & Capability

• Lead, coach and develop VPs/Managers in escalations, prioritisation and senior client engagement.

• Set standards for operational excellence, accountability and quality across the team.
  

Risk, Control & Quality

• Own operational risk for assigned clients; ensure adherence to control frameworks, governance and internal policies.

• Lead responses to audits, due diligence requests and internal quality reviews for strategic clients.
  

Continuous Improvement

• Identify recurring issues and drive scalable improvements in process, controls and ways of working.

• Support change initiatives including fund launches, migrations, transitions and system enhancements.

Required Experience, Qualifications & Skills

• 8+ years’ PE Fund accounting and administration experience, including 3+ years at managerial level.

• Experience preparing/reviewing fund financial statements and reporting under IFRS or relevant GAAP framework, including audit support.

• Proven escalation management for complex funds/clients with strong judgement and prioritisation.

• Strong working knowledge of LPAs/side letters and translating terms into operations (fees, waterfalls, reporting).

• Experience coordinating delivery across multiple service lines and stakeholders.

• Private equity systems exposure preferably eFront or Allvue. Demonstrated strong Excel skills and familiarity with GL/investor reporting and workflow tools advantageous.

• Strong communication and problem-solving skills; able to drive process improvement.

• Proven people leadership (coaching, performance management, developing teams).

• Detail-oriented and effective under pressure and deadlines.