The Transfer Agency (“TA”) department provides a third party fund administration service to numerous fund management companies covering the full range of shareholder servicing functions including dealing, registration, settlements, distributions, commissions and statements.
There is a need for an experienced CASS specialist, to assist the TA with oversight of CASS activities to facilitate TA client’s compliance with the applicable regulations. This is a demanding role that focusses on the TA business and will suit a self-starter who has the ability to manage multiple priorities, for example client and internal stakeholder management, oversight of TA operational functions, management of CASS impacting issues / changes, and continuing evolution of the Transfer Agency governance and operations framework.
This role will report to the Northern Trust Head of CASS and will also maintain close links with oversight and support functions, including internal and external auditors, compliance and control functions.
The key responsibilities of the role include:
• Provide advice and guidance on CASS emerging issues and incident management to key TA operational colleagues.
• Monitor and assess impact of changes in CASS requirements to the TA business and TA’s CASS infrastructure, and support the implementation of appropriate infrastructure to facilitate clients’ compliance with regulatory obligations.
• Provide CASS technical advice and guidance on the application of the CASS rules to multiple internal stakeholders (including but not limited to Business Unit partners and internal governance forums).
• Monitor industry intelligence, including attendance at relevant industry working groups where required.
• Draft CASS technical papers and policies, forming technical opinions.
• Running quarterly client CASS conferences.
• Production of CASS management information reporting and oversight documentation for monthly governance oversight meetings.
• Support of CASS governance meeting structure including chairing the CASS Working Group; CASS Executive Steering Group; CASS Champions Engagement Sessions and other relevant governance groups. Support of operational business units in assessment and where necessary implementation of processes and controls to enable adherence with CASS regulatory requirements.
• Support of client facing business units in addressing CASS regulatory enquiries and requests for information from clients, and maintaining relationships with clients’ CASS offices
• Maintain ongoing training and development of UK Transfer Agency partners in relation to CASS, with the aim of further embedding CASS awareness and further mitigate potential CASS risk, including delivery of formal CASS training requirements to Champions and partners either on a 1 to1 and /or team basis as required.
• Ongoing maintenance and update of the TA internal CASS documentation, including the CASS Accountability Matrix, CASS process flows and CASS Risk and control register.
• Review, challenge and approval of all CASS incidents or errors prior to client reporting.
The key competencies of the role include:
• Experience of operating in a compliance, Audit and / or operational oversight role in providing oversight of compliance with the FCA CASS regulations, specifically CASS 7
• Knowledge of the Financial Conduct Authority’s CASS regulations and their applicability to the Asset Management industry.
• Experience working for or with a Third Party Administrator.
• An in depth understanding of Client Money and Custody Asset flows within a Transfer Agency or other Asset Management operation.
• Ability to interact effectively and influence senior management and staff at all levels.
• Experience of implementing CASS policy.
• Knowledge of other key FCA regulations – COBS and COLL – an advantage.
• Experience in production of management information reporting and/or reconciliations will also prove advantageous.
• Willingness and ability to challenge current report production methodology and offer practical suggestions for production enhancements.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and ability to work with macros.
• Self-starter with ability to work under minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to develop effective working relationships.
About Northern Trust
For more than a century, Northern Trust has worked hard building our legacy of outstanding service, expertise and integrity. From a Chicago-based bank founded in 1889, we now have more than 20 international locations and 18,500 employees globally. We serve the world’s most-sophisticated clients – from sovereign wealth funds and the wealthiest individuals and families, to the most-successful hedge funds and corporate brands.
We burnished our reputation as a global leader delivering innovative investment management, asset and fund administration, fiduciary and banking solutions enabled by sophisticated, leading technology. And through it all, we continually laid a solid, forward-looking foundation on which future generations can continue growing and achieving greater.
Northern Trust proudly cultivates a diverse workforce, to serve our diverse client base. We strongly believe that diversity of experience contributes to a broader collective perspective that will consistently lead to a better company. We encourage applications from the best regardless of ethnicity, gender, gender identity, age, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, education, socio-economic background, parental and caring status, or religion.
As of September 30, 2018, Northern Trust Corporation had:
• $10.8 trillion in assets under custody/administration
• $8.2 trillion in assets under custody
• $1.2 trillion in assets under management
• $132 billion in banking assets