Settlements Associate

This newly created hire will assist the Settlements Manager on all day-to-day settlement processes, ensuring that all settlement back-office functions are processed in a timely and accurate manner.

**Key Responsibilities**
- To produce regular management information.
- To maintain an up-to-date awareness of relevant settlement environmental changes, inclusive of their direct or indirect impact on infrastructure and the different business divisions of Winterflood.
- To ensure complete and accurate internal reporting of Client Money and Asset Requirements
- To respond to audit requests, as directed.
- To ensure complete and accurate counterparty setup.
- To maintain Client and our own SSIs.
- To ensure trades are matched (where possible) and settled in a timely manner.
- To ensure client requirements are processed in respect of commission and trade confirmations.
- To ensure all Buy-Backs and manual trades are processed correctly, making sure PnL is posed correct and that withdrawals, registrations, disclosure forms are all completed accurately and lodged with the registrar.
- To ensure all reconciliations are completed and align to SPARK.
- To ensure non-electronic settlement is managed carefully and accurately.
- To ensure FTT is accurately processed.
- To monitor and manage the realignment of stock.
- To monitor and manage any potential Buy-Ins.
- To ensure all Settlement Agent Invoices are reconciled and to complete and retain any required sign-off authorisation.
- To maintain the Settlements Confluence page, to ensure documentation is up-to-date.
- To ensure that any failing trades are pursued, with accurate notes maintain within SPARK.
- To ensure that any certificates are correctly recorded, stored, and periodically reconciled.
- To suggest changes that would make settlement more efficient.
- Build and maintain a strong culture of compliance, risk management, integrity, client focus and other such Winterflood or Close Brothers values.
- Help drive an efficient settlement team to ensure that Operations Team can service their internal and external clients accurately, enhancing the reputation of the Team throughout the industry.
- To ensure timely placement of all client fund orders with the relevant Fund Manager/TA’s as per the guidelines set out in the procedure.
- Manage custody positions to achieve timely settlement where possible.
- Process all Contract Notes for Fund Trades on the date of receipt.
- Assist the Client Service team in answering any client queries to ensure that we respond to the client on the same day.
- Ensure all asset and cash breaks assigned to the team are investigated and resolved in a timely manner.
- Prioritise and know which markets/risk to deal with in defining workload.
- Assist in the collation of all daily, weekly, and monthly MI, KPI’s and KRI’s within Operations, ensuring production is timely and accurate.
- Assist Settlement Manager with any required documents in preparation for Client meetings.
- Assist in the continuous development of both systems and process, liaising with internal and external counterparts where necessary.

**Required Skills & Experience**
- Experience and knowledge of Settlements, understanding of the Fund, International and UK Market.
- Track record of maintaining high performance standards; clear focus and commitment to driving great customer outcomes, profitability, and shareholder value.
- Ability to focus and commit to delivering against deadlines.
- Good organisational skills with the ability to multitask and deal with multiple issues via different forums.
- Effective and proficient communication and written skills.
- Ability to prioritise, be responsive, deal with ambiguity, and respond to changing

**Benefits**
- Competitive salary plus discretionary annual bonus & annual pay review
- Work Abroad Policy for up to 15 days per year
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays and additional well-being day
- Option to purchase an additional 5 days holiday per year
- Flexible working options available, including hybrid working
- Pension scheme up to 10% employer contribution
- Sharesave scheme
- Income Protection & Life insurance (4 x salary core level of cover)
- Private health care via BUPA
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Discounted Gym Membership
- Variety of travel to work schemes

Company benefits are provided on completion of either six months service, or a successful probation period whichever is sooner.

Entitlement outlined above is in respect of full-time entitlement, and will be provided to part-time workers on a prorate basis in accordance with the relevant scheme rules.

**_ We appreciate that from time to time, recruitment agencies will have speculative CVs that they may wish to submit to our Talent Acquisition team in relation to a specific role._**

**_ To avoid any ambiguity around fees, please note that speculative CVs received by Close Brothers, that have not been authorised in advance, by us, will be ineligible for an agency fee