Willis Towers Watson

 

 

Investment Consultant(12 month FTC)
Reigate

 

The Company

Willis Towers Watson is a leading global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance through effective people, financial and risk management.  With over 32,000 associates around the world, we offer solutions in the areas of employee benefit programs, talent and reward programs, and risk and capital management.

The Business

The Investment line of business at Willis Towers Watson consists of c.700 professionals and is responsible for advising on over $2 trillion of institutional capital globally, with occupational pension schemes, insurance companies, endowments, family offices and sovereign wealth funds all being represented in our client base.

We offer a range of services to our clients, ranging from traditional investment consulting to fiduciary management of their assets (not via funds of funds).

The Implementation Team was set up in 2007 and is responsible for the efficient implementation of investment decisions on behalf of a broad range of institutional clients. Since then, the team’s responsibilities have grown. In 2011, the IMA ASK team was created to further develop the service offering to our fiduciary business and enhance the due diligence co-ordination process. The IMA ASK team plays an integral part in ensuring operational success when implementing investment decisions on behalf of our fiduciary clients. The team is now looking to expand and globalise its services.

The Role

The main responsibility of the Senior Associate will be to oversee the day-to-day running of the IMA ASK / Delegated Administration work streams and ensure that all work is completed in a timely manner and to a high standard. Core work undertaken by the team includes;

  • providing support to the Implementation team by ensuring that investment documentation is reviewed and completed in line with expectations to ensure investment decisions are implemented successfully. This involves the team liaising with a panel of external lawyers and investment managers to co-ordinate and complete a range of investment documentation including (but not limited to) pooled manager fund documentation, Investment Management Agreements, tax and certification forms. The team also works closely with a number of internal teams to ensure that the due diligence aspects of investment implementation are successfully executed.
  • ensuring that key activities are completed to ensure the service offering can be maintained, for example distribution of the TWL authorisation policy / renewal of power of attorney documents
  • ensuring that on-going portfolio administration requirements are met for example, regulatory client certifications are in place and third parties hold the correct authorisation

In addition, there will be a requirement to complete ad-hoc tasks and projects such as; ensuring the integrity of our internal databases and systems, contributing to the development of processes and procedures, reviewing of legal invoices and ensuring that the correct fee arrangements are in place with the investment managers.

This role is suited to an individual who has a keen eye for detail, is organised and able to co-ordinate a number of different activities in order to achieve set deadlines and managed/supervised junior colleagues.

There is a requirement to have a working knowledge of investment fund documentation (including an understanding of the main client declarations and warranties). This role may appeal to an individual who has previously worked in a legal environment or has relevant investment services experience.

Responsibilities/Performance objectives:

Excellence

  • Adhere to our Professional Excellence principles to ensure that any work undertaken is completed in a manner that adds value to our clients
  • Accuracy and effective time management skills are critical to this role. 
  • Learn quickly about the wider investment consulting business and provide specialist recommendations/guidance to the client consulting teams
  • Maintain the integrity of client data

People

  • Build relationships internally and externally and collaborate effectively on cross-functional teams
  • Ability to clearly and confidently communicate with colleagues at all professional levels; and external parties.
  • Ability to supervise and accurately check the work of junior colleagues and provide guidance/training to ensure work is conducted in a timely manner and of a high standard.

Clients

  • Understand what our clients’ requirements are both commercially and legally (in accordance with the terms of their contract with WTW).
  • Deliver high quality work which meets or exceeds clients’ expectations, including drafting client correspondence or information for senior consultants to send to clients.

The Requirements

  • University degree and preferably completed the IMC/IOC
  • Proficient working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook)
  • Meticulous and logical approach to work.
  • Ability to manage workload and deliver to deadlines.
  • Problem solving and efficient research skills
  • Effective oral and written communication  to ensure that information and knowledge is shared concisely and accurately
  • Team-player with the ability to fit seamlessly into the LOB focussed on delivering work of exceptional quality, including supervising/checking work of junior members of the team.
  • To be comfortable and have the confidence to liaise with third-party organisations and all levels of staff within the LOB
  • Ability to instruct and guide UK panel lawyers to ensure relevant commercial and legal points are being considered for our clients (with some guidance from colleagues).
  • A results orientated individual.

Please note that as part of our recruitment process, any offer of employment will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory background checks.

Willis Towers Watson is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on any basis.  We support flexible working and this role will be considered on a flexible basis