We are seeking a full-time Vice President of Investment Operations, based in our Vancouver head office, to build and lead a scalable investment operations platform that supports growth in assets, products, and transaction volumes without a corresponding increase in operational risk or manual effort. The role owns workload and resource planning, operational risk management, process modernization and automation, and the development of leaders and teams across Investment Operations.
Reporting to the CFO, the role has responsibility for Investment Operations, including Trade Operations and Performance Measurement, Attribution and Risk (PMAR), and works closely with Trading, Technology, Compliance, Finance and Investor Operations.
Key Responsibilities include:
Investment Operations Strategy & Operating Model
- Establish and continuously evolve the Investment Operations operating model, governance and service standards to support business growth and increasing investment complexity.
- Re-imagine the Investment Operations function to deliver efficiencies, scale outcomes and provide excellent service to the investment, sales and finance teams.
- Set multi-year priorities for the function in alignment with Pender's strategic plan.
- Develop and maintain operational policies, procedures and standards so that business needs are met efficiently.
Operational Risk, Controls & Data Integrity
- Establish appropriate service levels, controls, escalation protocols, and operating KPIs.
- Identify root causes behind recurring errors and operational breaks and drive sustainable remediation.
- Maintain effective governance over the integrity of operational data.
- Own business-continuity and incident-management readiness for Investment Operations, including post-incident review and remediation.
Process Modernization, Automation & Scalability
- Own a multi-year process and automation roadmap, prioritizing opportunities according to risk, workload impact, and business value.
- Champion straight-through processing and exception-based workflows where practical.
- Stay current on industry trends and best practices, engaging with peers and the market, and challenge the status quo to improve processes and drive efficiencies.
- Ensure significant operational initiatives are delivered against committed objectives and timelines.
- Build an operating structure capable of absorbing business growth efficiently.
Workload, Resourcing & Financial Stewardship
- Maintain a data-driven view of workload, team resourcing, and key-person dependencies.
- Determine whether workload pressures should be addressed through automation, process redesign, technology, or additional resources.
- Maintain budget accountability for the function, including creating the annual budget based on department needs and strategy.
Leadership, Performance & Stakeholder Management
- Lead, coach, and develop Investment Operations leaders and teams, creating and developing appropriate coverage for critical roles.
- Build a culture of accountability, setting clear standards and measures of performance for the team.
- Build strong working relationships with senior leaders and adjacent functions.
- Advise senior leadership on operational priorities, risks and investment needs.
- Provide senior-level leadership for significant third-party provider relationships, including custodians, prime brokers and data and technology vendors, and oversee their performance against agreed service levels.
- Act as a senior escalation point for time-sensitive operational decisions within established authority.
- Establish and maintain operational KPIs covering service levels, workload, risk, efficiency, and operational performance.
- Ensure management reporting is accurate and timely and provides insight into trends and emerging issues.
- Report regularly on operational performance to the CFO and executive team, and partner with the broader management team on scalable solutions that support growth.
- Use operational data to identify priorities and guide resource and modernization decisions.
Qualifications:
- 10+ years of experience in investment operations or asset management operations, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
- Deep working knowledge of post-trade operations (trade settlement, reconciliations, corporate actions) and performance measurement and reporting, with strong understanding of operational controls, investment-processing workflows, data integrity, and operational risk.
- Demonstrated experience leading process modernization, automation, and scalable operating-model improvements, including working with technology teams and vendors.
- Experience managing and developing teams and other leaders.
- Strong judgment and ability to make decisions in complex or time-sensitive operational situations.
- Experience managing relationships with internal stakeholders and external service providers, such as custodians, prime brokers and data vendors.
- Strong analytical, communication, and organizational capabilities.
- Bachelor's degree in business, finance or a related field; a professional designation (CPA, CFA) or master's degree is an asset.
- Experience in a growing or scaling investment firm, including exposure to mutual funds, ETFs or alternative strategies, is an asset.
- A catalyst for change with a strong sense of urgency, an appreciation for technology, and a risk-aware mindset.
- In-depth knowledge of operational best practices, applicable regulations and industry standards.
- A curious, questioning mindset, with the ability to develop the group's plan in alignment with Pender's strategic plan.
This role will evolve as Pender grows, and the successful candidate will help shape it.
What's in it for you?
- Great compensation (competitive base and bonus) & benefits package which includes an employee RRSP matching program.
- Opportunity to be part of a collaborative team
We are sharing that the estimated salary range for this position is $185,000 - $220,000 per year. In determining final salary, Pender considers many factors including the candidate's qualifications, relevant experience, job responsibilities, market conditions, position location and internal equity. Our aim is to ensure fair compensation practices that align with industry standards while acknowledging the unique value and expertise each individual brings to the role. The final base salary for the offer will be presented as part of a competitive compensation package.
