Investment Platform Support Manager - Schroders Campus, near Horsham

Who we're looking for
We are looking for a highly experienced individual to join our Investment Services Platform Team (ISPT) and take responsibility to manage the day to day support and service management of our core investment platform, Aladdin by BlackRock Solutions (BRS), globally.  

 
Working in a fast paced environment, you will be responsible for overseeing all Aladdin related enquiries and service requests raised from Investment and Operations business stakeholders.  You will work right across the organisation and very closely with BRS to ensure issues are escalated and resolved, and ongoing problems are managed.  You will be able to remain calm while under pressure and balance multiple priorities at once.

 
About Schroders
We’re a global investment manager. We help institutions, intermediaries and individuals around the world invest money to meet their goals, fulfil their ambitions, and prepare for the future.

We have around 4,000 people on six continents. And we've been around for over 200 years, but keep adapting as society and technology changes. What doesn't change is our commitment to helping our clients, and society, prosper.

The base
You'll be based at our Schroders Campus near Horsham in West Sussex. It's home to our EMEA Operations and Technology Operations hub. 

 
It has the same high standards and international reputation as our HQ in the City of London, without being in the city: a big, countryside campus (and no commute on the Tube) means life will feel a little different.

 
About the team
The Investment Services Platform Team (ISPT) is a central team within Operations, reporting to the Global Head of Investment Services with a global remit. The team provides support to the Investment, Dealing and Operations functions in Schroders Asset Management Business and works with teams across Schroders to implement change initiated from the three functions. The team aims to enable business growth, support business as usual, make operating model improvements, manage risk and simplify business processes.

What you'll do
•    Manage a team of Analysts supporting the day to day service provision and support oversight of our core investment platform (Aladdin) with the third party supplier BlackRock Solutions (BRS)
•    Service 2nd line Aladdin related enquiries from Investment, Dealing and Operations users globally with primary focus in EMEA region
•    Troubleshoot general user enquiries and direct accordingly
•    Manage oversight of all Aladdin related enquiries and service requests raised by users directly with BRS to identify business critical items that require further triage and management
•    Be the key escalation point to BRS and take full ownership of the management of critical business issues 
•    Manage Aladdin service incidents impacting critical business processes, including coordination with BRS, Schroders Global Technology and business teams through to resolution
•    Facilitate business communications and manage senior management communications
•    Manage issue/incident root cause analysis and tracking delivery of mitigating actions
•    Reduce Aladdin incidents by working with ISPT, BRS and Schroders Global Technology through platform control and functional capabilities improvement
•    Manage team members in EMEA, APAC and US to ensure global coverage and handover of service issues and escalations on daily basis
•    Identification and management of the life cycle of underlying problem management themes
•    Produce MI / Insights to manage BRS services within contractual SLAs
•    Full understanding of how issues in one function may impact / raise issues in another function
•    Mentor, coach and develop members of the team

The knowledge, experience and qualifications you need
•    Experience working within an asset management firm within front office environment
•    Good technical investment services platform knowledge and ability to bridge the communications between third party vendors, IT and the business
•    Good understanding of fund management business and end to end Order/Trade workflow 
•    Familiarity with broad range of investment products and instruments
•    Familiarity with the dealing lifecycle of Equity, Fixed Income and OTC derivatives instruments is preferred
•    Strong communication skills and experience to manage third party portfolio, order, execution management system
•    Ability to define and document business problems within a complex investment management environment
•    Good inter-personal and organisational skills
•    Ability to operate under pressure, multi-tasking and deliver to demanding deadlines
•    Knowledge of Portfolio, Order & Execution Management Systems
•    Experience managing others

The knowledge, experience and qualifications that will help
•    Previous experience of working in a helpdesk / service management role
•    Knowledge of BlackRock Aladdin Solution
•    Business knowledge of other Asset Management front office systems, such as MSCI Barra, FactSet, Charles River, Bloomberg and Eikon
•    Understanding of ITIL framework

What you'll be like
•    Service orientated
•    Able to work under pressure, on several critical priorities at once
•    Have the ability to quickly understand issues, make good judgements and quick decisions
•    A critical thinker and problem solver
•    An excellent communicator with strong ability to articulate complex issues succinctly

We recognise potential, whoever you are
Our purpose is to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. Diversity of thought facilitated by an inclusive culture will allow us to make better decisions and better achieve our purpose. This is why inclusion and diversity are a strategic priority for us and why we are an equal opportunities employer: you are welcome here regardless of your age, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background or any other protected characteristics