Department: Technology & Operations Consulting
Engagement Type: Contract / Project-Based
Location: [Client Site / Hybrid / Remote]
Reports To: Engagement Manager / Project Lead
1. Overview
We are seeking an experienced Management Consultant to serve as a Business Analyst on the implementation of an enterprise investment accounting system. This individual will act as the critical bridge between the client’s investment operations, middle office, and accounting teams and the system integrator / technology vendor, ensuring business requirements are accurately captured, validated, and translated into functional specifications.
The ideal candidate brings deep domain expertise across the trade lifecycle for multiple asset classes and a thorough understanding of investment book of record (IBOR) and accounting book of record (ABOR) concepts. They will play a central role in requirements gathering, solution design validation, data mapping, testing, and go-live readiness.
2. Core Responsibilities
Trade Lifecycle & Asset Class Coverage
- Serve as the subject matter resource for the end-to-end trade lifecycle across equities, fixed income, foreign exchange (FX), listed derivatives, and OTC derivatives.
- Document and validate current-state and future-state workflows for trade capture, confirmation, settlement, and position management across all in-scope asset classes.
- Advise on lifecycle event processing including corporate actions, coupon and dividend accruals, maturities, exercises, assignments, and expiries.
Investment & Accounting Book of Record
- Define and document the business rules for booking transactions to the investment book of record (IBOR) and accounting book of record (ABOR).
- Ensure accurate representation of trade economics, cost basis, realized and unrealized gain/loss, amortization and accretion, and multi-currency accounting entries.
- Validate the system’s chart of accounts mapping, fund accounting structures, and general ledger integration points.
Requirements Gathering & Solution Design
- Lead business requirements workshops with front office, middle office, operations, accounting, compliance, and technology stakeholders.
- Translate business requirements into detailed functional specifications, user stories, and acceptance criteria for the implementation team.
- Evaluate vendor solution capabilities against client requirements and identify configuration needs, customizations, and gaps.
- Collaborate with solution architects to validate data models, workflow configurations, and integration designs.
Data Mapping & Integration
- Define data mapping specifications for inbound and outbound feeds including trade files from order management systems (OMS), market data, reference data, custodian feeds, and accounting extracts.
- Support data migration planning, including historical position and transaction conversion and reconciliation.
- Coordinate with technology teams on interface design for upstream and downstream systems (e.g., OMS, portfolio management, custodians, general ledger, regulatory reporting).
Testing & Quality Assurance
- Develop and execute test strategies encompassing system integration testing (SIT), user acceptance testing (UAT), and parallel / shadow accounting runs.
- Design test cases that validate trade booking accuracy, NAV calculation, performance attribution feeds, regulatory reporting outputs, and accounting entries.
- Manage defect triage, root cause analysis, and resolution tracking through to closure.
Stakeholder Management & Communication
- Serve as the primary liaison between the client’s business teams and the implementation vendor / system integrator.
- Prepare and present status updates, decision documents, and risk assessments to project steering committees and executive sponsors.
- Facilitate change management activities including process documentation, training material development, and end-user readiness.
3. Qualifications & experience
Required
- 7+ years of experience in investment management operations, investment accounting, or financial technology consulting.
- Demonstrated expertise in the trade lifecycle for equities, fixed income, FX, listed derivatives, and OTC derivatives.
- Strong understanding of investment accounting principles including cost basis methods, amortization/accretion, gain/loss recognition, multi-currency accounting, and NAV computation.
- Hands-on experience with at least one major investment accounting platform (e.g., SimCorp, Eagle/BNY, Aladdin, Charles River IMS, HiPortfolio, PAM, Geneva, or equivalent).
- Proven ability to lead requirements workshops, write functional specifications, and manage UAT processes on large-scale system implementations.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Preferred
- Experience with IBOR/ABOR transformation initiatives or migration from legacy platforms.
- Familiarity with SWIFT messaging, FIX protocol, and industry-standard reference data (e.g., ISDA, CUSIP, ISIN, LEI).
- Knowledge of relevant regulatory frameworks (e.g., SEC, UCITS, Solvency II, IFRS 9, US GAAP ASC 820/ASC 946).
- CFA, CAIA, or relevant professional certification.
- Prior experience at a management consulting firm, Big 4, or financial technology vendor.
- Exposure to data warehouse and business intelligence reporting in an investment management context.
3. Key competencies
- Analytical rigor with strong attention to detail in complex financial data and workflows.
- Ability to operate independently in ambiguous, fast-paced project environments.
- Collaborative mindset with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
- Structured problem-solving and clear documentation practices.
- Client-service orientation with a commitment to delivering high-quality consulting outcomes.
