Programme Manager - Transfer Agency Experience

Overview

The Programme Manager - Transfer Agency (New Client Onboarding) will provide overall leadership across large-scale client onboarding, fund launch, conversion and transformation programmes within a regulated financial services environment. This role owns the end-to-end programme lifecycle, including programme planning, governance, stakeholder management, workstream coordination, risk management, readiness activities, conversion planning and successful implementation. This role acts as the primary point of contact between clients, business stakeholders and delivery teams, ensuring successful execution of complex onboarding programmes.

This role requires extensive Transfer Agency experience. Candidates with strong Programme Management experience but without significant Transfer Agency onboarding, conversion, fund launch or TA operations exposure will not be considered.

Responsibilities

• Lead overall management of new client launches, fund conversions and onboarding programmes across multiple workstreams.
• Provide programme leadership, decision-making support and delivery momentum throughout the programme lifecycle.
• Own programme planning, reporting, governance cadence, dependency management and integrated delivery oversight.
• Act as the primary point of contact for clients throughout onboarding, implementation and conversion programmes. Lead client governance forums, steering committees and executive stakeholder meetings. 
• Manage and coordinate project managers, business analysts and workstream leads to ensure accountability and delivery against programme objectives.
• Monitor and control progress against approved project plans, milestones, governance actions and critical path activities.
• Proactively identify, manage and mitigate programme risks, issues and dependencies.
• Troubleshoot across multiple concurrent workstreams and drive resolution of complex delivery challenges.
• Escalate significant programme risks and delivery issues to senior leadership where required.
• Ensure conversion runbooks, operating model sign-offs, readiness assessments, testing activities and transition plans are aligned to programme objectives.
• Lead internal senior management steering forums and project governance meetings.
• Coordinate legal, risk, compliance, AML, data protection and financial crime prevention activities associated with onboarding programmes.
• Own stakeholder communications, executive reporting and programme governance documentation.
• Maintain project documentation including RAID logs, decision logs, governance packs, status reporting and programme artefacts.
• Ensure compliance with project office standards, methodologies and governance controls.
• Support new business pursuits through participation in RFP responses, client presentations, site visits and onboarding planning activities.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, sponsors and internal stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement of onboarding processes, methodologies and delivery frameworks.
• Travel as required across Ireland, the UK and Luxembourg to support programme delivery and client engagement

Deliverables

• Programme mobilisation and initiation documentation.
• Integrated programme plan and milestone schedule.
• Workstream dependency mapping and delivery oversight.
• Executive steering committee reporting packs.
• Programme RAID logs, decision logs and escalation trackers.
• Conversion runbooks and readiness materials.
• Business readiness and transition plans.
• Client governance communications and sponsor updates.
• Resource planning and workstream allocation plans.
• Lessons learned and post-implementation review outputs. 

Governance Responsibilities

• Own the programme governance model, including steering committees, governance forums and reporting structures.
• Provide senior-level visibility of programme risks, dependencies, issues and critical milestones.
• Ensure project managers and workstream leads comply with agreed onboarding methodologies and controls.
• Drive closure of audit findings, quality actions, lessons learned and delivery exceptions.
• Ensure regulatory, legal, risk and compliance requirements are embedded throughout programme delivery.
• Maintain governance standards across all client onboarding and conversion activities

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or relevant professional qualification.
• PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent project/programme management certification.
• Experience with implementation lifecycle, SDLC documentation, UAT, model office, transition planning or business readiness activity.
• Knowledge of compliance, AML, data protection, financial crime prevention, client asset or regulated operating environments.
• Minimum several years in a leadership role.
• PMP certification or equivalent programme/project management experience. 

Essential skills

• Extensive Transfer Agency experience gained within a regulated financial services environment.
• Significant experience managing large-scale client onboarding, fund launches, fund conversions or business transformation programmes.
• Strong understanding of Transfer Agency operating models and associated functional areas.
• Proven experience leading client-facing programmes within complex matrix organisations.
• Deep understanding of project and programme management methodologies.
• Strong governance, risk management and stakeholder management experience.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to engage senior leadership, executive stakeholders and clients.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multiple concurrent workstreams under demanding timelines.
• Excellent problem-solving, issue resolution and decision-making capabilities.
• Extensive experience managing executive reporting, governance packs and programme documentation.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing programme teams and influencing stakeholders at all levels.
• Client-focused mindset with proven relationship management capability.

Desired skills

• Undergraduate degree or relevant professional qualification.
• PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent Programme/Project Management certification.
• Experience within Transfer Agency client onboarding organisations.
• Experience with implementation lifecycle methodologies, SDLC, UAT, Model Office, business readiness and transition planning.
• Knowledge of AML, regulatory compliance, operational risk and financial crime prevention frameworks.
• Experience supporting RFP activities, complex client implementations and operating model design initiatives.

Experience

Mandatory Transfer Agency Experience

• Proven experience in Transfer Agency operations and/or Transfer Agency client onboarding, conversions, fund launches or operational change programmes.
• Strong understanding of Transfer Agency operating models, mutual fund products, fund setup, investor servicing, client servicing and distribution channels.
• Experience working directly with Transfer Agency stakeholders, clients and operational teams.
• Understanding of onboarding and implementation activities including:Due diligenceGap analysisTarget Operating Model (TOM) designFund flowsSLA/KPI frameworksManagement reportingBusiness readiness and transition planning

Programme Delivery Experience

• Delivery of complex client-facing onboarding, conversion or transformation programmes.
• Management of multiple stakeholders, third-party providers and business functions
• Ownership of programme governance, planning, dependency management, risk management and stakeholder communications.
• Experience within highly regulated financial services environments.
• Practical experience producing governance materials, project documentation, sign-offs and delivery artefacts throughout the project lifecycle.

Benefits

At Expleo, we are committed to providing a competitive salary and substantial benefits offering with unique wellbeing, financial and employee recognition programmes.

We pride ourselves on our diverse and inclusive culture and offer a variety of family friendly policies and enhanced leave to help you achieve a healthy work life balance.

By providing significant learning and development opportunities, we encourage individual growth and success throughout your career with us.

• Collaborative working environment – we stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients and our peers through good times and challenges
• We empower all passionate technology loving professionals by allowing them to expand their skills and take part in inspiring projects
• Expleo Academy - enables you to acquire and develop the right skills by delivering a suite of accredited training courses
• Competitive company benefits such as medical and dental insurance, pension, life assurance, employee wellbeing programme, sports and social events, birthday hampers and much more!
• Always working as one team, our people are not afraid to think big and question the status quo.

“We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age”.

At Expleo, we understand that many people experience impostor syndrome throughout their lifetime, please do not let this discourage you from applying for this role. Our Talent Acquisition Team welcomes all CV’s and will consider your application in line with the values, requirements and role competencies.