Operations Specialist AVP

Employer:             DWS Group

Title:                      Operations Specialist- Portfolio Services- AVP

Location:               Madrid

Job Code:              placeholder for LinkedIn job wrapping

About DWS:

Today, markets face a whole new set of pressures – but also a whole lot of opportunity too. Opportunity to innovate differently. Opportunity to invest responsibly. And opportunity to make change.

Join us at DWS, and you can be part of an industry-leading firm with a global presence. You can lead ambitious opportunities and shape the future of investing. You can support our clients, local communities, and the environment.

We’re looking for creative thinkers and innovators to join us as the world continues to transform. As whole markets change, one thing remains clear; our people always work together to capture the opportunities of tomorrow.

As investors on behalf of our clients, it is our role to find investment solutions. Ensuring the best possible foundation for our clients’ financial future. And in return, we’ll give you the support and platform to develop new skills, make an impact and work alongside some of the industry’s greatest thought leaders. This is your chance to achieve your goals and lead an extraordinary career.

This is your chance to invest in your future.

Read more about DWS and who we are here.

Team / division overview

The COO Division is a key enabler for DWS and is integral to the future success of the company by delivering world-class services across a set of key functions. It covers essential Technology and Operations capabilities to deliver a platform which is efficient, scalable, resilient and agile.

As part of the DWS COO function, Portfolio Services plays a critical role in supporting the investment platform through the delivery of robust, controlled and scalable operational services across Corporate Actions, Collateral Management and Securities Finance, Class Actions and Proxy Voting, as well as Trailer Fees, Management Fees and Billing. The department partners closely with global stakeholders across Operations, Portfolio Management, Trading, Compliance, Technology and external service providers to ensure high-quality execution, strong governance and effective support for both day-to-day business operations and strategic transformation initiatives.

As part of this agenda, the successful candidate will be expected to actively contribute to automation, AI-enabled process improvement, data-driven controls and smart workflow design, while ensuring that operational risk, auditability and sound governance remain embedded in everything the team delivers.

Your responsibilities –

As our Operations Specialist- Portfolio Services- AVP you will:

• Support the end-to-end delivery of Portfolio Services processes across Corporate Actions, Collateral Management and Securities Finance, Class Actions and Proxy Voting, as well as Trailer Fees, Management Fees and Billing, ensuring timely, accurate and controlled operational execution.
• Manage and strengthen daily BAU processes, controls and exception management across Portfolio Services, including event processing, margin and collateral workflows, securities lending and repo-related activities, proxy and class action events, fee calculations, invoice verification and billing oversight.
• Partner closely with Portfolio Management, Trading, Fund Accounting, Compliance, Risk, Technology, Finance, Coverage, custodians, triparty agents, external collateral managers, data vendors and other service providers to ensure high-quality service delivery and effective resolution of operational issues.
• Maintain and enhance operational control frameworks by supporting clear process ownership, accurate documentation, KPI/KRI monitoring, incident management, control execution, audit readiness and timely escalation of potential risks.
• Contribute to the Smart Middle Office agenda by identifying opportunities to simplify and standardise Portfolio Services workflows, reduce manual intervention, improve operational transparency and embed scalable, resilient and controlled ways of working.
• Apply AI, automation, workflow tooling and data analytics to improve exception management, predictive controls, reconciliation, prioritisation, vendor oversight, operational reporting and management information across Portfolio Services.
• Translate operational pain points into practical automation or AI use cases, working with Technology, transformation partners and operational SMEs to shape solutions that are controlled, scalable, measurable and aligned to business priorities.
• Support operational readiness for market changes, regulatory developments, new products, migrations, vendor changes and platform enhancements, ensuring Portfolio Services processes remain stable, well-governed and fit for future business needs.

We are looking for:   

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 5+ years of experience in financial services operations, ideally with strong exposure to Portfolio Services, Middle Office, Investment Operations or related asset management functions.
• Strong understanding of one or more Portfolio Services disciplines, including Corporate Actions, Collateral Management, Securities Finance, Class Actions, Proxy Voting, Trailer Fees, Management Fees or Billing.
• Good knowledge of investment products, financial instruments and operational processes across the asset management value chain, including their impact on funds, portfolios, clients, counterparties and external service providers.
• Hands-on experience with operational event processing, exception management, reconciliations, fee or invoice oversight, collateral or margin workflows, proxy/class action events or securities finance-related processes would be highly beneficial.
• Proven ability to investigate complex operational issues, perform root-cause analysis, coordinate remediation and drive sustainable resolution across teams, regions and service providers.
• Comfortably operating in a global, matrix environment, communicating clearly, influencing stakeholders and building strong partnerships with Portfolio Management, Trading, Compliance, Risk, Technology, Finance, Coverage, custodians, agents, vendors and other third parties.
• Strong understanding of operational risk, controls, governance, audit readiness, regulatory obligations and the importance of robust process ownership within a controlled Operations environment.
• Experience with investment operations platforms, collateral or securities finance tools, corporate action systems, fee and billing platforms, workflow tools or similar operations technology is a plus.
• Strong analytical skillset, practical data analysis techniques and the ability to translate operational data into meaningful insights, controls and management information.
• Practical understanding of AI, automation and data analytics concepts, with the ability to identify meaningful use cases in an Operations environment and partner with Technology to deliver them responsibly.
• Experience with process automation, workflow design, digital tooling, Python, Power Automate, SQL, data visualisation tools or similar technologies would be highly beneficial.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive outcomes across a matrix, global organization.
• Proactive approach to identifying control gaps and improving data quality frameworks.
• Ability to bridge operational subject matter expertise with technology and AI teams, translating business requirements into pragmatic, controlled and measurable solutions.

What we’ll offer you:

At DWS we’re serious about diversity, equity and creating an inclusive culture where colleagues can be themselves sand it’s important to us that you enjoy coming to work - feeling healthy, happy and rewarded. At DWS, you’ll have access to a range of benefits which you can choose from to create a personalised plan unique to your lifestyle. Whether you’re interested in healthcare, company perks, or are thinking about your retirement plan, there’s something for everyone.

DWS’ Hybrid Working model is designed to find the right balance between in-person collaboration and engagement in the office, which is core to our working culture, and working from home. Each business group varies on the split between time spent in the office and at home, but this will be discussed and made clear as part of your application and interview process. We will continue to review and evolve our working environments and methods to ensure that we are working in the best way possible for our people.

If you require any adjustments or changes to be made to the interview process for any reason including, or related to a disability or long-term health condition, then please contact your recruiter and let them know what assistance you may need. Examples of adjustments include providing a change to the format of the interview, or providing assistance when at the DWS office. This will not affect your application and your recruitment team will discuss options with you

Our values define the working environment we strive to create – diverse, supportive and welcoming of different views. We embrace a culture reflecting

We at DWS are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, one that embraces dialogue and diverse views, and treats everyone fairly to drive a high-performance culture. The value we create for our clients and investors is based on our ability to bring together various perspectives from all over the world and from different backgrounds. It is our experience that teams perform better and deliver improved outcomes when they are able to incorporate a wide range of perspectives. We call this #ConnectingTheDots.