Man Group, one of the world’s largest independent alternative investment managers, is partnering with Career Returners to launch its third Man Group Returner Programme. The programme is targeted at experienced professionals who have taken an extended career break and now want to return to the workforce. Alongside the returnship, there is also an opportunity to join the firm’s Technology team directly into a permanent role where the successful candidate will also benefit from Career Returners coaching.

About the Man Group Returner Programme

During the six-month programme, you will work on professional assignments based on your skills and interests, and will benefit from coaching through the transition period from Career Returners, together with internal mentoring and network access. At the end of the programme, there will be the possibility of a permanent role with the organisation.

Man Group strongly believes in flexible working and encourages applications from people who want flexibility in their working arrangements. All of the roles they are considering can be, and often are, performed flexibly.

Who Man Group is looking for

Man Group is keen to hear from candidates of any gender who have had a career break of at least 24 months (from April 2023), with the following relevant experience:

Middle Office Accounting Senior Analyst

The Middle Office team are primarily responsible for the oversight of fund portfolio and fund valuation across Man’s fund ranges. This includes both Man’s internal records and the NAVs (Net Asset Values) of funds and their share classes calculated by independent Fund Administrators.

Middle Office Senior Analysts will typically take day-to-day responsibility for the core Middle Office Accounting Activities relating to certain fund ranges and/or asset classes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Fund Oversight and NAV Control
  • Operate key Middle Office oversight activities for funds, focusing on fund NAV controls, including security pricing, portfolio valuations, fund/share class performance validation, FX hedging effectiveness, fee validation, security financing cost oversight, and operating expense reviews.
  • Liaise with fund administrators to reconcile final NAVs and address accounting queries.
  • Oversee fund capital used by portfolio managers, ensuring accurate capture of subscriptions/redemptions and correct reflection of daily performance.
  • Review foreign exchange exposures and currency hedges for capital inflows/outflows.

• Profit and Loss (P&L) Analysis
  • Use multiple data-sources and systems (e.g., Bloomberg, vendor data, Python, Excel) to review and analyse fund profit and loss accounts across asset classes, including exchange-traded instruments and OTC derivatives.
  • Validate fund profit and loss at the security level using risk-based measures (e.g. Greeks).
  • Produce Daily NAV estimates

• Process Improvement and Technology Integration
  • Identify and promote opportunities for systems and process improvement.
  • Utilise in-house systems along with technology tools (e.g. Python, Confluence) to enhance reporting and control processes, and to deliver efficient solutions supporting evolving business requirements.

• Stakeholder Collaboration and Fund Structuring
  • Work with cross-functional teams (e.g., fund managers, product structuring, legal, compliance, trading, operations, tax, and finance) and external parties (e.g., fund administrators, custodians, fund directors, and investors) to ensure the accurate setup and operation of funds.
  • Support fund launches, restructures, or closures, ensuring alignment with product specifications and control processes.

• Governance and Risk Management
  • Attend pricing committees and administrator meetings to ensure the quality and effectiveness of pricing governance and controls.
  • Review and mitigate pricing risks, documenting and communicating enhancements to governance frameworks.
  • Oversee the reconciliation and reporting of management and performance fees, ensuring accuracy across the business.
  • Monitor and oversee service providers to maintain high standards of delivery.

• Reporting and Ad-hoc Support
  • Provide ad-hoc reports and insights to Asset Managers, senior management, and investors on fund performance, historic trading analysis, and other investor due diligence requests.
  • Support business-wide requests, including RFPs, investor queries, and regulatory reporting.
  • Review fund financial statements and regulatory/tax reporting, providing insights on fund accounting.

Required Competencies

• Qualified Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst or Equivalent
• Highly numerate
• Experience working in Financial Services, typically in an investment bank or asset management firm
• Good understanding of traded financial instruments
• A team player, who is also comfortable to take individual ownership
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with multiple senior stakeholders

Our Culture, Values and Benefits at Man

Man Group is proud to provide the best working environment possible for all of its employees, and we are committed to equal opportunities. At Man Group we believe that a diverse workforce is a critical factor in the success of our business and this is embedded in our culture and values. There are a number of external and internal initiatives, partnerships and programmes that help us to attract and develop talent from diverse backgrounds and that encourage inclusion and diversity across our firm and the industry. Man Group is a Signatory of the Women in Finance Charter and the Race at Work Charter.

Man Group supports many charities, and global initiatives. We support professional training and development, and requests for flexible or part-time working. Employees are also offered two 'Mankind' days of paid leave per year as part of the Man Charitable Trust's community volunteering programme.

We offer comprehensive, firm-wide employee benefits including competitive holiday entitlements, pension/401k, life and long-term disability coverage, group sick pay, enhanced parental leave and long-service leave.  Additional benefits are tailored to local markets and may include private medical coverage, discounted gym membership and wellbeing programmes.

Man Group is a Disability Confident Committed employer; if you require help or information on reasonable adjustments as you apply for roles with us, please contact Peopleoperations@man.com.

Man Group is a global, technology-empowered active investment management firm focused on delivering alpha and portfolio solutions for clients. Headquartered in London, we manage $174.9 billion* and operate across multiple offices globally.

We invest across a diverse range of strategies and asset classes, with a mix of long only and alternative strategies run on a discretionary and quantitative basis, across liquid and private markets. Our investment teams work within Man Group’s single operating platform, enabling them to invest with a high degree of empowerment while benefiting from the collaboration, strength and resources of the entire firm. Our platform is underpinned by advanced technology, supporting our investment teams at every stage of their process, including alpha generation, portfolio management, trade execution and risk management.

Our clients and the millions of retirees and savers they represent are at the heart of everything we do. We form deep and long-lasting relationships and create tailored solutions to help meet their unique needs.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where difference is celebrated and everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive, as well as giving back and contributing positively to our communities. For more information about Man Group’s global charitable efforts, and our diversity and inclusion initiatives, please visit: https://www.man.com/corporate-responsibility

Man Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker EMG.LN and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. Further information can be found at www.man.com

* As at 30 September 2024. All investment management and advisory services are offered through the investment engines of Man AHL, Man Numeric, Man Discretionary, Man FRM, Man Varagon, Man Global Private Markets and Man Solutions.