Apprenticeship – Investment Operations Technician, Level 3

Insight Investment is a leading asset manager focused on designing investment solutions to meet its clients’ needs.

Founded in 2002, Insight’s collaborative approach has delivered both investment performance and growth in assets under management. Insight manages assets across its core liability-driven investment, risk management, full-spectrum fixed income, currency and absolute return capabilities.

Insight Investment is owned by BNY Mellon, a global leader in investment management and investment services.

Insight has a clear mission and purpose to offer investors a different approach to achieving their investment goals; one that prioritises the certainty of meeting their chosen objectives in contrast to the traditional focus on maximising return and minimising volatility.

Insight takes responsible investment seriously. In our view, it is as an essential part of deciding whether an investment is fair value. Insight is a signatory to the Financial Reporting Council’s UK Stewardship Code4 and a founding signatory to the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2006.

Insight has a global network of operations in the UK, Ireland, Germany, US, Japan and Australia.

More information about Insight Investment can be found at: www.insightinvestment.com

The belief that clients come first is integral to our value system. A strong client focus, combined with a culture of innovation, collaboration, diversity and inclusion is the environment we offer our colleagues.

Business unit

The Operations Department provides middle and back office operational services either within Insight or provided to Insight by external parties.

• The Asset Valuations team is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of daily OTC derivatives valuations and the oversight of outsourced asset valuations.
• The Guideline Management team are responsible for the drafting, implementation, coding, and monitoring of investment guidelines. The team are integral to front office processes and are sat amongst the fund management team and client solutions group, working closely with them to ensure guidelines are operationally sound and that investment risk limits are adhered to.

Role overview

The apprenticeship will be in either our Asset Valuations or Guidelines team and will commence in October 2024 for 18 months.
We will structure your programme to give you the opportunity to experience and understand our business so on completion, the apprentice will be fully competent in the role. The apprenticeship should provide the successful candidate with the following opportunities:

• Be more effective when you enter a permanent role on completion of the programme
• Build networks and relationships across the organisation
• Gain technical understanding and working knowledge across our business
• Take professional qualifications such as Investment Operations Certificate (IOC) to support and complement business knowledge
• Establish the foundations in becoming Insight’s future leaders

Role responsibilities

Asset valuations

Perform daily, monthly and quarterly quality control checks on asset valuations.

• Work with pricing model owners (quants) to develop action plans to remediate valuation issues
• Monitoring findings, recommendations and management action plans resulting from valuation issues, ensuring timely and appropriate actions are taken to address concerns.
• Prepare reports, metrics and assist in reporting on asset valuations to various senior committees and the Client Service team.
• Develop and improve processes and procedures supporting asset valuations.
• Ownership of pricing and valuation policies; validation of adherence, updating policies, subject to appropriate committee approval.
• Assist with pricing model validation testing plans, evaluate the appropriateness of model inputs, and to assess the theory of the models.

Guideline Management

• Responsible for reviewing investment guidelines following their execution, coding such restrictions into the applicable compliance systems, and completing post-trade monitoring processes.
• Ensure queries from across the business are answered in a timely and accurate manner.
• Contribute to the management of team mailboxes and attend daily team calls to allocate work amongst the team.
• Take ownership of Guideline Management projects such as coding recertifications, process automation initiatives and data analysis tasks.
• Maintain team procedures, policies, and other reference documents.
• Build a good understanding of the various investment strategies that Insight manage.
• Understand how the Guideline Management department fits into the business and gain a solid understanding of other key departments that they interact with, such as Fund Management, Client Solutions Group, Compliance, Legal and Corporate Risk. Build solid working relationships with key contacts from those areas.
• Attend various regular and ad-hoc internal meetings.
• Work with your Line Manager and Skills Coach to complete your Personal Develop Plan (PDP)
• Log any learning activity undertaken in your online Learning Log (e track)

Experience required

• Three A levels (minimum B, B, C) or equivalent (predicted or achieved).
• Must not hold a related degree that is connected to the program criteria.
• Individuals who are energised by working with other people
• Individuals who are motivated to work in a client facing environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proven record of working collaboratively
• Curiosity about economics, finance or investment finance
• Outstanding communication skills, ability to articulate ideas clearly
• Ability to operate in a changing environment and challenge the status quo, innovative
• Proven record of taking the initiative to act, self-starter
• Inquisitive, strong desire to learn and grow professionally

How to apply

If you’re interested in joining an exciting, innovative financial services company, please complete your online application by Tuesday 17th September 2024.  

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we therefore strongly encourage you to apply early.

Insight is committed to being an inclusive employer and encourages applications from all suitably qualified applicants irrespective of background, circumstances, age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

 Please visit the Insight Careers website for all open vacancies:

 https://careers.peopleclick.eu.com/careerscp/client_insightinvestment/int1068812912/en-us/search/search.html