Senior Manager – Private Equity (Fund Accounting & Administration)

For our business, for clients, and for you

Senior Manager– Private Equity Fund Accounting andAdministration

Job Title: Senior Manager – Private Equity FundAccounting andAdministration

Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Employment type: Permanent
Reporting to: Locally to Head of Private Equity Operations (South Africa) and internationally totheClient Director

Role Summary: The Senior Manager is accountable for end-to-end delivery of Private Equity fund administration for one or more strategic clients. You will provide hands-on operational oversight and senior client engagement, acting as the escalation point for complex delivery, technical and risk matters. Working across Fund Administration and adjacent service lines (e.g.,ManCo/AIFM support, Depositary), you will coordinate stakeholders to deliveraccurate, on-time outputs, strengthen controls, drive process improvement, and coach VPs and Managers.

Key Deliverables (KPIs)

On-time,accuratedelivery of agreed outputs (NAV/financial packs, capital activity, investor reporting, and other scoped deliverables).

Own escalations end-to-end (root cause, remediation, and prevention).

Audit-ready delivery and strong control outcomes (timelyclosure of queries; adherence to governance standards).

Proactive operational risk management for assigned clients (identify, mitigate, monitor).

Lead and develop the Manager / Assistant Manager (coaching, delegation, performance, retention).

Deliver measurable process improvements (reduced defects/rework, shorter cycle times, lower risk).

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Client Engagement (Hands‑On)

Own delivery for one or more strategic/complex clients, staying close to day-to-day execution whererequired.

Build deep knowledge of the client’s strategy, governance, operating model, and priorities.

Be the client’s trusted operational partner; support Manager / Assistant Manager on communications whileremainingvisibly engaged on key topics.

Operational Escalation & Problem Solving

Primary escalationpointfor complex operational, technical, and delivery issues.

Lead cross-team resolution across jurisdictions/service lines with clear ownership and deadlines.

Balance priorities, client impact, and operational risk; drive root-cause fixes (not workarounds).

Cross‑Service& Internal Navigation

Navigate the organisation on behalf of clients across Fund Accounting and Administration and adjacent areas (ManCo/AIFM support, Depositary, Onboarding, Compliance and Risk).

Align internal teams and messaging; ensure issues are owned and not handled in silos.

Set clear ways of working and expectations for both clients and internal stakeholders.

Technical & Delivery Oversight

Interpret LPAs/side letters and ensure terms are correctly operationalised (fees, waterfalls, reporting).

Perform senior reviews of key deliverables and strengthen review frameworks across the team.

Maintain oversight across the broader portfolio while staying close to delivery detail.

Team Leadership & Capability

Lead,coachand develop VPs/Managers in escalations,prioritisationand senior client engagement.

Set standards for operational excellence,accountabilityand quality across the team.

Risk, Control & Quality

Own operational risk for assigned clients; ensure adherence to control frameworks,governanceand internal policies.

Lead responses to audits, due diligencerequestsand internal quality reviews for strategic clients.

Continuous Improvement

Identifyrecurring issues and drive scalable improvements in process,controlsand ways of working.

Support change initiatives including fund launches, migrations,transitionsand system enhancements.

Required Experience, Qualifications & Skills

8+ years’ PE Fund accounting and administration experience, including3+ years at managerial level.

Experience preparing/reviewing fund financial statements and reporting underIFRS orrelevant GAAP framework, including audit support.

Proven escalation management for complex funds/clients with strong judgement and prioritisation.

Strong working knowledge of LPAs/side letters and translating terms into operations (fees, waterfalls, reporting).

Experience coordinating delivery across multiple service lines and stakeholders.

Private equity systems exposure preferablyeFrontorAllvue. Demonstrated strong Excelskills andfamiliarity with GL/investor reporting and workflow toolsadvantageous.

Strong communicationand problem-solving skills; able to drive process improvement.

Proven people leadership (coaching, performance management, developing teams).

Detail-oriented and effective under pressure and deadlines.

Disclaimer: Unsolicited CVs sent to Apex (Talent Acquisition Team or Hiring Managers) by recruitment agencies will not be accepted for this position. Apex operates a direct sourcing model and where agency assistance is required, the Talent Acquisition team will engage directly with our exclusive recruitment partners.