Asset Management - Global Client Group - Head of Client Account Management, Japan

ROLE DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Client Service 
  • Establishes and maintains high quality, long-term, ‘trusted advisor’ relationships with Clients, allowing for both formal and informal interactions and ensuring that we always understand the actual Client experience, and actual Client intentions and proactively manage any risks to the relationship. Ensures service delivery in line with our contractual commitments, regulatory and fiduciary obligations.
• Client Query Management 
  • Acts as a preferred point of contact for all Client queries received through various channels (emails, calls, notifications from Client Relationship Managers), takes ownership and ensures adequate answers within agreed timeframes.
  • Handles incidents and complaints in line with agreed procedure. Coordinates prompt investigation of root causes, resolution, and corrective measures with relevant local and global stakeholders. Provides regular and comprehensive updates to Client Relationship Managers.
  • Maintains accurate and complete record of the Client Service requests and complaints in the CRM tool.
• Reporting 
  • Ensures timely and accurate delivery of reporting commitments to the Clients, including Client reports, fund reports, and other updates as agreed upon, in collaboration with reporting teams and other relevant teams. This task may encompass report preparation and/or accuracy checks of reporting data and comments.
• Client Lifecycle Management 
  • On-boards new accounts, coordinate account and fund changes and closing in collaboration with the corresponding centres of expertise and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Fund Lifecycle Management
  • Performs duties associated with contract change, terminations, and regulatory changes from the Investment Trust Association.
• Team Leadership 
  • Sets objectives and key results for the Client Account Management Japan and individual team members.
  • Manages priorities, team resources, organizational structure, workload, and coverage to deliver on the business objectives.
  • Maintains relevant activity indicators for the local Management Committee, Head of Client Account Management APAC, and Global Head of Client Service.
  • Promptly escalates matters that require decision-making by Senior Management.
  • Provides necessary feedback, support and coaching to the Team members to ensure that Team & individual objectives are delivered.
  • Fosters inclusive, open and psychologically safe environment within the Team
  • Ensures all team members have adequate skills to perform their tasks with excellence; facilitates and enables knowledge sharing, professional and personal development of the Team members, identify and enable individual and team training opportunities.

• Continuous Improvement and Project Management 
  • Solicits and analyzes Client feedback, with a keen ability to interpret Client needs and concerns and translate them into actionable insights.
  • Maintains a comprehensive understanding of the investment and operational capabilities of BNP Paribas Asset Management.
  • Monitors and analyzes internal processes to pinpoint areas for improvement.
  • Understands industry and technology trends, best practices, and competitor activity.
  • Identifies opportunities to refine, optimize, or automate Client Service tasks and transversal workflows, ensuring that improvements align with both Client needs and the Firm’s strategic objectives.
  • Prioritizes and plans implementation of improvement initiatives, coordinates cross-functional efforts to implement changes.

• Operational Risk Management
  • Is aware at all times of operational risk and ensures adherence to relevant procedures. 
  • Obtains internal approval on operational set-ups outside of the target operating model.

• Risk and Compliance 
  • Adheres to applicable laws, rules and regulations and internal procedures (Code of Ethics, management of conflicts of interest, Client Confidentiality, …)
  • Remains aware of evolutions in applicable regulations and incorporate these in the Onboarding process when required.
  • Ensures fair treatment of Clients.
  • Stays alert to possible or actual complaints from clients and manages these in line with agreed procedure.

• Financial Security 
  • Assumes the 1st level control responsibilities for ensuring the implementation of the four-eye principle of the KYC/KYI policy, independently from Client Relationship Managers; monitors the KYC/ KYI process.
  • Checks the quality and completeness of the KYC files, performs relevant internal controls.
  • Submits all files requiring a review decision from either the CRM Management, Compliance, or a Client Acceptance Review Committee.

Key Internal / External Relationships: 

• External:
  • Clients
  • External stakeholders involved in servicing Client accounts, in Japan and globally

• Internal:
  • Client Relationship Managers
  • Client Service colleagues locally and throughout the organization, especially within centres of expertise.
  • Relevant local and global stakeholders from Portfolio Management, Fund Platform, Product Development, Legal, Compliance, Investment Risk and Compliance, Finance, Investment Operations, Fund and Mandate Operations, others as appropriate.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Technical and industry experience 

• Prior experience of institutional sales and/or client service, including thorough understanding of Financial Institutions Clients’ needs and of our fiduciary responsibility.
• Client Service experience covering Wholesale Distribution Clients is an advantage.
• Working knowledge of the offshore fund structures (incl. Luxembourg and Cayman).
• Abundant experience in Client and fund reporting (monthly, quarterly, annual).
• Prior experience of KYC and on-boarding, both locally and offshore.
• Native Japanese language skills, including excellent business writing
• Strong English language skills (written & spoken), sufficient to effectively communicate with global teams, as well as review and translate fund reporting documents
• Broad knowledge of financial markets and the Asset Management Industry with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the industry
• Project Management skills is an advantage