Do you have strong analytical and communication skills? Are you good with numbers and keen to work in a fast-paced team environment? Do you have a passion for project management and problem solving?
Then our Graduate Custody Analyst role may be just the one for you.
We are one of the world’s largest providers of talent, health, retirement and investment services. The Mercer Sentinel® team is a specialist global group of 50+ full time staff (25 in Europe) within our Investment Consulting business, focussed on consulting to clients on all aspects of investment operations and their governance. This includes consulting on custody, asset transitions, and investment manager operational risk assessments. Our four main operating hubs are London, Chicago, Sydney and Singapore. You will work as part of a team supporting more experienced analysts and consultants in the Mercer Sentinel Group dealing with custody and investment operations.
Mercer offers a rewarding career environment in every sense. We offer private medical cover, a pension scheme, 25 days holiday (with the option to buy or sell up to five days), income protection and a range of other benefits. But even more importantly, we provide you with exceptional training and development opportunities.
Our graduate roles begin in September 2013 with an 18-month Graduate Development Programme, starting with a residential course. You will quickly acquire the knowledge and skills to move forward in your career while simultaneously studying for the Investment Management Certificate. At that point, you have the choice of going on to study for either the Actuarial or the CFA exams. What’s more, our comprehensive study package will give you the resources and time to succeed at every stage of your development.
Primary responsibilities:

• Provide in-depth analysis on a range of custody services and costs including custody fees, securities lending and commission recapture.
• Draft one off and periodic client reports for custody searches, custodian fee benchmarking, securities lending, commission recapture programme reviews and ongoing custodian monitoring.
• Assist in the global research of custodians including proprietary research, maintenance, updating and extraction of information from Mercer’s global custodian benchmarking database.
• Support global projects, working closely with other Mercer teams based in the US, Australia and Asia.
• Liaison with custodians and investment managers to source and extract data and support in the communication with external suppliers of data analysis and benchmarks and manipulation of information provided.
• Responding to general custody enquiries from field consultants.
• Maintaining database of status of existing clients and the pipeline of prospective clients.

Knowledge Requirements:

• Basic knowledge of investment consulting principles, market conditions and relevant legislation
• Sound mathematical background
• 2.1 in any numerate or semi-numerate degree discipline

Technical Skills:

• Proficient in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc
• Understands and applies compliance processes
• Basic understanding of the role of the custodian in all aspects of the investment process and the different plan types serviced by custodians

Behavioural Skills:

• Takes ownership for work, always ensuring standards and deadlines are met and keeping others informed and up-to-date.
• Works well under pressure, with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks.
• Willing to undertake research and share knowledge and experience, learn from others, give and receive feedback and contribute in a team environment.
• Self motivated with an eagerness to learn and keep up-to-date with the custody/investment industry, market conditions, etc.
• Proactively approaches client work.
• Flexibility to work with teams in a cross border environment.