NEW ROLE: FINANCE & OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE

• Permanent, full-time position.
• We've designed a benefits package we think is supportive of the future of work we need to contribute to the transition to an economy which is less extractive, and instead works for all people and our planet. This means more time - we offer 40 days holiday, plus UK bank holidays. You'll also get private health insurance, life insurance, discretionary payment plan, workplace pension.
• We are currently hybrid working: spending time in the office and working flexibly as projects require. You'll need to be in the London office at least two days a week (lots of us do more than this), and this should offer a great chance to connect with colleagues in our office on Fleet Street.
• You'll receive a package of professional training and support.

INTRODUCTION

This is a new role and an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to build a career in impact investment within a fast-growing organisation with an innovative strategy and five-year track record. Snowball is an Financial Conduct Authority authorised, diversified fund that gives investors access to a global, multi-asset, multi-manager portfolio seeking positive impact for social equity and environmental sustainability in conjunction with competitive financial returns.

We are looking for a Finance & Operations Associate, who shares our passion for delivering broad and long-lasting positive Impact.

Snowball is committed to creating a diverse environment and is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age. There is more about how our inclusive culture, and what it is like working at Snowball below.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Working in a small team (currently ten people) you will be involved in all areas of the business, ensuring Snowball is strongly placed to manage future growth. It is a varied role, and you will work closely with the Head of Finance and Operations to ensure the smooth running of the fund.

You will also work closely with outsourced service providers to ensure that the highest standards of information provision are met on a timely basis.

You will contribute to the development of Snowball through working effectively with all colleagues, to support the growth, brand, and reputation of the organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Finance & Fund Administration

The accounting for the fund is outsourced. You will work closely with the Fund Administrators in preparing portfolio valuations, performance measurement statistics, quarterly management accounts and annual financial reports, liaising with the auditors.

You will be the first point of contact for business suppliers, negotiating contracts, making invoice payments, and undertaking expense reimbursement processes for employees.

Additionally, you will partake in the annual budgeting and ad hoc variance / reforecasting exercises and work with Snowball’s tax advisers on the completion of tax returns and filings.

Investment

You will work closely with the investment team in respect of portfolio monitoring, maintaining a register and stop list for public company investments, subscriptions to external services and fund cashflow movements, including forex transactions.

You will also support on investment execution, for example completing subscription agreements and providing KYC and AML documentation to prospective investee firms.

You will provide support and input data to the internal investment database and extract information for reporting to investors, as necessary.

You may be asked to undertake ad hoc research requests.

Operations

You will take full responsibility for office management, including outsourced IT service provision.

You will support the compliance officer in completing FCA filings, ensuring written policies are updated as needed and maintaining registers such as personal account dealing, gifts and inducements, risk.

You will support on fund closings with the onboarding of new investors, including managing the timetable for admitting new investors and ensuring investor cash is drawn down and received appropriately.

You will manage the agenda for Snowball team meetings and diaries for the corporate calendar such as board and committee meetings, accounting and compliance deadlines. You will manage all B-Corporation matters, including recertification processes and Snowball’s own net zero programme.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• 3+ years of relevant professional experience
• Qualified, or part qualified accountant, or accounting work experience with a desire to obtain professional qualifications
• Proficient in Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Attention to detail with project management capabilities
• Flexible and willing attitude seeking to learn new skills
• Demonstrable interest in social equity and/or environmental sustainability
• Experience of a regulated fund management environment helpful but not essential
• Similarly, valuation experience across both public and private markets would be helpful but not essential

WHAT'S IT LIKE WORKING AT SNOWBALL?

At Snowball we see a world where every investment can create a positive impact for all people, and our planet. We see ourselves as part of an ecosystem which is contributing towards changing behaviours in investment. A significant part of this is about the way we operate (we score in the top 5% of B Corporations globally for the governance structure which protects our mission).

We have good representation in our team and Board of people you don’t typically find well represented in investment. But this is about more than numbers. We are committed to understanding, and continually learning, how to create an inclusive culture which allows all talent to thrive and belong. This learning happens in several ways, including the following.

• we're part of sector peer learning initiatives including The Diversity Project, where we can access the latest best practice and share our journey.
• as founding members of the B Corporation UK Finance and Investment Working Group (which exists to share best practice amongst finance organisations who – like us – protect our purpose in our legal articles of association) we can share ideas and improvements with our peers.
• our expertise as an organisation is in active engagement with our fund managers. this means we ask them how they will improve their diversity – and hold ourselves to the same standards, and learn with them.
• during the last two years, we greatly expanded the types of people we have in our Leadership Council and Expert Network so that in our investment decision making process we have access to a range of insights and perspectives.
• we have worked hard to create an open culture with several ways (both open and anonymised) for people to provide regular feedback, which is shared transparently with the whole team.
• we create different and inclusive ways for us all to take time together away from our desks to connect and understand what each other need to be ourselves at work, and shift this depending what people in the team tell us they need.
• led by member of our Expert Network Bev Shah, we are proud founding signatories of ACT ( standard for corporate culture for the investment sector to work to meet).

If you are interested to learn more about the role in an initial conversation or to apply, please contact henry.bacon@snowball.im. The closing date for the role is end of the day 28th June 2022.