Lead Financial Reporting Analyst

At Franklin Templeton, everything we do is focused on one thing – delivering better client outcomes.  We do that by partnering closely with our clients, assessing their strategic needs, and identifying the solution or solutions that can meet the challenge.  Over 12,000 employees working in 34 countries around the world are dedicated to servicing investment solutions for our clients in more than 160 countries. For more than 70 years our success has been a direct result of the talent, skills and persistence of our people, and we are looking for qualified candidates to join our team.

We are looking for a Lead Financial Reporting Analyst to join the Asia Fund Administration and Reporting team based in Singapore. This position will have responsibility for the most complex funds and will be responsible for independently reviewing and analysing all financial reports, expense and distribution reports for accuracy and ensuring that all reporting deadlines are met for their funds.    This position is the first level of escalation point for work queries from the analysts and/or senior analysts, providing training, and assisting the Manager in ensuring appropriate workflow planning is completed for the Senior Fund Analysts. 

What are the ongoing responsibilities of this position?

• Prepare and/or review monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual financial statements/reports of more complex funds and other reporting documents provided to internal and external customers for accuracy and in accordance with GAAP, Industry and Client requirements
• Prepare and/or review complex supporting schedules and reconciliation required for completion of shareholder reports.  This includes reviewing work completed by Analysts/Senior Analysts.  
• Plan and co-ordinate production of reporting to ensure that regulatory and client (Board of Directors/Trustees /Audit committee) deadlines are met
• Research and analyse various accounting disclosure requirements for new accounting pronouncements and new product types and assist more senior staff in drafting required reporting guidelines
• Responsible for expense control for designated funds.  This includes oversight of the payment processes, ensuring expense accruals are in line with budgets, budget reporting is prepared for Manager/Director review and for onward  reporting to clients. Ownership of calculation of fund expense ratios.
• Organise the routine elements of the year-end audit process and work with external auditors to resolve issues with funds.
• Coordinate with stake holders as the primary contact for preparation for the Audit, responding to enquiries and bridging the communication gap between external auditors and internal groups during the audit process.
• Support the Manager on strategic or critical audit issues
• Projects and Change management:
• Proactively identify potential improvements in work processes and client service, working closely with Manager to implement these
• Participate in departmental/divisional projects, taking a lead on less complex work or participating in a wider more complex initiative.  These could include, new product launches, regulatory initiatives, and inter-departmental projects.

• Provide customer service to clients (e.g. fund managers, sales and marketing, performance and risk, internal and external boards) including answering ad hoc queries and working with managers on special assignments for clients (e.g. additional client reporting for their regulator or Board Papers)
• Act as a key point of contact with other FTS Business units to provide client service support
• Prepare and/or review complex funds distribution calculations and/or supporting tax reports
• Oversight of third party fund administrators to ensure timely and accurate NAV production and release of NAV prices. Lead or participate in service reviews of third party fund administrators

What qualifications, skills and experience would help someone to be successful?

• Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy or a related discipline e.g. Chartered Accountant, ACCA etc
• 6 to 8 years of relevant experience
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong analytical skills and detail-oriented
• Organised and possess effective multi-tasking skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to work along with various functions and lines of business
• Proficiency in both verbal and written communication skills in Chinese is desirable, to support the review of financial statements in Mandarin for regulatory reporting in China when required
• Knowledge of business desktop applications (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access & Project, Windows, Visio, etc.) required

What makes Franklin Templeton unique?

In addition to the dynamic and professional environment at Franklin Templeton, we strive to ensure that our employees have access to a competitive and valuable set of Total Rewards—the mix of both monetary and non-monetary rewards provided to you in recognition for your time, talents, efforts, and results.

We believe that being a good corporate citizen is good business. To us, corporate citizenship means being accountable, serving our clients, being an employer of choice, managing our environmental impact, and supporting our communities. An emphasis on corporate citizenship is embedded in our culture and values, and is an important element of how we achieve success.

We are also committed to your learning and development with resources focused around Experience, Exposure, and Education, to help you achieve your professional development goals. Take some time to, meet some of our people, and see what it means to say, “I AM Franklin Templeton.”

Franklin Templeton Investments values diversity in its workforce and welcomes employees from different backgrounds, generations, capabilities, cultural identification, sexual orientations, and gender expression, in addition to other attributes that contribute to a truly diverse and inclusive community.