Director, Client Implementation and Transitions

About the Role

This role sits within the Client Implementations & Transitions team, part of the broader Global Portfolio Services group, and reports to the Global Head of Client Implementations & Transitions. The successful candidate will lead complex client onboarding, transition, service change, and offboarding activity for the U.S. Private Client business. As a senior individual contributor, this role is accountable for shaping and driving the end-to-end implementation approach for the most complex, high-risk, and high-visibility client events, requiring deep specialized expertise, strong judgment, and the ability to operate effectively in ambiguous situations.

The individual will serve as a partner to key stakeholders, including CIOs, Investment Directors, Business Development Directors, and clients, aligning parties across functions, identifying and managing risks, and driving decisions to successful outcomes. The role will contribute meaningfully to the effectiveness of the U.S. Client Implementations & Transitions function through leadership and support of governance standards, operating model enhancements, and strategic process improvements that improve scalability, consistency, and client experience.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and stakeholder management
  • Serve as a senior relationship partner to event stakeholders, including Business Development Directors, CIOs, Investment Directors, practice leadership, and external clients throughout onboarding, transition, service change, and offboarding events.
  • Build trusted relationships across the U.S. Private Client business to ensure implementation activity aligns with client objectives, service expectations, and broader business priorities.
  • Engage proactively with external clients, family offices, custodians, and third-party providers to support a seamless and high-quality implementation experience.
  • Act as the senior point of contact for complex implementation matters, ensuring clear communication, effective expectation setting, and timely resolution of issues.
• Implementation and delivery
  • Lead the end-to-end implementation strategy and execution for complex client onboarding, service change, and offboarding events across the U.S. client base, with a focus on Private Clients.
  • Establish the implementation approach, governance structure, key decision points, milestones, and stakeholder accountabilities for each engagement.
  • Maintain oversight of implementation plans, status, actions, and stakeholder communications to support disciplined delivery and informed decision-making.
  • Ensure key milestones, service expectations, and implementation deliverables are met.
  • Drive alignment across internal and external stakeholders to deliver successful implementation outcomes while balancing client needs, operational feasibility, risk, and timing considerations.
  • Lead cross-functional forums and decision-making discussions to maintain momentum, resolve dependencies, and address issues in a timely manner.
• Risk, governance, and control
  • Own the identification, assessment, and management of implementation risks, dependencies, and issues across complex client events.
  • Exercise sound judgment in making and recommending complex implementation decisions, balancing client experience, operational integrity, regulatory requirements, and firm risk considerations.
  • Escalate material risks and sensitive matters appropriately while maintaining accountability for driving resolution and protecting client outcomes.
  • Ensure implementation activity is executed within the required control framework and in accordance with applicable policies, procedures, and regulatory expectations.
  • Own adherence to documentation and control requirements, including evidence needed to support SOC 1 and audit requests.
• Function development and continuous improvement
  • Contribute to the development of the U.S. Client Implementations & Transitions operating model, including governance, process standards, and cross-functional ways of working.
  • Partner with key business stakeholders to support strategic priorities and initiatives within the U.S. Private Client business.
  • Identify themes, bottlenecks, and opportunities arising from implementation activity and implement changes that improve scalability, efficiency, risk management, and client experience.
  • Help define and embed best practices across the function, supporting consistency and quality of delivery across complex client events.
• Leadership, handover, and post-implementation
  • Provide leadership, guidance, and subject matter expertise to colleagues involved in implementation activity, even where there is no direct line-management responsibility.
  • Ensure effective handover of Day 2 activities to the appropriate teams, with clear ownership and continuity of service.
  • Lead post-implementation reviews and capture lessons learned to strengthen future execution and the broader client implementation framework.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (preferably in a relevant field).
• Proven experience leading complex client onboarding, transition, and service change events within investment management, wealth management, or a related buy-side environment.
• Deep understanding of investment operations, implementation workflows, and service-provider coordination across complex client structures, with a proven track record of delivering complex operating model changes.
• Knowledge of alternative asset classes, particularly Private Equity, Private Credit, Hedge Funds, and Real Assets, would be advantageous.
• A high-level understanding of the U.S. regulatory landscape would be advantageous.
• Excellent client relationship management skills, with the ability to build credibility and trust with both internal stakeholders and external clients.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across multiple stakeholder groups, including senior business leaders, client-facing teams, operations, legal, compliance, and third-party providers.
• Strong judgment and experience managing complex decisions, competing priorities, and implementation risk in a client-sensitive environment.
• Track record of contributing to strategic priorities, process improvement, and operating model enhancement, not solely day-to-day execution.
• Must be a keen problem solver, able to confidently tackle unfamiliar challenges and tasks.
• Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Able to own, manage, and escalate implementation risk, with experience making risk-based decisions in complex and time-sensitive situations.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with confidence engaging senior internal stakeholders and sophisticated external clients.
• Ability to multi-task and manage time effectively, overseeing multiple change projects simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently and to tight deadlines.
• Proven track record of identifying and implementing process improvements and contributing to strategic initiatives and operating model development.
• Able to work collaboratively with others—both as a project lead and as a contributor (to strategic initiatives).
• Proficient in using Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, SharePoint, and Visio) and project management tools.
• Experience supporting Ultra High Net Worth / Private Clients would be advantageous.

Pay

Base salary range for this role: $136,600 – $183,000. Actual placement within the stated salary range will be determined based on factors such as skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as internal equity. In addition to the listed salary range, this position is eligible for an annual performance-based bonus and a comprehensive, competitive benefits package.