Associate Research Manager - Financial Services

The Financial Services ARM is responsible for the quality of enhanced due diligence reports produced for financial services clients. He/she will be responsible for a team of VANTAGE researchers to ensure that they produce clear, analytical and exceptionally well-written reports which help financial services Clients in the Asia Pacific region meet compliance and regulatory requirement.

He/she will be responsible for a range of tasks, including conducting scoping research, preparing proposal drafts, engaging with financial services clients to understand their requirements and answer follow up questions, managing enhanced due diligence reports to support major banking transactions such as IPOs and debt issuance, conducting desktop research and discreet interviews himself/herself, and reviewing and finalizing the reports drafted by junior researchers. He/she will also be responsible for overseeing the professional growth and development of his/her team members, and providing guidance and training to their work. He/she will support the work of his/her line manager in training managing internal and external resources in order to complete enhanced due diligence projects for financial institutions in a timely and effective manner

Project management of enhanced due diligence assignments for financial services clients

• Ensure that the enhanced due diligence reports produced by VANTAGE for its financial institutions clients are properly scoped, allocated to researchers, tracked and ultimately delivered on time and within budget
• Assist in the proposal process, conduct scoping research, and communicate with clients to understand their requirements
• Manage projects of varying scale, finalize reports and organize research team in answering following up questions from financial institution clients
• Communicate directly with the clients, which primarily include members of the compliance or internal control departments of financial institutions, in order to clarify the scope of projects, address questions, and suggest potential additional avenues of research
• Review and approve (content and editorial) enhanced due diligence reports, ensuring projects are of high quality and meet Clients’ specifications
• Conduct research into specific topics and issues and draft summaries and findings in situations where contentious issues arise, either as part of a team or independently, depending on the requirement of the situation
• Liaise with and provide feedback to vendors and subcontractors, ensuring the quality of work they provide is high and adheres to our global delivery standards
• Engage with colleagues across Control Risks to address client queries

People Management

• Manage a team of researchers or senior researchers
• Define, for each team member, objectives and responsibilities in line with the practice goals
• Conduct performance reviews
• Ensure well-being and professional development of staff
• Support his/her line manager in recruiting new researchers

Regional research initiatives

• Interact regularly with researchers, supervisors, managers, and the Quality Assurance team to provide support and feedback on VANTAGE work
• Participate in discussions with other members of the VANTAGE team on potential service/product improvement

Requirements:
Essential

• Education to degree level (minimum of a bachelor’s or equivalent experience)
• 3 to 5 years of experience in executing and managing enhanced due diligence projects for financial institution clients, in particular pre-IPO due diligence projects
• Good understanding of the requirement of financial institutions clients in APAC, including research methodologies, work scope, timeline, and special requirements
• Experience engaging with financial services clients regarding due diligence assignments, and organizing research teams to address follow up questions from the clients
• Full fluency in written and spoken Chinese and English is essential
• Experience in writing, researching and reviewing/editing due diligence reports; demonstrated excellence in research, writing and editing in Chinese and English
• Strong knowledge of research techniques, databases, networks, online registers and archives and other OSINT research tools
• Proven ability to meet project deadlines and perform well under pressure

Preferred

• Experienced working in a capacity similar to that of a Research Supervisor in a due diligence or investigative research firm
• Strong knowledge of the socio-political environment in greater China

Benefits:
• Control Risks offers a competitively positioned compensation and benefits package that is transparent and summarised in the full job offer.
• We operate a discretionary global bonus scheme that incentivises, and rewards individuals based on company and individual performance.
• Control Risks supports hybrid working arrangements, wherever possible, that emphasise the value of in-person time together - in the office and with our clients - while continuing to support flexible and remote working.
• Working with our clients, from day one our people are given direct responsibility, career development and the opportunity to work collaboratively on fascinating projects in a rewarding and inclusive global environment.
• The Company is committed to further its diversity, inclusion and equity agenda and as an employee you have access to various business resource groups in the Company including the Company's LGBT+ network called MOSAIC, the Women's Network, and Synergy - a people network to celebrate and promote ethnic diversity at Control Risks

Control Risks is committed to a diverse environment and is proud to be 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, genetics, disability, age or veteran status.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made in order to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.