Job Description Summary
For over forty years, HarbourVest has been home to a committed team of professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to deliver impactful solutions to our clients and investing partners. As our global firm grows, we continue to add individuals who seek a collaborative, open-door culture that values diversity and innovative thinking.
In our collegial environment, that’s marked by high energy, you’ll be inspired to grow and thrive. Here, you will be encouraged to build on your strengths and acquire new skills and experiences.
We are committed to fostering an environment of inclusion that promotes mutual respect among all employees. Understanding and valuing these differences optimizes the potential of both the individual and the firm.
HarbourVest is an equal opportunity employer.
This position will be a hybrid work arrangement, which translates to 4 days minimum per week in the office.
Reporting to the Head of Asia Compliance who is based in Singapore, the Compliance Manager will assist with the Firm’s global compliance program, with particular emphasis on supporting the Firm’s regulatory and governance frameworks in Asia. Whilst the key focus of the job function will be Singapore compliance/regulatory work, this role will also have a regional coverage upon the discretion of the Head of Asia Compliance. This role will be based in Singapore and ensures adherence to all relevant local laws, MAS requirements, and internal policies, acting as a key liaison with regulators and internal stakeholders.
The ideal candidate is someone who is:
Knowledgeable of the MAS regulatory requirements for fund management firms in Singapore, especially for CMS Licence in Fund Management, including SFA, AML/CFT requirements and PDPA.
Knowledgeable on the marketing and distribution of interests in private funds in Singapore. Familiarity with retail distribution of funds in Singapore is beneficial but not required.
Knowledge of data privacy laws and other jurisdictional regulatory requirements in Asia Pacific (e.g., Australia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea) is beneficial but not required.
Experienced in collaborating with colleagues in other regional offices as well as with headquarters based outside of Asia.
Capable of comprehending and effectively communicating technical regulatory requirements and compliance policies to others.
Self-motivated, detail-oriented with strong organizational and communication skills
Able to handle and prioritize multiple tasks in time-sensitive situations, agile and ready to adapt in a fast-paced environment.
Pro-active, energetic, self-assured professional with high personal integrity and ability to develop good interpersonal relationships with others
Able to work both independently and as part of a team
Collaborative and supportive team member
What you will do:
Ensure compliance with all the applicable regulatory requirements in Singapore and Australia, especially around license requirements e.g. maintain the relevant license(s), timely filing of regulatory reports and surveys, individual licence applications, management of ad-hoc regulatory inquiries/inspection, risk management practices, etc.
Monitor and review compliance with APAC regulatory requirements, licence conditions and ongoing obligations
Keep track of regulatory changes/development in APAC, assess impact and drive implementation for HarbourVest
Oversee the implementation of AML/CFT policies and procedures, ensuring robust customer due diligence (CDD), transaction monitoring, and suspicious transaction reporting (STR) processes
Develop and maintain data protection policies, liaising with PDPC and ensuring the organisation’s compliance with the PDPA and related data protection laws.
Develop, implement, and maintain APAC compliance policies, procedures, and controls, ensuring they reflect applicable regulatory requirements.
Manage regulatory inspections/ audits, liaising and corresponding with regulatory authorities/auditors to represent the firm in regulatory matters.
Provide compliance advice to front office, operations, and senior management on new products and business initiatives, APAC cross border marketing do’s and don’ts, APAC data privacy laws, Client Onboarding, etc.
Drive fund registration process in key jurisdictions, as required in APAC
Conduct regular compliance training to employees in APAC
Review APAC marketing and client communication materials in both English and Chinese, ensuring all content is accurate, compliant, and aligned with regulatory standards.
Conduct regular compliance reviews and risk assessments in APAC to identify and mitigate potential regulatory risks, design mitigatory controls/processes, perform monitoring and testing activities, breach investigations and reporting and improve the effectiveness of compliance program policies and controls.
Perform employee activities review, monitoring and reporting (e.g., personal trading, gift and entertainment, outside business activities, political contributions, conflicts of interests, etc)
Corporate secretarial work such as co-ordination of board meetings, and relevant filings, assisting in corporate governance matters as required.
Cross-coverage for colleagues as appropriate and other regional regulatory/compliance duties as required.
What you bring:
Strong working knowledge of MAS rules and regulations in Singapore.
Experience dealing with MAS regulatory inspections and licensing processes.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
Preferably proficient in written and spoken Chinese (Mandarin) to review marketing materials in Chinese.
A problem solver with a cross-functional perspective
Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
Considerable experience presenting, interacting, and building effective relationships with professionals, including executive management.
Proven ability to adequately document all work and has a high attention to detail.
Education Preferred
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (ideally in Law, Finance or Business or Accounting) with equivalent experience
Experience
7-12 years of demonstrated relevant experience in a similar APAC compliance/ regulatory role in the financial industry, preferably private equity firm/ asset management firm with specific exposure to MAS Capital Markets Services Licence in Fund Management regulatory requirements.