Associate Director - Fund Design

Location: London
Employment Type: Permanent
Function: Business Development / Client Solutions

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Fund Design and Product Development specialist to join a growing team supporting the development and launch of sophisticated investment products.

This is a senior, client-facing role for someone with a strong track record of taking complex fund solutions from initial concept and structuring through regulatory approval, operational implementation and launch .

You will work closely with institutional clients, asset managers, pension providers, wealth platforms and leading industry service providers. Acting as a trusted adviser, you will help clients translate their investment objectives into commercially viable, operationally robust and regulatory-compliant fund solutions.

The role combines deep technical product expertise with strong commercial awareness, contributing directly to client acquisition, product innovation, successful fund launches and long-term business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Client Advisory & Business Development

• Partner with business development teams and clients to shape fund structures and develop commercially viable solutions.
• Provide technical product expertise and market insight in pitches, RFPs, client meetings and strategic opportunities.
• Act as a trusted adviser throughout the product development and implementation journey.

Fund Design & Product Development

• Lead the design and structuring of new investment products across multiple asset classes, jurisdictions and fund vehicles.
• Develop product proposals, term sheets and supporting documentation for internal governance approval.
• Translate client requirements into practical and scalable fund structures.

Fund Launch & Implementation

• Act as a primary client contact throughout the fund launch lifecycle, from initial concept through regulatory approval and launch.
• Coordinate internal teams, external counsel, regulators and service providers to deliver successful implementations.
• Support the transition from product design into operational delivery and post-launch growth.

Stakeholder Management & Governance

• Lead cross-functional engagement across business development, onboarding, operations, compliance, legal and regulatory teams.
• Ensure fund structures are operationally robust, compliant and aligned with client objectives.
• Build strong relationships with external providers and other key stakeholders.

Market Leadership & Innovation

• Maintain a strong understanding of evolving fund structures, market trends and regulatory developments.
• Contribute to product strategy, market insight and the development of scalable fund solutions.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, automation and scalability, including through the effective use of AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot.

What We're Looking For

Essential Experience

• 5-8 years' experience in fund development, including end-to-end fund design from concept and structuring through regulatory approval and launch.
• Experience within asset management, asset servicing or related fund services, with exposure to both technical product development and client-facing commercial activity.
• Strong private markets experience, particularly closed-ended and semi-liquid structures across a range of private market asset classes.
• Experience with authorised fund structures and a strong understanding of product governance and investor protection expectations.
• Knowledge of relevant regulatory regimes, including UCITS, AIFs, ELTIFs, UCI Part II funds, LTAFs and related European fund structures.
• Experience managing the full product lifecycle, including concept development, structuring, operational setup, asset transition and post-launch support.
• Experience working with institutional clients, asset managers, platforms, pension providers, wealth channels and investors.
• Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent client management skills, with the ability to act as a primary point of contact throughout complex fund development and implementation programmes.

Desirable Experience

• Experience launching liquid and alternative fund structures, including UK authorised funds, Irish funds, Luxembourg funds and other cross-border vehicles.
• Established relationships with fund administrators, transfer agents, depositaries, legal counsel, auditors and consultants.
• Experience working across multiple jurisdictions and/or distributed teams.
• Knowledge of platforms, pension providers, wealth distribution channels and life company requirements.
• Experience using AI and modern technology to improve fund design, implementation and operational processes.