Senior Client and Operations Administrator

Overview

Senior Client and Operations Administrator Jobs in City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa at The Career Network SA

Title: Senior Client and Operations Administrator

Company: The Career Network SA

Location: City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

We are a boutique wealth advisory firm that doesn't do noise, ego or generic solutions. We offer bespoke financial advice rooted in insight, integrity and long-term thinking, tailored to the life each client wants to live. Whether a client is building wealth, protecting it or planning how to pass it on, our mission is to guide them with clarity and care, and much of our value lies in helping them stick to their strategy through the noise of markets and headlines. Every role in the business carries that promise: thoughtful planning, disciplined execution, and service our clients can rely on without thinking twice.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Senior Client & Operations Administrator owns the client services and business operations engine of the firm. The role combines hands-on client service administration with responsibility for operational processes, platform and provider relationships, and efficiency across the business. It exists so that our advisers can spend their time with clients, confident that everything behind the scenes is handled with accuracy and care.

This is not a task-list role. We are looking for someone who wants to take ownership of client services and operations as their part of the business, and who will leave it better than they found it.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Client Services

• Own the end-to-end client implementation and servicing function across all investment platforms and product providers, ensuring work is accurate, timely and consistent.
• Act as the primary liaison with platforms and product providers, and manage turnaround times and service standards on behalf of our clients.
• Maintain high standards of record keeping, documentation and data integrity across all client files.
• Ensure client data and administration remain aligned with regulatory requirements, including FICA, FAIS and POPIA, and are always ready for audit.

Business Operations & Efficiency

• Document and standardise operational and client service workflows across the business.
• Identify and implement improvements that reduce manual effort, turnaround times and error rates.
• Build workflow tracking, checklists and quality control into daily operations.
• Coordinate operational projects, including system improvements and workflow design.
• Ensure smooth coordination between advisers, paraplanning and administration.

Systems & Data

• Support the development and optimisation of our CRM and operational systems (we run on the Zoho suite).
• Maintain data integrity and clear process documentation.
• Identify opportunities for integration and automation, including AI-assisted workflows where they save real time.

Compliance & Risk Support

• Ensure operational processes align with regulatory and internal compliance requirements.
• Maintain sound operational controls and procedures.
• Support internal governance and documentation requirements.

WHO WILL THRIVE IN THIS ROLE

This role suits a mature self-starter who is resourceful, shows initiative and wants real ownership of their work. The person we are looking for:

• Takes ownership without being asked, and spots what needs fixing before anyone raises it.
• Is calm and organised under pressure, and protects accuracy even when things are busy.
• Communicates clearly and warmly with clients, advisers and product providers.
• Is comfortable working independently, structuring their own day and being trusted to deliver.
• Values flexibility and repays it with reliability.

WORKING ARRANGEMENT

• Permanent, full time, based in Cape Town.
• Hybrid: 2 to 3 days per week in the office (Wynberg, Southern Suburbs), the remainder from home.
• Flexible working hours. We care about output and ownership, not hours at a desk, and the structure of this role is designed to work alongside family and personal commitments.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

Success in this role shows up as reliable and efficient operational systems, high-quality administrative support for advisers, and processes that keep improving as the business grows. Client work is implemented accurately and on time, our records would pass an audit tomorrow, and the advisers trust that operations are handled. Within the first year, we should be able to say that our operations run better because this person owns them.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Meaningful experience in financial services operations or client service administration, ideally within an independent advisory or wealth management practice.
• Strong knowledge of South African investment platforms (LISPs) and product providers.
• Experience with the administrative implementation of investment and financial planning solutions.
• Working knowledge of FICA, FAIS and POPIA requirements.
• Strong organisational, communication and process management skills.
• Comfortable with technology. Experience with Zoho or a similar CRM is an advantage.