ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, CUSTODIAN OPERATIONS

Cresset Capital • Atlanta, GA

7d • $120,000 - $140,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Cresset is seeking an Associate Director, Custodian Operations to join our growing Investment Operations team. Reporting to the Director, Custodian Operations, this role serves as an operational leader responsible for strengthening the firm’s multi-custodian platform. Custodian Operations is a firm-wide function that provides daily support to all advisor teams and collaborates across multiple internal and external teams to support daily firmwide operations. This role plays a critical part in ensuring the integrity of custodial data, the effectiveness of entitlements governance, and the seamless onboarding and integration of new teams and platforms. The Associate Director will serve as an escalation point for complex and time-sensitive issues, advocate for best-in-class service from custodial partners, and help drive cross-functional initiatives. Additionally, they will play a key role in supporting the broader Investment Operations team across areas such as SMA Operations and other initiatives related to our evolving Investment Platform. We’re looking for a collaborative and solutions-oriented leader who combines deep custodial expertise with sound operational judgement. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative, high-growth environment and brings experience navigating multi-custodian environments, managing transitions, strengthening data governance and controls, and building scalable processes through documentation, standardization and cross training. This is a unique opportunity to join a growing team and help shape the future of Operations at Cresset.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or related field
• 6-10 years of experience in financial services in a custodial operations role
• Strong understanding of custodial platforms (preferably Schwab, Fidelity, and Pershing)
• Demonstrated leadership experience in handling sensitive, complex, and time-sensitive issues
• Collaborative, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented approach, with a strong service mindset and high integrity
• Analytical thinker with the ability to perform tasks with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to synthesize complex issues for executive audiences.
• Demonstrated persistence and strong follow-up skills, consistently driving tasks to completion and maintaining communication to ensure accountability and timely results.
• Strong team player willing to develop and maintain collaborative relationships internally and externally with custodian partners and third-party managers
• Willingness to take initiative by being the first to learn and adopt new processes, ensuring smooth implementation and knowledge transfer to team members
• Experience documenting processes, procedures and policies.
• Exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational and time management skills
• A focus on continuous process improvement
• Ability to work independently with a high level of ownership
• Proficiency in Excel including Pivot Tables required
• Ability to learn and adapt to new technology
• High degree of integrity and professionalism; ability to perform successfully in a service-oriented, fast-paced, high-growth and frequently changing environment and aligned with Cresset’s values and culture

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Salesforce a plus
• experience with PowerBI, PowerPoint, etc. a plus

Responsibilities

• Primary support for the Director of Custodian Operations: Translating strategy into execution by running the day-to-day operations and ensuring alignment between strategic objectives and tactical delivery. Assisting with leadership summaries.
• Escalation Point for Time-Sensitive or Complex Issues: Serve as a trusted partner to advisors, CAs, and other internal teams to diagnose and resolve complex or high priority issues across custodians. Advocating on behalf of advisor teams to resolve service issues quickly by relying on deep knowledge of custodian contacts and service channels, minimizing the impact and serving in the client’s best interests.
• Subject Matter Expertise: Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) by developing deep knowledge of custodian platforms capabilities, data feeds, entitlements structures, SLAs, fee structures, and service models. Provide strategic input on custodian selection, optimization, and long-term operating model design.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Represent Custodian Ops in cross-functional initiatives and working groups. Partner closely with Operations, Technology, Data, Compliance, Investments, and Custodians.
• Custodian Onboarding & Integrations: Oversee custodian onboarding, conversions, and M&A transitions, ensuring data feeds, entitlements, documentation, and integrations are properly configured and tested. Develop and maintain a repeatable onboarding playbook for new teams or custodians.
• Data Governance & Feed Oversight: Audit and reconcile custodian data feeds for completeness and accuracy; establish recurring audit schedules and standardized data request processes. Partner with Data teams to improve reporting, automation, and data quality controls.
• Entitlements Governance & Access Controls: Standardize and audit entitlements across custodians and roles; create role-based templates; cross-train team members; ensure proper access management, including proxy and portal permissions.
• Process Documentation: Build and maintain comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Reference Guides, FAQs, and Business Continuity Planning (BCP) documentation. Define and track SLAs and success metrics to improve transparency, accountability, and scalability across Custodian Ops.
• Vendor Performance & Escalation Management: Monitor custodian service levels, conduct recurring reviews, and manage escalations. Perform root cause analysis on operational breaks and implement corrective and preventative measures.
• Account Lifecycle & Controls Management: Ensure proper account setup, maintenance, and closure across custodians, including removal of closed accounts and ongoing audit of account configurations.
• SMA Operations Support: Cross-train on workflows related to 3rd Party SMA managers, processing service requests and account onboardings, troubleshooting account setup issues, and serving as a point of contact for general questions related to SMAs.

Benefits

• Cresset offers a competitive compensation package including an annual incentive and a benefits package to all full-time employees including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, health savings accounts, short and long-term disability insurance, voluntary critical and accident insurance, and pre-tax parking and transportation programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level