Managing Director, Fund Finance and Legal

Equi•New York, NY

2d•$170,000 - $225,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Equi is seeking a Managing Director of Fund Finance and Legal to lead the finance function for its fund complex and management company. This role involves owning the firm's financial reporting, including the NAV cycle, fund expenses, budgeting, treasury, cash management, audit, tax, and corporate financials. The position also entails responsibility for the financial and legal architecture of new fund vehicles. This is a senior leadership role reporting directly to the CEO, based in New York, with a hybrid work model requiring three days per week on-site. The role is distinct from a controller position at a larger firm, as Equi outsources its books and records. The focus is on understanding the numbers, ensuring accuracy, making decisions on discrepancies, and maintaining high standards across the network. A significant aspect of the role includes legal ownership, working with outside counsel on fund launches, structuring, and documentation, and thoroughly understanding governing documents. The company is also tech-forward, expecting the hire to leverage tools and automation to improve efficiency. The finance function is a peer to fund operations, with joint accountability for the fund complex. The Head of Fund Operations manages the operational execution of closings, investor transactions, and capital activity, while this role sets the financial standards, controls, and reporting frameworks. The company culture emphasizes a team-first environment with transparency, healthy debate, and a flat structure where ideas are valued based on merit. Team members are expected to be adaptable and step in to address adjacent issues. A strong emphasis is placed on being tech-forward, with an expectation that individuals build their own tools to enhance efficiency.

Requirements

Eight to twelve years of experience running or overseeing the financial operations of a fund complex, preferably at a fund administrator, hedge fund, multi-strategy fund, private-markets manager, or outsourced fund-CFO practice.
Deep understanding of the NAV cycle and the ability to identify errors in draft NAVs.
Comfort working with multi-layered fund structures.
Experience working closely with fund counsel on launches, structuring, and documentation.
Ability to read and interpret fund legal documents such as private placement memorandums, side letters, and subscription agreements.
Capability to manage fund formations without constant reliance on external counsel.
Demonstrated use of AI as a working tool for drafting, reconciliation, analysis, and automation of recurring tasks within the last six months.
Technical proficiency beyond Excel, including experience with scripts, automations, small internal applications, or a willingness to learn new tools.
Experience operating in a lean, small-firm environment where hands-on work is required.
Experience managing external service providers including administrators, transfer agents, auditors, tax preparers, outside counsel, prime brokers, and banks.
Strong understanding of controls and judgment, with precision in handling investor capital and confidential information.
A proactive and ownership-oriented approach, taking problems to completion without constant management.
Ability to clearly identify and communicate when something is wrong.

Nice To Haves

Experience with multi-strategy and multi-vehicle structures, particularly layered arrangements requiring clean attribution of allocations.
A legal background or qualification, or extensive experience working directly with fund counsel.
Experience with offshore vehicles and their associated audit and filing cycles.
Knowledge of ERISA and plan-asset monitoring.
A CPA designation or equivalent demonstrated expertise.

Responsibilities

Own the NAV cycle across every vehicle, including reconciliation between internal views and provider data, and final sign-off before investor distribution.
Manage the close calendar and ensure adherence to established standards.
Oversee the annual fund expense budget, allocation policy across vehicles, and re-billing between the fund and management company.
Partner with the CEO on corporate financials, burn rate, runway projections, and board reporting.
Manage the firm's cash position across operating and fund accounts, including bank and prime broker relationships, ensuring real-time accuracy and controlling wire approvals.
Serve as the firm's primary contact for the annual audit and ensure the timely completion of tax filings.
Maintain the firm's regulatory and compliance positions in conjunction with the compliance partner, including fund documents, side letters, and investor agreements.
Lead the financial and legal architecture for new vehicle launches, including structure, fee terms, governing documents, entity formation, registrations, account opening, and administrator onboarding.
Collaborate with outside counsel on fund launches and structuring while ensuring the existing complex remains operational.
Set financial standards and controls for capital activity, investor register, investor onboarding, and daily close processes, sharing accountability with the Head of Fund Operations.
Manage and hold external service providers (administrator, outsourced fund operations, auditor, tax preparer, outside counsel, prime brokers, banks) to service standards and renegotiate terms as needed.
Work towards establishing a single source of financial truth, eliminating data silos.
Implement documented procedures that are not dependent on any single individual and manage the tooling that supports these processes.