Senior Vice President, Transfer Agency Oversight

HarbourVest Partners•Boston, MA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

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 low turnover and 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. You will receive 18 remote workdays per quarter to use at your discretion, subject to manager approval. For example, you may choose to work in the office 4 days per week and take one remote day weekly (typically 13 weeks per quarter), leaving 5 additional remote days to be used as needed. HarbourVest seeks a Senior Vice President, Transfer Agency Oversight to assist in building and leading a new standalone function that handles Transfer Agency activities throughout HarbourVest’s global fund platform! This executive will define the vision, governance, and operating model for end-to-end transfer agency oversight across evergreen and closed-ended drawdown products spanning private equity, private credit, and infrastructure. They will also have responsibility for the management of third-party transfer agents that support our global business. This opportunity is ideal for a seasoned operations executive with deep transfer agency and fund administration expertise who is motivated by the chance to stand up and scale a critical global oversight function! Success in this role will require strategic judgment and operational rigor and a strong risk mentality. You will partner seamlessly across Operations, Product, Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Transformation to deliver an outstanding platform.

Requirements

Significant leadership experience in transfer agency, fund administration, or related asset management operations, with important oversight of third-party service providers.
Deep expertise in international transfer agency operating models, including regional regulatory requirements and servicing nuances.
Shown experience working with and coordinating large transfer agents or comparable strategic service providers.
Demonstrated ownership of investor onboarding, transaction processing, pricing and NAV validation, and investor reporting within a controlled and regulated environment.
A proven track record of designing and carrying out controls, governance frameworks, and focused issue processes.
Success leading teams across geographies and influencing senior stakeholders in complex, matrixed environments.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate sophisticated operational topics into clear, compelling insights for senior leadership.
15+ years of operational experience in financial services / asset management, including a minimum of 5 years in a senior management role strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Lead HarbourVest’s oversight of its global transfer agency operations. Establish it as a scalable, high-impact capability aligned with the company’s evolving model and growth goals.
Own end-to-end oversight of activities related to transfer agency across all funds supported by third-party providers, ensuring focused execution and robust controls across investor onboarding, dealing transactions, NAV application, fund distribution workflows, distributor fees, and investor transaction reporting.
Drive operational excellence by ensuring daily processing accuracy, identifying risks early, and resolving sophisticated issues in close partnership with transfer agents and key internal partners.
Develop and lead fund-level business processes that enhance the client experience and support evolving product demands, including DRIP programs, share repurchases, share class transfers, and oversight of regulatory providers supporting requirements such as Blue Sky registration.
Set the strategic direction for Transfer Agency at HarbourVest, building future-ready capabilities and frameworks that support the firm’s growing product pipeline and long-term platform evolution.
Establish and continuously elevate governance frameworks, including service levels, performance measurements, customer concern protocols, issue management, and periodic provider reviews across the international evergreen and closed-end drawdown products handled by HarbourVest.
Partner closely with Transformation and Operations leaders to reinvent processes, tools, and operating models connected to Transfer Agency activity and unlock greater scalability and effectiveness.
Serve as a senior escalation point for sophisticated or high-risk Transfer Agency matters while leading, developing, and encouraging a high-performing globally distributed team.
Tackle additional leadership responsibilities as needed to advance the function and support the broader goals of the firm.