Finding the right person for a key role has never been simply about filling a vacancy or filling in an online form.
For fund managers and wealth organisations, getting key appointments wrong can create significant operational, investment and governance risks – particularly as our industry becomes increasingly complex.
Another challenge is that some of the most important skills are also among the hardest to find.
Currently, there is growing demand across the industry for experienced investment operations professionals, particularly those with expertise spanning private markets, investment governance, valuations, liquidity, portfolio monitoring and operational due diligence.
Some of the strongest candidates are already employed, are not actively looking and may never respond to a conventional job advertisement.
The experience gap
The industry needs people who have actually experienced difficult market conditions and understand how investment operations perform under pressure.
It is one thing to understand private markets, valuations or liquidity management theoretically. It is another to have managed through a genuine period of market stress, worked through an unlisted asset drawdown or dealt with complex operational problems when the pressure is on.
Experience matters. Organisations therefore need to consider not only whether a candidate has the technical qualifications for a role, but whether they have demonstrated the judgement required when things don’t go according to plan. This is particularly important for senior investment operations and governance positions.
It takes years to develop people who understand markets, operations, governance, risk and the practical realities of managing investment portfolios.
Don’t recruit for the role: recruit for the organisation
One of the biggest mistakes organisations can make is treating recruitment as a transaction.
A position becomes vacant. A job description is written. Applications are collected. Interviews are conducted. Someone is appointed.
But the real question should be: What person will make this organisation better?
That means looking beyond qualifications and job titles. It means assessing proven performance, judgement, personality, leadership capability and cultural fit – as well as whether the person has the experience needed to deal with the challenges ahead.
The best candidate may not even be looking for a new job. That is where specialist recruiters with deep industry networks can add value. They can identify people who are not visible through conventional recruitment channels and understand what might persuade an experienced professional to make a move.
Even with AI, there is still the need to ‘tap’ people on the shoulder and entice them to move. AI can’t do that – yet.
Recruitment is a risk-management exercise
The cost of a poor appointment goes well beyond the recruitment fee. There is the time spent finding and onboarding someone. There is the impact on colleagues. There can be disruption to clients and stakeholders. And, in senior or specialist positions, a poor appointment can affect decision-making, culture and ultimately organisational performance.
The alternative is NOT simply to pay more. It is to recruit more intelligently.
That means understanding the role, identifying the capabilities genuinely required, accessing the right candidates and thoroughly assessing whether they are capable of delivering.
In a market where specialist investment talent is increasingly difficult to find, recruitment should be treated as an investment in the organisation – not simply an administrative process for filling a vacancy.
The right person can add significant value. The wrong person can create significant risk.
We specialise in identifying proven professionals across Australia’s superannuation, funds management and wealth management industries. We don’t simply look for people who are available. We look for the people who can make a difference.