Role Overview
We are seeking a detail-oriented CASS Analyst to join our platform operations team, with a primary focus on client money and custody reconciliations, break investigation, and resolution.
The role is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of client money and asset records through the timely completion of reconciliations and resolution of discrepancies. You will play a key role in identifying, investigating, and escalating reconciliation breaks and exceptions within a controlled CASS environment.
Alongside reconciliations, the role provides support to CASS controls, breach management, MI reporting, and operational risk activities, contributing to the firm’s compliance with FCA CASS requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Reconciliations & Break Management (Core Focus)
- Perform daily, weekly, and monthly client money and custody reconciliations across platform systems and external counterparties.
- Investigate, analyse, and resolve reconciliation breaks and differences, ensuring timely clearance or escalation.
- Perform root cause analysis on breaks to identify recurring issues or control gaps.
- Monitor aged breaks and outstanding reconciliation items, ensuring appropriate follow-up and resolution.
- Liaise with internal teams and external custodians/banks to resolve discrepancies efficiently.
- Ensure all reconciliations are completed accurately, on time, and fully evidenced.
Client Money & Operational Support
- Support processing and oversight of payments and cash movements in line with internal controls and approval frameworks.
- Investigate settlement issues, cash breaks, and operational discrepancies.
- Support day-to-day operational activities impacting client money and custody records.
CASS Controls, Breaches & Control Environment
- Support the execution of key CASS operational controls, particularly those linked to reconciliations and client money processes.
- Ensure reconciliation activity is performed within a strong control environment, following defined procedures and escalation paths.
- Identify, record, and escalate CASS breaches and control exceptions in line with internal procedures.
- Support timely resolution and closure of breaches, ensuring appropriate documentation and audit trail is maintained.
- Maintain accurate reconciliation and control evidence to support audit and regulatory requirements.
- Work within established governance frameworks and contribute to maintaining a robust operational control environment across platform processes.
- Support internal and external audit and regulatory review activity as required.
MI, Reporting & Continuous Improvement
- Produce regular MI and reporting on reconciliations, breaks, aged items, and exceptions.
- Support analysis of reconciliation trends and recurring issues to identify process improvements.
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within reconciliations and client money operations.
- Support system or process changes impacting reconciliation workflows.
Stakeholder Management
- Work closely with Operations, Finance, Risk, Compliance, and external custodians/banks.
- Communicate reconciliation issues clearly and escalate appropriately when required.
- Support a strong operational control and accountability culture within the team.
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Experience in client money and/or custody reconciliations within a platform, wealth management, or investment operations environment.
- Strong experience investigating and resolving reconciliation breaks.
- Good understanding of FCA CASS rules, particularly client money and asset segregation principles.
- Experience working within a controlled operational environment with escalation of issues and exceptions.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including root cause analysis.
- High attention to detail and accuracy in a high-volume operational environment.
- Ability to manage multiple daily reconciliation cycles and meet deadlines.
- Strong communication skills with confidence escalating issues appropriately.
Desirable
- Experience working in a platform, custody, or investment administration environment.
- Exposure to CASS controls, breach management, audit, or assurance activities.
- Understanding of client money calculations, funding, or cash management processes.
- Experience supporting regulatory reviews or internal/external audits.
- Exposure to process improvement or operational change initiatives.
Personal Attributes
- Proactive and reliable with strong ownership of daily deliverables.
- Highly organised with strong attention to detail.
- Comfortable working in a deadline-driven, high-volume reconciliation environment.
- Structured and methodical approach to problem solving.
- Strong communicator and team player.
- Strong commitment to controls, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
- Continuous improvement mindset.
Pay: £30,000.00-£40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Bereavement leave
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Private dental insurance
- Private medical insurance
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Wimborne BH21 7UH
