Title:  Portfolio Manager

Job Family

Career Stream

Leadership Pipeline

People Specification

The ideal portfolio manager has quiet confidence, intellectual curiosity and a genuine passion for markets. They are technically strong but commercially aware; disciplined but adaptable; client-focused but process-led. They can engage credibly with sophisticated clients, support wealth managers, contribute to investment thinking and execute portfolios with precision. Above all, they act as a fiduciary steward of client capital and as a custodian of the firm’s investment philosophy.

Job Purpose

A strong portfolio manager in a high net worth private wealth business must combine investment judgement, disciplined execution, commercial awareness and trusted client engagement.

The role is not limited to managing portfolios; it requires translating an institutional investment process into consistently implemented, client-appropriate outcomes while supporting wealth managers, protecting the client relationship and strengthening the firm’s investment proposition.

Job Responsibilities

• Help formulate, refine and explain the house view, asset class models and investment process.
• Implement the house view and relevant models across portfolios while maintaining buy-in from wealth managers and clients.
• Promote conformance to agreed strategies to enable efficient implementation, fair treatment of clients and consistent client outcomes.
• Participate in new client pitches and support wealth managers in retaining and growing client relationships.
• Provide proactive market and portfolio communication, including performance attribution, forward-looking insights and clear explanations of changes.
• Contribute to product and solution development where there is a genuine client need or opportunity for differentiation.
• Step in when required to help protect and retain client relationships during colleague transitions.

Job Classification

• Client-centric relationship builder: Builds credibility with sophisticated high net worth clients and trusted partnerships with wealth managers. Understands client objectives, communicates with empathy and clarity, and helps retain clients through periods of uncertainty, staff transition or market stress.
• Strong investment capability: Demonstrates a deep grounding in markets, economics, valuation, portfolio construction and asset allocation across local and global markets. Contributes meaningfully to house views, asset class models, research discussions and investment strategy.
• Disciplined process orientation: Works effectively within a mature investment process, implements agreed house views and model portfolios consistently, and supports repeatable, evidence-based decision-making rather than personality-led or ad hoc portfolio management.
• Commercial mindset: Understands the economics of the private wealth business, including book retention, scalable implementation, mandate efficiency, cross-sell opportunities and the need to position discretionary investment solutions clearly to wealth managers and clients.
• Risk, compliance and governance discipline: Applies strong risk management, regulatory awareness and fiduciary judgement. Focuses on mandate adherence, conformance, downside protection, liquidity, costs, transparency and consistent client outcomes.
• Clear communicator and educator: Translates complex investment concepts into practical, client-ready messages. Educates wealth managers and colleagues on market views, portfolio positioning and investment rationale so that the broader business can speak with confidence and consistency.
• Execution excellence and attention to detail: Operates with accuracy, organisation and accountability. Manages research, presentations, portfolio changes, bulk trades and client deliverables with discipline, minimising operational risk and avoiding costly errors.
• Maintains composure through volatility, avoids impulsive decision-making and helps clients stay aligned with long-term objectives. Can defend portfolio positioning under scrutiny with logic, evidence and conviction.

Job Responsibilities Continue

• Ensure transformational target are met for own team through consideration of targets during the staff recruitment; retention and training process and utilising suppliers listed on the preferred supplier list.
• Contribute to a culture conducive to the achievement of transformation goals by participating in Nedbank Culture building initiatives (eg: staff surveys etc).
• Participate in the development and implement action plans to address issues raised in culture surveys to improve results.
• Address issues raised in culture surveys by participating in the development and implementation of action plans.
• Create a client service culture through various required interventions.Support and encourage staff to participate and support corporate responsibility initiative.
• Achieve operational excellence by supporting the implementation of business optimisation improvement through team engagement.
• Encourage team to generate innovative ideas and share knowledge.
• Manage performance of staff by implementing performance agreements; ensuring a clear vision; agreeing on goals and objectives; providing regular feedback on performance; recognising and rewarding achievement and take appropriate corrective action where required.
• Mentor and coach staff on identified performance gaps by discussing these performance gaps and agree on appropriate action to be taken.
• Motivate staff to perform and contribute to the success of the business by creating environment of teamwork through engaging with staff (sharing information) and encouraging participation in decision making processes.
• Stay abreast in field of expertise and deliver on the expectations from stakeholders by building capability of self and staff through identifying current and future training and development needs.
• Contribute to team effectiveness by following the recruitment process when recruiting talent.

Essential Qualifications - NQF Level

Preferred Qualification

• Degree in Business Science/ Economics/Commerce and Investments
• Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) - preferred

Essential Certifications

Minimum Experience Level

• 5 years in a Portfolio Management Execution role.

Technical / Professional Knowledge

Behavioural Competencies