Product Development - Bruin - #2120522

Associate Director – Fund Design
Location: London
Employment Type: Permanent
Function: Business Development / Client Solutions
The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced Fund Design and Product Development specialist to join a growing team supporting the development and launch of sophisticated investment products.
This is a senior, client-facing role for someone with a strong track record of taking complex fund solutions from initial concept and structuring through regulatory approval, operational implementation and launch.
You will work closely with institutional clients, asset managers, pension providers, wealth platforms and leading industry service providers. Acting as a trusted adviser, you will help clients translate their investment objectives into commercially viable, operationally robust and regulatory-compliant fund solutions.
The role combines deep technical product expertise with strong commercial awareness, contributing directly to client acquisition, product innovation, successful fund launches and long-term business growth.
Key Responsibilities
Client Advisory & Business Development
• Partner with business development teams and clients to shape fund structures and develop commercially viable solutions.
• Provide technical product expertise and market insight in pitches, RFPs, client meetings and strategic opportunities.
• Act as a trusted adviser throughout the product development and implementation journey.

Fund Design & Product Development
• Lead the design and structuring of new investment products across multiple asset classes, jurisdictions and fund vehicles.
• Develop product proposals, term sheets and supporting documentation for internal governance approval.
• Translate client requirements into practical and scalable fund structures.

Fund Launch & Implementation
• Act as a primary client contact throughout the fund launch lifecycle, from initial concept through regulatory approval and launch.
• Coordinate internal teams, external counsel, regulators and service providers to deliver successful implementations.
• Support the transition from product design into operational delivery and post-launch growth.

Stakeholder Management & Governance
• Lead cross-functional engagement across business development, onboarding, operations, compliance, legal and regulatory teams.
• Ensure fund structures are operationally robust, compliant and aligned with client objectives.
• Build strong relationships with external providers and other key stakeholders.

Market Leadership & Innovation
• Maintain a strong understanding of evolving fund structures, market trends and regulatory developments.
• Contribute to product strategy, market insight and the development of scalable fund solutions.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, automation and scalability, including through the effective use of AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot.

What We're Looking For
Essential Experience
• 5–8 years' experience in fund development, including end-to-end fund design from concept and structuring through regulatory approval and launch.
• Experience within asset management, asset servicing or related fund services, with exposure to both technical product development and client-facing commercial activity.
• Strong private markets experience, particularly closed-ended and semi-liquid structures across a range of private market asset classes.
• Experience with authorised fund structures and a strong understanding of product governance and investor protection expectations.
• Knowledge of relevant regulatory regimes, including UCITS, AIFs, ELTIFs, UCI Part II funds, LTAFs and related European fund structures.
• Experience managing the full product lifecycle, including concept development, structuring, operational setup, asset transition and post-launch support.
• Experience working with institutional clients, asset managers, platforms, pension providers, wealth channels and investors.
• Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent client management skills, with the ability to act as a primary point of contact throughout complex fund development and implementation programmes.

Desirable Experience
• Experience launching liquid and alternative fund structures, including UK authorised funds, Irish funds, Luxembourg funds and other cross-border vehicles.
• Established relationships with fund administrators, transfer agents, depositaries, legal counsel, auditors and consultants.
• Experience working across multiple jurisdictions and/or distributed teams.
• Knowledge of platforms, pension providers, wealth distribution channels and life company requirements.
• Experience using AI and modern technology to improve fund design, implementation and operational processes.