Product Controller

Who we are.

Sanlam Financial Markets (“SFM”) is the business unit in Sanlam Group that is responsible for managing shareholder credit, market, and liquidity risks, developing balance-sheet enabled products, and developing solutions to optimize Sanlam’s balance sheet(s) to generate shareholder value. SFM works closely with the Balance Sheet Management function of Sanlam to assist the Balance Sheet Management Function in its pursuit of optimising returns on the Sanlam balance sheet.

Overview.

The Product Control function is a key financial control and support function within our Finance Division environment. It acts as the primary oversight mechanism to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of daily profit and loss (P&L) and balance sheet reporting across all trading, ALM, lending, and treasury activities.

Product Controllers are responsible for preparing detailed daily P&L reports and financial analytics, including commentary that explains the drivers of performance. The function also plays a vital role in verifying valuation adjustments, reconciling risk and finance data, and ensuring consistency between front office systems, risk systems, and accounting records.

In addition to daily reporting, Product Control supports the business in the evaluation and integration of new products into the operational, financial, and risk frameworks of the SFM Finance (middle office) environment.

We are looking for candidate who will report to the Head of Product Control in the SFM Finance with no direct reports and responsible to produce profit and loss reports. This role requires collaboration within Finance and across Operations, Risk, and front office areas. SFM Finance comprises of Financial Reporting and Business Performance & Product Control units

Key Responsibilities

As a Product Controller, your responsibilities will include:

• Building and maintaining best financial framework required to perform daily P&L reporting including process documentation thereof
• Ensuring the accurate and timely calculation, validation, and reporting of daily P&L and balance sheet results for the assigned trading, lending and treasury activities
• Performing detailed P&L attribution and analysis by decomposing P&L into its underlying pricing and risk components
• Investigating and resolving discrepancies between trader and front office flash estimates and official P&L, ensuring agreement with front office expectations
• Producing daily commentary to explain key P&L and balance sheet movements to internal stakeholders, including finance, risk, and front office teams
• Supporting month-end close processes and collaborating with the financial accounting team to ensure consistency in reporting
• Monitoring trading activity for compliance with internal control policies and regulatory requirements
• Assisting with the integration of new financial products into the business’s financial systems and reporting frameworks
• Designing and performing reconciliation and control checks across risk, trade capture, and accounting systems
• Engaging with front office, risk management, operations, audit, and finance stakeholders to resolve queries and enhance control processes

Key Skills and Required Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Mathematics, or a related field
• Prior experience in a Product Control, middle office, or financial reporting role within an investment bank or similar financial institution
• Strong knowledge of financial markets, products (e.g., derivatives, fixed income, FX), and valuation techniques
• Advanced proficiency in Excel; knowledge of financial systems (e.g., Murex, SAP, JDE, HiPort or equivalent) is advantageous
• A minimum of 6 years in an investment banking finance function
• Insurance Life company experience would be beneficial.

Key Competencies

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships across multiple teams and stakeholders
• Ability to manage deadlines in a high-pressure environment with changing priorities
• Ability to work in a team environment and to foster knowledge-sharing
• Proactive, self-motivated and goal oriented

Personal Attributes

Build a successful career with us

We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping  our employees to realise their worth. Through its five business clusters – Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Core Competencies

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers. 

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