Position Overview

The Head of Compliance & Company Secretary will serve as the principal custodian of regulatory, governance, and ethical standards for the Asset Management Company (AMC) and its Mutual Fund schemes. This role combines responsibilities of statutory compliance, secretarial governance, investment compliance, risk oversight, audit coordination, and investor protection. The position ensures end-to-end adherence to SEBI regulations, AMFI guidelines, Companies Act, FEMA, PMLA, and other applicable laws while upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Reporting To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Functionally to the Board of Directors and Trustees

Key Responsibilities

Regulatory & Legal Compliance:

- Ensure full compliance with SEBI (Mutual Fund) Regulations, SEBI circulars, AMFI guidelines, Companies Act, FEMA, RBI norms, and other applicable laws.

- Monitor regulatory changes, issue internal advisories, and update compliance policies accordingly.

- Prepare and file statutory, periodic, and event-based regulatory reports with SEBI, AMFI, Trustees, and other regulators.

- Liaise with SEBI, AMFI, RBI, and other authorities on inspections and compliance queries.

Secretarial & Governance:

- Act as Company Secretary and ensure compliance under the Companies Act, 2013 and corporate governance requirements.

- Maintain statutory records, secretarial books, registers, and filings.

- Support Trustees in their oversight responsibilities and present quarterly/annual compliance reports, breaches, and -rectifications.

- Certify compliance statements for inclusion in financial and trustee reports.

Risk & Investment Compliance:

- Oversee the enterprise risk management framework and ensure regulatory, reputational, and operational risks are mitigated.

- Monitor adherence to investment restrictions, limits, and exposure norms under SEBI regulations and scheme mandates.

- Review portfolio transactions for compliance breaches, conflicts of interest, or misconduct.

- Validate pre- and post-trade compliance across equity, debt, derivatives, and offshore investments.

- Ensure fair valuation, pricing policies, and accuracy of NAV computation.

Audit, Surveillance & Controls:

- Act as the nodal officer for SEBI inspections, trustee audits, statutory audits, and internal audits.

- Establish a compliance testing calendar and conduct periodic reviews of critical functions (dealing room, fund accounting, operations, IT security).

- Coordinate audit planning, execution, and closure of compliance observations.

- Escalate systemic risks and breaches to senior management and Trustees.

Employee Conduct & Ethics:

- Implement and monitor Code of Conduct, Insider Trading Prevention Policy, and employee trade monitoring as per SEBI PIT Regulations.

- Approve and supervise personal trades of employees and connected persons.

- Conduct compliance training and refresher sessions for employees, directors, and intermediaries.

- Investigate breaches, conflicts of interest, or misconduct and recommend disciplinary action.

Investor Protection & Communication:

- Ensure accuracy and transparency in Scheme Information Documents (SID), Key Information Memoranda (KIM), factsheets, and financial disclosures.

- Supervise investor grievance redressal mechanisms and escalate unresolved issues.

- Certify compliance with grievance redressal frameworks and SEBI IEPF initiatives.

- Review and approve advertisements, marketing material, social media posts, and public communications for regulatory compliance.

Policy Formulation & Culture Building:

- Draft, review, and update compliance policies, advertising code, outsourcing framework, whistleblower policy, and other internal guidelines.

- Promote a culture of "Compliance First" across the AMC through awareness and training programs.

- Advise management and staff on updates in laws and regulatory developments.

Qualifications & Experience:

- Education: Company Secretary (CS) with membership of ICSI; additional qualifications such as Chartered Accountant (CA), LLB, or MBA (Finance/Compliance/Risk) preferred.

- Certifications: NISM Mutual Fund Compliance Officer Certification and relevant AMFI/NISM Series certifications.

Experience: 10-15 years of relevant experience in Compliance & Secretarial functions, with mandatory AMC compliance experience.

Key Skills & Competencies:

- Deep knowledge of SEBI, AMFI, RBI, FEMA, Companies Act, and PMLA regulations.

- Expertise in investment compliance, risk management, audit coordination, and governance frameworks.

- High ethical standards, integrity, and ability to act independently.

- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.

- Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Authority:

- Full authority to halt any transaction, communication, or process in violation of regulatory norms or AMC policies.

- Direct access to the Board of Directors and Trustees for compliance reporting.

- Unrestricted access to records, personnel, and information necessary to discharge compliance duties.