Vice President, Client Onboarding

Job Description Summary
For over forty years, HarbourVest has been home to a committed team of professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to deliver impactful solutions to our clients and investing partners. As our global firm grows, we continue to add individuals who seek a collaborative, open-door culture that values diversity and innovative thinking.
In our collegial environment that’s marked by low turnover and high energy, you’ll be inspired to grow and thrive. Here, you will be encouraged to build on your strengths and acquire new skills and experiences.
We are committed to fostering an environment of inclusion that promotes mutual respect among all employees. Understanding and valuing these differences optimizes the potential of both the individual and the firm.
HarbourVest is an equal opportunity employer.
This position will be a hybrid work arrangement. You will receive 18 remote workdays per quarter to use at your discretion, subject to manager approval. For example, you may choose to work in the office 4 days per week and take one remote day weekly (typically 13 weeks per quarter), leaving 5 additional remote days to be used as needed.
The Vice President, Client Onboarding directs the daily work of the Client Onboarding team and supervises the onboarding of new and current institutional and private wealth clients across HarbourVest's fund products. They make sure onboarding processes are performed accurately, efficiently, and meet the established service standards. As a senior partner to investors, internal participants, and third-party administrators, the Vice President resolves complex onboarding challenges, fosters team development, and advances operational excellence to ensure a seamless and high-quality client experience.
The successful candidate will be a highly collaborative leader who combines strong client service orientation with operational expertise and sound judgment. They will possess a client-first approach, consistently advocating for the investor experience while balancing business requirements, risk management, and operational effectiveness. They will excel in developing high-performing teams, managing competing priorities, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
The ideal candidate is someone who has:
A consistent track record of leading client onboarding, investor operations, or client service teams within financial services
A client-first approach and a passion for delivering an exceptional onboarding experience
Strong leadership experience with a demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop high-performing teams
Exceptional relationship management and collaborator coordination skills
Strong operational, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities with program management experience
Experience improving processes, enhancing controls, and driving operational efficiencies
The ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high standard of quality
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong knowledge of private markets, alternative investments, or asset management
Proficiency with CRM platforms, workflow technologies, and Microsoft 365 applications
What you will do:
Direct and guide the Client Onboarding team, delivering coaching, mentorship, and performance evaluation to encourage individual and team progress
Manage the daily onboarding processes for institutional and private wealth investors involved with HarbourVest's fund products
Ensure onboarding activities are carried out accurately, efficiently, and within established timelines and service standards
Monitor team capacity, workload distribution, and performance metrics to support effective execution and positive client outcomes
Serve as a resource for complex onboarding issues, partner concerns, and operational challenges
Partner with Investor Relations, Investments, Legal, Compliance, Tax, Treasury, Accounting, Marketing, and Custom Solutions to coordinate onboarding activities and resolve issues
Review onboarding activities to ensure adherence to policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
Drive process improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, consistency, risk mitigation, and service quality
Develop and maintain reporting, metrics, and operational dashboards to monitor team performance and onboarding outcomes
Manage relationships with third-party administrators and external service providers supporting onboarding activities
Act as the main point of contact for issues, exception processing, and new product launches
Education Preferred
Bachelor of Arts, Business Studies or Commerce (BA , BBS or B Comm) or equivalent experience
Experience
10+ years experience in financial services preferably in private equity