What it’s like to be a fund administrator at Carta

What it’s like to be a fund administrator at Carta

Author: Irene Zinnel
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Read time:  4 minutes
Published date:  October 27, 2020
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Updated date:  September 5, 2023
Instead, we make tools in-house that the fund administrators need to do their jobs every day. The typical fund administrator role is being automated over time

This post was co-authored by Brittany Vigoreaux, Associate HR Business Partner at Carta. 

You may have read how we think Fund Admin is Broken, or exactly how we’re Building Fund Admin at Carta. You may have even met our Fund Admin Leadership team. But one of the biggest things that sets us apart is how different it is to be a part of this team compared to other fund administration teams outside of Carta.

At Carta, we are a technology startup: we focus on people and technology—in that order. This means not only are we not your typical cubicle-filled accounting firm, but we also don’t settle for off-the-shelf technology. 

Instead, we make tools in-house that the fund administrators need to do their jobs every day. The typical fund administrator role is being automated over time by our product and engineering teams, and that doesn’t scare our team—it excites them. After all, these systems help eliminate manual, time-consuming tasks, freeing them to spend more time with clients and work with our internal team to continue building innovative solutions. 

Our goal is for each fund administrator to become a trusted consultant to investors. At Carta, we have the opportunity to work with many different VC funds—from investors who are launching their very first fund to well-established firms with long track records. We also support all of our clients through managing their limited partner relationships, leveraging the Carta tech platform to make this critical aspect of fund management easier and more transparent. Our fund administrators collaborate with investors every day to revolutionize the future of fund administration; a career path offered only at Carta. You’ll have the ability to master the craft of fund accounting working with Carta’s cutting-edge software. 

Fund administrators at Carta get career depth and breadth. Not only will you be making the role more effective and efficient, but you’ll also gain exposure to enterprise software. Aligning cross functionally helps produce best-in-class software solutions while driving efficiencies on repetitive tasks, resulting in better service for our clients. 

We recently asked our fund administrators to share the three things they most enjoy about Carta. It was no surprise that “the people I work with” was a top answer, but they also said the perks are hard to beat. Unlimited PTO, extended parental leave, and daily catered lunch (or a stipend while WFH) are a few examples. 

To help illustrate how different we are, let’s walk you through a typical day in-the-life for a fund administrator at Carta. 

Life as a fund administrator at Carta 

We sat down with one of our fund administrators, Jake Clawson, based out of the Seattle office for more insight. 

Every day is a little different as a fund administrator. We have our busy season from January through March, just like any other fund admin team. But, in the less busy seasons, my day typically follows the schedule I share below. I’ll note that we always prioritize our customers, meaning our response time is less than 2 hours. 

9am – Log in from home and review emails.

9:30am – Respond to client inquiries via email. At Carta, fund administrators of all levels have the opportunity to manage relationships with our clients. 

10am – Meet with a client to discuss open items or teach them how to use Carta. Our platform is robust and we like to teach clients how to self-serve. As you can see, client interaction is a huge part of our day! 

10:30am – Meet with a limited partner to strategize on how to leverage Carta to get the information they need. 

11am – Meet with a Carta product team to help test and provide feedback on a new feature. 

12 – Lunch! Carta provides a daily catered lunch. While we’re working from home due to COVID-19, Carta provides a daily stipend. 

1pm – Heads down to focus on bank reconciliations, journal entries, and allocations. 

4pm – Wrap up with any client requests that have come through and prepare for the next day.

We work at the intersection of finance and technology. Our team tests every feature, shares feedback, explains any nuances to its capabilities, and works with the product and engineering team to solve problems. What we are creating is novel and best-in-class—and it represents the exciting future of fund administration.

Collaboration is a huge part of our culture. At Carta, employees feel empowered to provide feedback to leadership, and our fund admin team reflects that. Our team members say they feel relevant and impactful. They note that Carta encourages everyone to share their ideas. At a typical fund admin shop, you are more of a cog in the machine. Here, we have the opportunity to be more flexible, agile and technology-driven. 

The investment ecosystem is dynamic and growing. In order to continue building the best solutions, we are always looking for fund administrators to join us to revolutionize the financial infrastructure that powers the private markets. 

Ready to join? Visit our careers page for current openings. 

DISCLOSURE:This communication is on behalf of eShares Inc., d/b/a Carta, Inc. (“Carta”). This communication is not to be construed as legal, financial, accounting or tax advice and is for informational purposes only. This communication is not intended as a recommendation, offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Carta does not assume any liability for reliance on the information provided herein.