Join our Team
We exist to enable people and organisations to fulfil the potential of their tomorrow
We stand as proof of South Africa’s talent and ability to compete on the global stage
- Are you excited about working with the UK investment community?
- Are you motivated by working within a young, driven team?
- Do you want to work at a company that puts your development at the centre of its business?
- Are you ready to be measured against the best in the world?
Working at Oceanrock
We work with private equity firms, corporate finance advisers, strategy consultants and corporates based primarily in the UK.
You will be working hand-in-hand with our clients’ own teams, doing similar work as if you were working in-house at one of these firms.
Although based in South Africa, you will be working in an international context on a daily basis.
You will develop the core technical skills required by the types of clients we serve, as well as the management and leadership skills required to be successful in our business.
We provide a showcase for South African talent to shine on a global stage.
We expect to be measured against the best in the world. We are very focused on doing high-quality work. You will be joining a high-performance team where you will be challenged to do difficult things, and strive to be the very best that you can be.
Oceanrock puts your development at the heart of our business. You will need to be open to receiving (and learning how to deliver) feedback. You will be supported by an incredible group of colleagues who will only want the best for you – as well as a comprehensive programme of in-house training that will support your development throughout your career.
This sounds challenging, and it is. But at the same time it will be enriching, enjoyable and fun.
Ask anyone at Oceanrock about what they enjoy most, and they are likely to speak about our culture.
We have always been very deliberate in how we build our company and we want to take opportunities to do things differently.
There is a real sense of community within Oceanrock. We are a high-performing team with a huge heart. We believe in working hard and having fun, with colleagues who inevitably become friends.
Our team often says that working at Oceanrock feels like being part of a family. We are all there for each other.
Obviously, we are looking to hire smart, driven people who can demonstrate strong technical skills.
Just as importantly though, we want to hire people who can have a positive impact on our business. These people will align with our values and be motivated by the type of culture we are trying to create.
Anyone who joins us has an opportunity to have a big impact on our organisation. We want to find people who understand the responsibility that comes with that and are energised about the opportunity that creates for them.
We don’t judge our success simply on how big our business is, but on the quality of the work we do for our clients. We also want to be a great place to work. These things go hand-in-hand. We are building a fantastic team and love meeting new people who are talented, motivated and inspired by the contribution they can make at Oceanrock.
Andy Walford, Founder & CEO
What our team has to say about working at Oceanrock
“
We recruit at both Analyst and Junior Analyst levels
Eligibility Criteria: Analyst Role
Eligible to register as a CA(SA) and either recently completed or about to complete your Articles with a global professional services firm
Finance Graduate (BBusSci, BComm Finance) from a leading South African University with at least 2 years of relevant work experience
You must also be based in Cape Town and either be South African or hold a valid work visa to work in South Africa.
The majority of our new Analysts will start with us in January each year, but we may also have Analyst openings available at other times throughout the year.
Eligibility Criteria: Junior Analyst Role
Recent Finance Graduate (BBusSci, BComm Finance) from a leading South African University
0-1 year of relevant work experience
You must also be based in Cape Town and either be South African or hold a valid work visa to work in South Africa.
Our formal Junior Analyst graduate programme kicks-off in January each year. However, we may also have Junior Analyst openings available at other times during the year.
FAQS
We believe we offer something unique. We provide an opportunity to be based in Cape Town but work in a global context with clients based in the leading financial centres in the world. We will enable you to develop your technical and inter-personal skills within a team that is completely aligned with your individual success and in a business that places your development at its core. Very early in your career, you will work hand-in-hand with the investment and deal teams across our private equity, corporate finance, consulting and corporate clients, getting exposure to the same work as if you were in-house at one of the firms.
Above all of that, we are building a special place to work, based around a culture that demands high standards but ensures people are supported in their development and treated with respect irrespective of their age, job title or length of service with the company.
We are a relatively small company. We are definitely not a large corporate. Working with a smaller company is right for some people, but isn’t necessarily right for everyone. It comes with a heightened responsibility to show up every day in a way that moves our company in the right direction and serves our clients with the quality that they expect. It also comes with an out-sized opportunity to have a big impact on who we are and how we do what we do. You should come and work at Oceanrock if you are excited by that challenge.
We believe in the quality of young South African talent, and its ability to shine on a global stage. If you believe in that too, and you want the opportunity to prove it, Oceanrock is the right place for you.
We expect everyone who comes to work at Oceanrock to have established a strong foundation of technical skills. During our recruitment process we will put some of those skills to the test, as well as interrogate your ability to think commercially about a business and effectively communicate your thoughts and ideas. Once you are part of the team, you will continue to develop your financial and valuation skills, advanced financial modelling skills, rigorous research and analysis, and the ability to think about what makes for a good investment for our clients. As you progress within Oceanrock, you will also be given the opportunity to develop your people management and leadership skills as you take on more responsibility across the team.
Our standard employment contract states that our working hours are until 6pm South African time. However, our clients are often working to tight timelines and you will be expected to work longer hours at times to enable them to meet their goals.
We believe that performance and development is best managed through more regular, smaller conversations than less regular (e.g. annual), larger reviews. During the year, we run a quarterly performance review system, including a more comprehensive 360-degree review process every six months.
Feedback is a core part of our culture. You should expect to receive – and be trained in how to provide – high quality feedback. We also encourage our clients to provide us with regular feedback on the quality of service that they are receiving from us.
The team is structured between Junior Analysts, Analysts, Senior Analysts, Associates and Directors. The more senior your role, the higher the technical difficulty will be of the work you are expected to deliver and the level of client relationship management and internal team management you will be expected manage. The broader team is structured into ‘pods’ of 5 – 8 analysts, with client workflow, team performance and quality control managed within these smaller structures. Critically, these structures are in place to deliver the level of client service and personal development that we are aiming for as a business – rather than to impose a rigid hierarchy on our organisation. Culturally, we are a flat business where everyone is expected to take ownership of their work, have the opportunity to contribute and have their voice heard.
Ultimately, we believe that being in the office for a large part of our time is good for us individually, good for our team’s development and good for the quality of service we provide to our clients.
However, we do currently operate a hybrid working policy. Everyone in our team is required to be in the office for at least three days each week. The remainder of the time people are free to work from home.
It is unlikely. We do have people visiting the UK on a regular basis, but this is typically our CEO and business development team. There have been occasions when client teams have been to the UK to spend time on-site with clients, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
No, not necessarily. Some of our clients may have an African focus, but the majority do not.
- No, we do not sponsor visa applications. Anyone who applies to work for Oceanrock is expected to have a visa required for them to work in South Africa.