Associate Director, Product Strategy

IFM Investors•New York, NY

3d•$218,000 - $245,000•Hybrid

About The Position

IFM Investors is a global asset manager, founded and owned by pension funds, with capabilities in infrastructure equity and debt, private equity, private credit, real estate and listed equities. Our purpose is to invest, protect and grow the long-term retirement savings of working people. We believe healthy returns depend on healthy economic, environmental and social systems - and these are evolving on a scale never experienced before. To find opportunity, build value and meet the needs of future generations, you need scale, skill and expertise. That’s what IFM Investors has built up over 30 years. With assets under management of approximately $243.3 AUD billion (at 30 September 2025), we prioritise the interests of over 812 institutional investors worldwide. IFM operates from 13 offices across Australia, Europe, North America and Asia. At IFM, you’re not just part of an investment company – but an invested one. We see the work we do as the chance to take sustainable, responsible steps forward for millions of people around the world. So, we have made sure to create a workplace that’s inclusive, accountable and collaborative. Where you’re given the opportunities to make a meaningful contribution and grow your skills. All while feeling valued and supported for who you are and what you bring to the team. Along with the chance to make a meaningful, positive difference from day one, we offer a competitive salary and generous leave entitlements. Our hybrid and flexible approach can vary by team and role, it is built around trust. We encourage our people to manage their work life rhythm in a way that works best for them and their teams.

Requirements

8+ years’ relevant experience within asset/funds management industry gained in similar roles and/or within a consulting/strategy function
Experience working on complex interactions with stakeholders and consultant firms
Demonstrates knowledge gained in previous product management roles within financial services
Detailed market and product knowledge in the areas of Infrastructure, Debt, Listed Equities, Private Equities and Real Estate at a global level.
Detailed understanding of the competitive landscape in global funds management and business dynamics of large global asset owners
Business strategy, including financial metrics and key performance drivers.
Stakeholder engagement and management
Pricing, competitor data, ability to undertake analytics on various data sets
Tertiary qualifications in finance, economics, business or similar

Nice To Haves

Professional qualification such as the CFA is beneficial but not essential

Responsibilities

Lead strategic collaboration with investment, client, and senior leadership teams to develop and implement innovative asset class strategies aligned with market opportunities.
Drive in-depth analysis of global client needs, competitive landscapes, and regulatory developments across institutional and private wealth markets. Identify emerging market trends and opportunities, informing the firm’s investment capabilities, product offerings, and pricing strategies.
Direct the end-to-end development of new solutions, including ideation, validation, and market testing of new product concepts using client insights, market research, and analytical frameworks.
Own pricing and financial analysis methodologies to optimize product economics and support successful fundraising initiatives.
Lead the development and management of strategic partnerships with institutional and major investors, driving growth and reinforcing relationships.
Act as an expert advisor across Investments, Global Client Solutions, Regulatory Affairs, and other internal functions to execute cohesive product strategies.
Champion talent development within the product strategy and innovation team, fostering skill-building and professional growth.
Participate actively in global innovation forums, promoting diverse perspectives, sparking idea generation, and facilitating cross-functional collaboration.
Help develop actionable investment insights to allow IFM to enhance its reputation as a strategic partner of choice for large institutional investors, enhancing our strong relationships with our owners in Australia and strategic partnerships with third-party clients around the world.
Help facilitate the development of market insights, competitor analysis, storylines, and narratives to help the Global Client Solutions team and other senior client facing executives to build strategic client relationships and test market demand for potential future products and solutions.
Provide financial modelling for input into Product related business cases
Contribute to the identification of broader industry trends and asset owner dynamics that could contribute to the evolution of IFM’s corporate strategy and become a catalyst for the expansion of IFM’s investment capabilities.
Work closely with IFM’s investment teams to translate product ideas into well-defined investment strategies, including investment methodologies, risk management frameworks, and portfolio construction techniques.
Analyse client feedback, industry reports, and data-driven insights to inform product creation and enhancements.
Conduct market research and analysis to identify emerging trends, opportunities, and potential product gaps that align with IFM’s investment capabilities.
Monitor and assess the competitive landscape to stay informed of industry developments and benchmark IFM’s products
Leverage data analytics, AI, machine learning, and other emerging technologies to enhance our investment research process.
Leverage the investment teams’ insights into market trends, performance benchmarks, pricing, and competitive analysis.
Take ownership of the existing macro research capabilities in a way that facilitates timely and effective inputs into IFM Investors client discussions, product development and investment decisions.
Build frameworks to share deep understanding across the firm of broader industry trends, their impact on client needs, competitive dynamics, regulatory trends, and money in motion.
Engage with senior executives and stakeholders to gain support, alignment, and buy-in for the investment research engine, its objectives, and deliverables.
Facilitate effective communication and co-ordination among cross-functional teams to ensure seamless functioning of the investment research engine.
Collaborate with the four other teams within Clients & Strategy to ensure that all deliverables of the investment research engine align with; client relationships and business development efforts undertaking by Global Client Solutions team; policy research done by the Global External Relations team; sustainability strategy delivered by the Sustainable Investment team; marketing strategies and materials for new and existing products developed by the Marketing team