Associate Vice President, Middle Office Operations

Ares Management Corporation•New York, NY

12d•$140,000 - $160,000

About The Position

Ares is seeking an Associate Vice President to assist with U.S. loan closing and settlement activities across the firm’s global credit platform. The role supports the operating model, controls, and execution of syndicated loan settlements, including par, distressed, private credit, and structured products. It combines hands-on settlement execution and issue resolution with operational governance, process improvement, technology collaboration, and strategic reporting. The position reports to the Principal, Middle Office.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.
4–6+ years of investment operations experience at a buy-side investment manager or comparable environment.
Expert-level knowledge of syndicated loan closings and settlement practices, including ClearPar workflows.
Advanced proficiency with WSO Admin.
Strong understanding of loan documentation, trade mechanics, and funding processes across leveraged loans, private credit, and CLO structures.
Proven ability to manage high-volume pipelines, tight deadlines, and complex counterparties.
Experience leading teams, overseeing third-party providers, and interacting with senior stakeholders.
Exceptional communication skills to coordinate effectively across front office, internal teams, counterparties, and custodians.
Strong leadership presence and ability to influence, prioritize, and make decisions under pressure.
High attention to detail and a hands-on, execution-focused mindset.
Analytical and process-oriented approach, with a track record of driving operational improvements.
Strong judgment regarding issue escalation versus independent problem solving.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with evolving priorities and deal flow.
Comfort working in operational details while maintaining a firmwide strategic perspective.

Nice To Haves

MBA, CFA, CPA, or equivalent professional credential.
Familiarity with Allvue/Black Mountain, Everest, Geneva, and IVP.

Responsibilities

Assist with secondary loan closings for par and distressed loans using ClearPar and internal systems.
Oversee booking, data integrity, and cash and position accuracy in WSO Admin and related platforms.
Define and maintain standard operating procedures, workflow governance, and internal control frameworks.
Monitor daily settlement pipelines, identify funding risks, and proactively mitigate operational and liquidity impacts.
Partner with Legal, Trading, Portfolio Management, Treasury, Accounting, and Compliance to support trade lifecycle execution.
Act as a senior escalation point for complex settlement breaks and personally manage high-touch transactions through resolution.
Drive loan settlement operational strategy, including process redesign, KPI frameworks, and automation initiatives.
Collaborate with Technology and external vendors on system enhancements, integrations, and workflow optimization.
Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve scalability as the credit platform grows.
Develop and deliver executive-level reporting on settlement performance, aged items, and pipeline health.
Lead teams, oversee third-party providers, and interact with senior stakeholders.