Endowment Investment Operations Manager

Chapman University Careers•Irvine, CA

About The Position

Under the direction of the Chief Investment Officer, the Investment Office manages the University’s approximately $1 billion endowment, stewarding assets that provide essential, long‑term financial support for current and future generations of students and scholars. The endowment is structured to achieve strong long‑term, risk‑adjusted returns while delivering a reliable and sustainable stream in support of the University’s mission. Reporting to the Chief Investment Officer ( CIO ), the Endowment Investment Operations Manager ( EIOM ) is a key member of the Investment Office, responsible for the integrity, accuracy, and transparency of investment operations, accounting, and reporting for a complex, multi‑asset portfolio encompassing public and private investments. EIOM is a hands-on, senior individual contributor responsible for the full operational and accounting lifecycle of the University’s endowment investment portfolio across public and private markets. This role serves as the primary point of contact with external service providers, including investment managers and the custodial bank, and requires deep expertise in institutional investment operations, private capital accounting, reconciliations, valuation support, and audit coordination. The position is not a treasury, performance, or FP&A role, and it does not involve security selection or portfolio management. This position does require a clear criminal background check as well as a satisfactory credit check.

Requirements

7–10+ years of progressive experience in institutional investment operations and/or fund accounting
Direct experience supporting endowments, foundations, pensions, OCIOs, or institutional asset managers
Demonstrated hands on experience with: private equity / private credit / real assets; capital calls, distributions, commitments, custodian and administrator reconciliations
Strong working knowledge of investment accounting under GAAP and audit requirements
Advanced Excel skills used for reconciliations, roll forwards, and analysis (not just reporting)

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end investment operations lifecycle for public and private investments, from trade execution support through settlement, accounting, and reporting.
Serve as the primary liaison with custodians, fund administrators, investment managers, and external advisors
Review and prepare operational execution for subscriptions, capital calls, distributions, redemptions, and transfers, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with governing documents.
Review fund manager notices, capital activity statements, and operational communications; assess accounting and cash impacts and escalate material issues to the CIO .
Maintain authoritative records for unfunded commitments, capital called, distributions, and ownership balances across all private investments.
Review and reconcile capital account statements and quarterly reports from private fund
Support fair value assessments for private investments in coordination with valuation policies and auditors ( ASC 820).
Track and reconcile private investment cash flows against custodian records and general ledger activity.
Perform and oversee monthly and quarterly reconciliations of cash, investments, commitments, and activity across: custodian systems, investment accounting platforms, general ledger.
Investigate and resolve discrepancies with a documented audit trail.
Maintain strong internal controls, procedures, and documentation to support audit, compliance, and governance expectations.
Lead endowment-related investment accounting for year-end close, financial statements, and supporting schedules.
Act as the primary point of contact for external auditors on investment matters.
Prepare and review footnote support, roll forwards, valuation memos, and audit workpapers.
Ensure compliance with GAAP , FASB , IRS , and UPMIFA related requirements applicable to endowments and nonprofit institutions.
Prepare clear, accurate investment operations and accounting materials for the CIO , Investment Committee, and other governance bodies.
Translate complex operational and accounting information into fiduciary appropriate language.
Support data requests for peer surveys and institutional reporting based on readily available data (does not include performance measurement).
Evaluate and improve workflows related to investment operations, accounting, and data integration.
Partner with service providers and others on system enhancements, automation, and reporting efficiency.
Maintain operational scalability aligned with portfolio growth and increasing private market complexity, governance requirements, and regulation.