ETF and Model Portfolio Business Development Associate

Manulife • Boston, MA

6d • $60,000 - $100,000 • Remote

About The Position

The ETF and Model Portfolio Business Development Associate will support the ETF and Model Portfolio Specialist Team and broader business line in driving AUM growth across wealth management platforms, broker-dealers, wirehouses, RIAs, independent advisors, home-office research teams, and key internal partners. This role sits within a high-growth area of the asset management industry, where advisors are increasingly using ETFs and model portfolios to enhance portfolio construction, improve practice efficiency, manage taxes, and deliver scalable investment solutions to clients. The Associate will contribute to business development, platform strategy, sales enablement, advisor support, data analysis, competitive intelligence, project management, and special research initiatives as Manulife John Hancock Investment Management continues to expand its ETF and model portfolio distribution capabilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, business administration, or a related discipline.
• 1–3 years of experience in asset management, wealth management, ETF distribution, investment research, product strategy, sales enablement, or a related financial services role.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to evaluate market trends, sales data, product positioning, platform opportunities, competitor activity, and business cases.
• Working knowledge of ETFs, mutual funds, model portfolios, asset allocation, portfolio construction, investment vehicles, and the wealth management distribution ecosystem.
• Familiarity with advisor channels, including wirehouses, independent broker-dealers, RIAs, private banks, and home-office research or model portfolio teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear presentations, advisor materials, internal updates, and executive-ready summaries.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with sales, product, investment, marketing, legal, compliance, finance, operations, and technology teams.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, trackers, and cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; experience with Morningstar Direct, Bloomberg, FactSet, Power BI, Salesforce, or similar analytical and CRM tools is preferred.
• Demonstrated curiosity about financial markets, ETF innovation, active management, model portfolio adoption, advisor behavior, and wealth platform dynamics.
• Commercially minded, detail-oriented, proactive, and comfortable operating in a collaborative, fast-moving environment.

Nice To Haves

• Progress toward CFA, CIMA, CAIA, or relevant securities licenses is helpful but not required.

Responsibilities

• Support ETF and model portfolio business development efforts across wealth management firms, advisor platforms, RIAs, broker-dealers, wirehouses, and strategic accounts.
• Conduct market, competitor, platform, and advisor research to identify growth opportunities, positioning gaps, product needs, and potential business risks.
• Build and maintain business development trackers, sales dashboards, model adoption reports, platform due diligence materials, and project plans to support decision-making and execution.
• Analyze ETF and model portfolio flows, AUM trends, sales activity, advisor adoption, platform placement, pipeline activity, and campaign results to help inform business priorities.
• Partner with the Specialist Team, Business Consultants, Product Management, Portfolio Management, Marketing, Legal, Compliance, Operations, and other internal stakeholders to support product positioning, platform engagement, and field execution.
• Assist in developing advisor-facing materials, pitchbooks, product positioning, competitive comparisons, portfolio construction use cases, model portfolio commentary, meeting preparation materials, and follow-up resources.
• Support platform due diligence, onboarding, maintenance, reporting, and ongoing relationship-management processes for ETF and model portfolio solutions.
• Capture advisor and platform feedback to help inform product positioning, sales messaging, content priorities, and future business development opportunities.
• Contribute to special projects related to ETF industry trends, active ETF adoption, model portfolio utilization, wealth platform strategy, advisor practice management, and competitive intelligence.
• Report to the Head of ETF and Model Portfolio Sales.

Benefits

• health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans.
• various retirement savings plans (including pension/401(k) savings plans and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources.
• up to 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days, 150 hours of vacation, and 40 hours of sick time (or more where required by law) each year
• full range of statutory leaves of absence.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level