Investment Operations Lead

Ceres Life Insurance•New York, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Investment Operations professional will play a critical role in supporting Ceres Life Insurance Company’s investment platform by serving as the primary liaison between Ceres Life and its affiliated asset management company, Arena Investors. This individual will ensure seamless coordination, transparency, and operational efficiency across investment activities, with a focus on data integrity, reporting accuracy, and alignment with insurance company requirements. In this role, the individual will coordinate the flow of investment information between Arena Investors and Ceres Life, including portfolio data, valuations, cash flows, and compliance-related materials. They will work closely with internal stakeholders across finance, accounting, risk, actuarial, and compliance functions to support statutory and management reporting, audits, and regulatory filings, while partnering with Arena Investors to resolve operational issues and implement process improvements. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of investment operations within an insurance company framework, including asset-liability considerations, controls, and governance. They will be detail-oriented, collaborative, and comfortable operating at the intersection of asset management and insurance, helping to ensure that investment operations support Ceres Life’s financial strength, regulatory obligations, and strategic objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field
Experience in investment operations, investment accounting, or a related role within an insurance company, asset manager, or financial services firm
Strong understanding of insurance company investment structures, controls, and reporting requirements
Knowledge of statutory and GAAP investment accounting concepts and financial reporting processes
High level of attention to detail with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across organizations and functions
Proficiency with investment systems, databases, PowerBI, Python, and Microsoft Excel

Nice To Haves

MBA or Masters degree in Finance
CFA designation
CPA designation
Familiarity with alternative investments and complex asset classes, including private credit and structured investments
Experience with Clearwater or JPMorgan Markets

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact between Ceres Life Insurance Company and Arena Investors for all investment operations–related matters
Coordinate the timely and accurate exchange of investment data, including holdings, transactions, valuations, and cash flows
Support statutory, GAAP, and management reporting by ensuring investment information is complete, accurate, and delivered in accordance with reporting timelines
Partner with accounting, finance, actuarial, risk, and compliance teams to support audits, regulatory filings, and internal governance requirements
Work with external partners such as Clearwater and JPMorgan Security Services to ensure effective and efficient operations
Monitor and reconcile investment activity to identify discrepancies, investigate issues, and coordinate resolution with Arena Investors and internal stakeholders
Ensure investment operations processes align with insurance company controls, policies, and asset-liability management considerations
Assist in the review and oversight of investment-related service providers, systems, and operational workflows
Support new investment onboarding, custody account management, including operational readiness, data mapping, and reporting setup
Develop and maintain documentation for investment operations processes, controls, and reporting procedures
Identify opportunities to enhance operational efficiency, data quality, and transparency across the investment reporting lifecycle