Operational Due Diligence Lead

Utimco•Austin, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate on UTIMCO’s Operational Due Diligence (ODD) team owns significant components of the ODD program and serves as a content resource for reviews of external investment managers and direct investments. The role leads assigned ODD workstreams, evaluates complex risk areas, coaches colleagues, coordinates with investment teams, and prepares high-quality reports and recommendations that support investment selection, monitoring, and risk mitigation. The position conducts reviews across multiple asset classes and industries, including examination of manager and direct investment documentation, fund terms, regulatory filings, audit reports, compliance materials, service-provider relationships, technology controls, and operating infrastructure. It participates in and helps lead onsite reviews, communicates deficiencies and remediation steps, and maintains and improves ODD policies, procedures, templates, documentation, and technology-enabled workflows. The role also leads scheduled projects and special reporting requests and helps colleagues improve review quality and solve risk-related problems. This role requires working in the office four days per week, Monday through Thursday. Domestic and international travel may be required as needed for onsite reviews, meetings, conferences, and other ODD program needs. UTIMCO employees are subject to personal securities trading restrictions and reporting obligations under its Code of Ethics, including requirements concerning household or dependent accounts.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
Five or more years of relevant experience in operational due diligence, investment operations, audit, compliance, risk management, asset management, investment consulting, or related fields.
Experience conducting operational due diligence on direct investments in individual companies.
Demonstrated ability to own review processes, assess operational risk, document conclusions, and communicate practical recommendations.
Thorough working knowledge of external manager operations, fund documentation, service-provider oversight, audit reports, compliance materials, technology controls, and operational risk concepts.
Strong proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel and ODD workflow tools, data sources, and document repositories.
Ability to use approved AI-enabled tools responsibly to improve document review, questionnaire analysis, research, report drafting, issue tracking, and process documentation, with appropriate validation and oversight.
Elevated attention to detail and commitment to accurate, complete, and well-supported analysis.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly with internal and external stakeholders.
Constructive, can-do attitude and commitment to acting in the best interests of the organization.
Collegial team player who is intellectually curious and acts with unquestioned honesty, integrity, and transparency.
Availability to travel domestically and internationally as needed for onsite reviews, manager or direct investment meetings, conferences, or other ODD program needs.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading investment manager or direct investment reviews, onsite diligence, operational risk assessments, audit work, compliance reviews, or investment operations projects.
CFA, MBA, CAIA, CPA, FRM, or related credential.

Responsibilities

Own assigned ODD review processes for new and existing external investment partners across multiple asset classes and industries.
Conduct advanced reviews of manager and direct investment documentation, fund terms, regulatory filings, audit reports, compliance materials, service-provider relationships, technology controls, and operating infrastructure.
Participate in and help lead onsite reviews with manager or direct investment senior management and investment support functions.
Prepare, review, and refine written ODD reports describing operational frameworks, risk issues, proposed solutions, and best-practice recommendations.
Provide investment teams and external managers or direct investments with candid feedback on deficiencies and potential remediation steps, where appropriate.
Maintain and improve ODD policies, procedures, templates, process documentation, and technology-enabled workflow practices.
Coach analysts and senior analysts on documentation review, issue identification, report writing, and workflow discipline.
Lead scheduled projects and special reporting requests, including process enhancements and program development efforts.
Use ODD functional knowledge to help colleagues solve problems, improve review quality, and complete work accurately.
Encourage cross-team work and involve others in developing practical solutions to manager and direct investment risk issues.