Pensions - Hedge Fund and Private Credit Investment Officer - SVP

Citi

12d

About The Position

The successful candidate will be entrusted with a broad spectrum of responsibilities critical to the success and integrity of the DB Pension Plan's alternative investment portfolios: Portfolio Management Contribution: Provide direct and impactful contributions to the strategic direction and operational management of the Hedge Fund and Private Credit portfolios, ensuring alignment with the overall investment objectives of the DB Pension Plan. Risk and Return Optimization: Actively participate in the comprehensive management of portfolio liquidity, market risk exposure, and liability hedging strategies. This includes a dedicated focus on alpha generation across all sub-portfolios, encompassing the full spectrum of Hedge Fund strategies employed. External Manager Engagement: Cultivate and maintain robust relationships with external Hedge Fund managers. This involves the active negotiation of Investment Management Agreements (IMAs) and continuous engagement to ensure effective partnership and performance delivery. Fee Optimization and Value Creation: Engage in diligent negotiation and optimization of fee structures with external managers. Furthermore, spearhead projects aimed at identifying innovative approaches to consistently generate stable alpha returns that surpass established Hedge Fund benchmarks. Analytical and Collaborative Leadership: Demonstrate proficiency in both individual analytical work and collaborative teamwork. The role requires the ability to partner effectively across various internal teams to proactively identify solutions to complex business inquiries, ensure timely resolution, and independently drive the implementation and execution steps necessary to bring open issues to successful completion. Governance and Reporting: Fulfill additional duties and functions as directed by the CIO, with a particular emphasis on comprehensive reporting requirements pertaining to Risk Management, Regulatory Compliance, and Internal Audit functions. Custodian Interaction: Facilitate daily interactions with the Custodian bank to ensure accurate and timely reconciliation of investment transactions, efficient cash management, and seamless asset transfers. Due Diligence and Portfolio Oversight: Conduct thorough due diligence for all prospective new investments and perform annual reviews for existing allocations. Maintain a dynamic watchlist of managers and present well-researched recommendations for portfolio changes to the CIO and the various Investment Committees. Advisor Relationship Management: Oversee and manage the critical relationship with the External Hedge Fund Advisor, leveraging their expertise to enhance portfolio performance and risk mitigation. This includes rigorously adhering to applicable laws, rules, and regulations, strictly complying with internal policies, exercising sound ethical judgment in personal and professional conduct, and promptly escalating, managing, and transparently reporting any control issues. Candidates for this position are expected to possess a distinguished professional background demonstrating a profound understanding of the alternative investments landscape:

Requirements

Extensive Industry Experience: A minimum of seven (7) years of progressive experience within a reputable financial services organization, with a demonstrated focus on managing Hedge Fund and Private Credit portfolios.
Analytical Acumen: Proven experience in effectively analyzing actual and forecast investment results, coupled with a comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of various Hedge Fund strategies and their underlying sub-strategies.
Macroeconomic and Hedging Expertise: Thorough understanding of key macroeconomic metrics and extensive experience in managing portfolios specifically designed for hedging purposes, while simultaneously targeting superior alpha generation beyond established benchmarks.
Technical Proficiency: Advanced proficiency with standard analytical tools, including but not limited to Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Python and SQL.
Communication Excellence: Exceptional written and oral communication skills, capable of conveying complex financial concepts clearly and concisely to diverse stakeholders.
Financial Acuity: Demonstrated thorough knowledge of fundamental Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss (P&L) statement analysis.

Responsibilities

Provide direct and impactful contributions to the strategic direction and operational management of the Hedge Fund and Private Credit portfolios, ensuring alignment with the overall investment objectives of the DB Pension Plan.
Actively participate in the comprehensive management of portfolio liquidity, market risk exposure, and liability hedging strategies.
Cultivate and maintain robust relationships with external Hedge Fund managers. This involves the active negotiation of Investment Management Agreements (IMAs) and continuous engagement to ensure effective partnership and performance delivery.
Engage in diligent negotiation and optimization of fee structures with external managers.
Spearhead projects aimed at identifying innovative approaches to consistently generate stable alpha returns that surpass established Hedge Fund benchmarks.
Demonstrate proficiency in both individual analytical work and collaborative teamwork.
Partner effectively across various internal teams to proactively identify solutions to complex business inquiries, ensure timely resolution, and independently drive the implementation and execution steps necessary to bring open issues to successful completion.
Fulfill additional duties and functions as directed by the CIO, with a particular emphasis on comprehensive reporting requirements pertaining to Risk Management, Regulatory Compliance, and Internal Audit functions.
Facilitate daily interactions with the Custodian bank to ensure accurate and timely reconciliation of investment transactions, efficient cash management, and seamless asset transfers.
Conduct thorough due diligence for all prospective new investments and perform annual reviews for existing allocations.
Maintain a dynamic watchlist of managers and present well-researched recommendations for portfolio changes to the CIO and the various Investment Committees.
Oversee and manage the critical relationship with the External Hedge Fund Advisor, leveraging their expertise to enhance portfolio performance and risk mitigation.
Rigorously adhering to applicable laws, rules, and regulations, strictly complying with internal policies, exercising sound ethical judgment in personal and professional conduct, and promptly escalating, managing, and transparently reporting any control issues.