Product Strategist

PIMCO•Newport Beach, CA

About The Position

PIMCO is seeking a CIT Solutions Strategist to join its CIT Strategy Team within the U.S. Retirement business and help develop and grow the firm's Collective Investment Trust (CIT) platform. The role combines strategic thinking with detailed, hands-on execution, including leading product launches and enhancements and coordinating work with trustees and internal partners. The strategist will serve as a specialist and trusted resource across the firm, connecting CIT structures and operational decisions to evolving client, consultant, and business needs. The position collaborates with Defined Contribution Solutions, Client Management, Product Strategy, Legal, Operations, Compliance, and third-party trust companies to implement CITs, support client adoption, and help internal teams position CIT strategies. Responsibilities span product development, trustee and platform relationships, governance and regulatory matters, cross-functional project execution, stakeholder education, and operational improvement. The role is on a small, newer team and offers the opportunity to shape how the CIT business operates and grows. PIMCO encourages using AI tools in day-to-day work to address client needs, synthesize documents and data, identify gaps and improvements, and develop shared best practices. PIMCO describes its culture as high-performance and inclusive, emphasizing Collaboration, Openness, Responsibility, and Excellence. Compensation includes a base salary and discretionary bonus. The stated base salary range is $145,500 to $168,000.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
At least 8 years of experience in asset management, retirement solutions, institutional investments, CITs, mutual funds, or related financial services, particularly fixed income, with knowledge of the institutional client base.
Experience working with CITs, Defined Contribution plans, or institutional investment products, including experience with CITs in some capacity.
Strong understanding of CIT structures and governance, including trustee and custodial relationships.
Deep knowledge of Defined Contribution and retirement plan markets, including ERISA, retirement industry regulations, and compliance considerations affecting retirement investment vehicles.
Working knowledge of investment operations and implementation processes, fee structures, and institutional product development.
Experience leading cross-functional projects and strategic initiatives.
Strategic thinking and business acumen, including the ability to understand CITs in the context of the broader retirement business.
Hands-on project management and execution skills, including coordinating internal teams and external trustee partners and managing competing priorities.
Analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including comfort using AI-enabled tools to review information, identify patterns or data issues, and improve processes.
Strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication, with high attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to operate independently and exercise sound judgment.
A hands-on, business-owner mindset and ability to help build scalable infrastructure in a small-team setting.

Nice To Haves

MBA, CFA, JD, or another advanced designation.

Responsibilities

Lead the implementation and enhancement of CIT products and share classes.
Partner with product and distribution teams to identify market opportunities and determine product and share-class needs.
Act as a primary liaison with third-party trust companies, understanding their practices, operational and reporting requirements, fiduciary responsibilities, and governance frameworks.
Identify opportunities to expand trustee collaboration and support business growth.
Partner with Funds Legal, Compliance, and trustees to support regulatory and fiduciary compliance.
Evaluate governance implications of product changes, operational issues, and investor requests, including restricted affiliates, employer securities, trading guidelines, and eligibility restrictions.
Monitor regulatory developments and retirement-market changes, assess their potential impact on the CIT business, and provide timely, actionable updates to stakeholders.
Lead cross-functional initiatives, developing project plans, establishing milestones, managing dependencies, and driving execution.
Identify project risks, develop mitigation strategies, and communicate issues and recommendations proactively.
Serve as an internal resource on CIT structures, investor eligibility, product positioning, fees, reporting, governance, liquidity, and operational considerations.
Provide accurate, well-supported analyses, recommendations, and communications to internal and external stakeholders.
Improve CIT processes and controls, and maintain expertise in workflows, reporting, fee structures, and trustee administration.
Translate operational considerations into business implications.
Develop and enhance process documentation and internal knowledge resources.
Improve efficiency, scalability, data quality, and controls across the CIT platform, including using AI to identify gaps or errors in internal and trustee-sourced data.