Vice President, Carried Interest Compensation Administration

Ares Operations•Los Angeles, NY

About The Position

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry. Job Description The Vice President, Carried Interest Administration will be responsible for the end‑to-end administration of the firm’s carried interest programs. This role serves as a subject‑matter expert and strategic partner to internal stakeholders, ensuring accurate allocations and distributions, continuous program enhancements, and clear participant education. The role will lead process improvement initiatives and collaborate closely with Finance, Legal, Tax, and other key partner groups to ensure operational excellence, compliance, and scalability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or relevant professional certifications preferred.
10+ years of experience in carried interest administration, equity compensation, fund administration, or a related field, with demonstrated VP‑level responsibility.
Deep understanding of carried interest structures, fund economics and vesting mechanics.
Strong experience partnering with Finance, Legal and Tax teams in a complex organization.
Proven ability to lead process improvement initiatives and drive program enhancements.
Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to think strategically and operate hands‑on.
Strong communication skills, with experience educating and advising senior stakeholders and plan participants.

Responsibilities

Program Administration & Operations Oversee the administration of carried interest programs across funds, including allocations, vesting, distributions and participant recordkeeping.
Ensure timely and accurate execution of carry‑related processes in accordance with governing documents and internal policies.
Serve as the primary escalation point for complex carry matters and participant inquiries.
Allocations & Distributions Partner with Finance and Tax to coordinate carried interest allocations and distribution calculations.
Ensure alignment between carry records, fund accounting and payment execution.
Support audit, regulatory, and internal review processes related to carried interest.
Program Enhancements & Process Improvement Identify and implement enhancements to carried interest program design, administration and reporting.
Drive operational efficiencies through improved processes, controls and system enhancements.
Lead initiatives to scale carry administration as the platform grows and evolves.
Participant Education & Communication Develop and deliver clear, effective education for carried interest participants regarding plan mechanics, vesting, distributions and key terms.
Review and contribute to participant‑facing materials, documentation and communications.
Act as a trusted advisor to participants, management, and HR partners on carry‑related topics.
Cross‑Functional Partnership Collaborate closely with Finance, Legal, Tax, HR and external advisors to ensure alignment and compliance.
Support the interpretation and administration of carry plan documents and related agreements in partnership with Legal.
Provide guidance on the operational impact of new funds, restructurings or plan changes.
Governance & Controls Maintain strong governance, documentation and internal controls over carried interest administration.
Monitor compliance with plan terms, regulatory requirements and best practices.