Portfolio Specialist – International and Emerging Market Equities

Role Summary

The Portfolio Specialist is a member of the investment organization.  The primary role of the Portfolio Specialist is to support portfolio managers and investment teams by representing them in meetings and communications with institutional and intermediary prospects, clients, consultants, and internal staff.

A primary objective of the role is to minimize the amount of time spent by portfolio managers and their investment teams meeting and communicating with prospects, clients, and consultants; enabling portfolio management teams to place maximum focus on the investment process, while at the same time helping to ensure that the firm excels in its sales and client service efforts.

The Portfolio Specialist works closely with sales, consultant relations, client service and other internal staff to communicate relevant information regarding the investment strategies supported; including reviewing investment performance, portfolio composition and characteristics, rationale for holdings, investment decisions, etc.  The Portfolio Specialist is accompanied by sales and client service professionals in meetings and presentations and participates with registered personnel in meetings and presentations regarding all vehicles related to the strategies.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Portfolio Specialist for the firm’s emerging market equity strategies covering North America.
• Represent the firm’s international and emerging market equity capabilities and related strategies within the institutional and intermediary distribution channels in North America. This includes partnering with those distribution channels in their international and emerging market equity business development initiatives.
• Supports the gathering and retention of assets under management by working closely with sales and client service professionals.  Serves as the representative of the portfolio manager or as a member of the investment team in meetings with institutional and intermediary prospects, clients, and consultants. Travel to support these activities is required.
• Maintains in-depth knowledge of investment strategies covered.  Attend investment meetings, read research reports, utilize information services, etc. to maintain knowledge base required to successfully represent portfolio managers and investment strategies covered.
• Serve as the expert for investment strategies covered. Provide investment strategy and performance context, voice, and messaging guidance to internal staff, including portfolio analysts, institutional writers, and other staff responsible for producing and delivering content to internal and external audiences.
• Partner effectively with fellow international and emerging market equity portfolio specialists to promote the asset class and the firm’s capabilities.
• Provide investment strategy education to internal staff in one-on-one or group settings as appropriate.

Qualifications

Preferred:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in the investment management industry.  Relevant experience can include portfolio management, investment research, investment consulting, or institutional/intermediary client service. Previous experience working with international and emerging market equity strategies. MBA and/or CFA highly desired.

Required:

• Undergraduate degree from an accredited institution and 10 years of relevant work experience.
• Must have a passion for the investment business with a deep understanding of investment concepts and have a strong working knowledge of international and emerging market investment strategies and tactics.
• Demonstrated track record of success in effectively communicating complex concepts to a wide variety of audiences.
• Must possess exceptional relationship management skills and work well with portfolio managers, other investment professionals, and sales and client service professionals.
• Willingness to travel with an expectation of 20+% of time spent, primarily in North America.
• Must possess strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Must work well within a collegial, but fast-paced environment.
• Must work well in an unstructured environment.
• Must be highly motivated and a self-starter.
• Passion for achieving competitive results.
• Possess a high level of personal integrity.
• Must possess a service orientation.
• High energy level and drive to succeed coupled with the poise and temperament necessary to work effectively in a team environment.

FINRA Requirements

FINRA licenses are not required and will not be supported for this role.

Work Flexibility

This role is eligible for full time remote work.