Manager, Investment Performance Attribution Analysis

About Northern Trust:

Northern Trust, a Fortune 500 company, is a globally recognized, award-winning financial institution that has been in continuous operation since 1889.  

Northern Trust is proud to provide innovative financial services and guidance to the world’s most successful individuals, families, and institutions by remaining true to our enduring principles of service, expertise, and integrity. With more than 130 years of financial experience and over 22,000 partners, we serve the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

Role Summary:

Northern Trust Asset Management is a trillion dollar investment management firm entrusted by investors around the globe to help them navigate changing market environments, so they can confidently realize their long-term objectives. 

The Manager – Investment Performance Attribution role will be responsible for the calculation of performance and  GIPS composites across a wide range of investment portfolios and fund products, with focus on accuracy and timeliness of the returns.  The individual will be responsible for the creation and maintenance of GIPS composites to support the firm’s reporting, marketing and product development efforts.  The individual sought will be a thought leader and analytically proficient based upon prior experience and expertise, also demonstrate people management skill for a diverse global team in multiple locations.   

The scope of responsibilities will include regularly optimizing the GIPS composite and performance workflow to ensure data quality and create scale, This role will act in partnership with practice groups including Portfolio Management, Product Management, Sales and Marketing, Investment Operations, and others from the Performance & Attribution team.  The role will also involve identifying, solutioning, and championing digital and automation initiatives to transform operational effectiveness and responsiveness to achieve scale while expanding upon the team’s current core functional output.   

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Act as a subject matter expert on Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS), investment performance measurement, investment performance analytics, and drive excellence across this practice. Responsibilities include:

• Serve as a key subject matter expert and drive best practices across the firm regarding GIPS composites content across all investment disciplines.  Working with the Product team to ensure alignments between products and GIPS composites.

• Work with core-competency teams to develop, communicate, and execute the strategic roadmap for maintaining highest standard and consistency GIPS composite performance records, performance calculation methodologies and meeting all regulatory and audit standards. 

• Ensure governance and oversight of data processes used to calculate the values, thus facilitating compliance with established thresholds for accuracy and timeliness.    

• Be a thought leader in identifying opportunities for digitization and automation to deliver both standard and customized reporting and insights efficiently, accurately, and at scale.

• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams such as Product, Legal & Compliance and performance to assess the current state and architect the future state of global  operating models, processes, and capabilities to successfully support evolving business needs related to GIPS and Performance.

• Assess service level agreements and suggest improvements to create a robust governance and control framework to ensure the delivery of timely and accurate GIPS composites and marketing materials.

• Participate in the development of calculation and reporting data governance standards that are agreed and leveraged across global teams to ensure data quality.

• Oversee existing and prospective applications (proprietary and vended) to ensure fit-for-purpose platforms.

• Stay informed of regulatory and industry requirements that may impact data elements required for presentation to clients and prospects.

• Proactively identify and implement improvements to existing processes to further gain operational efficiency and productivity.

• Be a culture leader to foster a collaborative and respectful environment

Necessary Knowledge and Skills:

• Detailed understanding of the CFA’s GIPS guidelines and methodologies, asset management business, with expertise in fixed income, equity and multi-asset strategies. Familiarity of