Head of Government Affairs

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

Ares Management Corporation is looking to hire a Head of Government Affairs to join its existing Legal & Compliance department. The position will be located in New York City and will be an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic self-starter to build and maintain Ares’ Government Affairs function.  The Head of Government Affairs will play a crucial role in establishing and maintaining relationships with government, legislative and regulatory bodies to advance the mission and objectives of Ares and our investors.  In this role, the ideal candidate will be responsible for engaging with government entities, regulatory bodies and policymakers, advocating for Ares’ business and our industry and staying ahead of and responding to regulatory developments.  The individual will also be responsible for developing and executing strategies to effectively manage relationships with elected officials, government agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.  To succeed in this role, you must have significant experience and deep relationships with various government and regulatory agencies, be a skilled relationship builder, effective communicator, and strategic thinker with a deep understanding of how the U.S., state and local governments function and how the industries within which Ares is active are regulated within the U.S. and globally.

The Ares Legal & Compliance team is responsible for advising on a wide range of legal and regulatory matters and helps guide Ares’ business through an evolving and complex financial, legal, and regulatory environment across the multiple jurisdictions in which we operate. Thus, familiarity and extensive experience with legal and regulatory matters relevant to the alternative investment management industry is highly preferable.

Reporting relationships

Reports to: Partner, General Counsel

Primary functions and essential responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Partner with the General Counsel in creating a forward looking and strategic vision for Ares’ Government Affairs function

• Develop and execute strategies to build and maintain relationships with government stakeholders at the national, state and local levels, both in the U.S. and globally, working closely with the regional General Counsels in Europe and APAC

• Engage with elected officials from all levels of government, state and local government agencies, and other relevant stakeholders to foster open communication and understanding of the financial services industry and Ares’ business

• Build and maintain networks of contacts both within Ares and externally with elected officials from both major parties and other policy makers

• Communicate Ares’ mission, objectives, and activities to government stakeholders

• Prepare briefing and presentation materials for engagements with policymakers, regulators, and clients

• Monitor and stay up-to-date on Federal government priorities, initiatives, and regulatory and other developments relevant to Ares and the financial services industry, as well as initiatives at the state or local level

• Anticipate and assess opportunity, change, and potential risks in the legislative, regulatory, public policy and political realms

• Coordinate, participate and manage Ares membership with trade groups where appropriate

• Provide strategic advice and guidance to Ares’ leadership on government, legislative and regulatory affairs, as well as summaries of new legislation and regulations that could impact Ares business

• From time to time, assist with portfolio company matters involving government stakeholders

• Provide technical recommendations on legislative and regulatory proposals, collaborating closely with Legal & Compliance leadership and other teams to ensure alignment of views across the firm

• Represent Ares at meetings with government members or staff, related events, and other relevant forums

• Collaborate closely with the Communications and Public Investor Relations teams, as well as other internal teams to ensure alignment between government affairs strategies,