Portfolio Construction Strategist

Purpose of the Job

• Support the Portfolio Construction and associated ICS investment functional team clusters in creating a portfolio strategy centre of excellence which supports the business with regards to client retention and growth
• Support the team and provide cover as required across all activity in the construction and maintenance of discretionary model portfolios, in different risk profiles and currencies, across standard and bespoke portfolios. Including interactions with strategic partners and associated meetings and processes as may be required from time to time.
• Support and actively contribute to the construction, rollout, maintenance & communication of the bespoke portfolio construction process and models provided across the group
• Support and contribute to the development of all model & portfolio implementation, trade coordination & strategy processes and the associated process and policy documentation as required
• Actively contribute to the development of effective and impactful communication material to internal and external stakeholders regarding discretionary portfolio strategy
• Support the team in production of relevant ICS governance meeting material, reports and other collaterals / MIS (for portfolio construction / investment risk / investment committees and forums etc.), in respect to portfolio level decision making and strategy.  Support, in general and where required, other ICS investment team Cross-functional cluster collaboration and partnership efforts, spanning the investment value chain as may be required from time to time -  in performance and risk monitoring processes, MIS / data related tasks and requests, Asset Allocation process and strategy, Portfolio Implementation Activity and processes, and Product Offering or general business support, reporting or communications for example.

Key Accountabilities

Construction and management of house model portfolios

• Leads construction of bespoke models in conjunction with local bespoke teams
• Support in construction of ‘Core’ and ‘Personal’ models across GBP/ EUR across risk profiles

Process Development

• Development of portfolio construction process and techniques
• Building of model portfolio database
• Develop communication tool for house models
• Develop performance and risk monitoring tools for bespoke models

Communication support

• Develop communication material to best articulate portfolio strategy internally and externally

Collaboration

• Ensuring integration of views from across teams (research, investment risk, sustainability, fund management) into centrally driven model portfolios
• Ensuring strong linkage with countries across the group
• Supporting the head of strategy in the monthly cycle of meetings

Knowledge and Experience

• Degree or equivalent
• Professional Qualifications – CFA or equivalent (IMC etc)
• Up to 3 years’ experience in financial markets
• Multi-Asset Investment experience an advantage
• Experience in client and relationship management a plus
• Experience in fund and/or stock selection a plus
• Knowledge of derivatives and structured products a plus

Attributes and Qualities

• Numerate with strong demonstrable interest or experience in financial markets
• Strong communication/ presentation skills
• Effective decision making and delivery of tasks under time pressure
• Willingness to learn and adapt
• Willing to go the extra mile for the team / business
• First principles thinking, challenging the status quo

Technical Skills

• Proficient in MS Office. Knowledge of Bloomberg, Morningstar and/or Refinitv advantageous
• Coding experience a plus (Python etc)
• Fluent English, with competence in other languages preferable (French and/or German and/or Dutch)

Languages Skills

English, Dutch, any other European language is considered a plus.