Institutional Client Portfolio Manager

Position Summary:  

Cerity Partners Investment Office seeks an experienced, highly skilled, and talented candidate for a Client Portfolio Manager role. This individual will primarily focus on and serve the investment needs of endowments and foundations throughout the US. Clients will view this individual as a member of the investment team who is well-versed in specific investment strategies, the firm’s current asset allocation recommendations, and themes related to the capital markets.

The ideal candidate will work closely with the OCIO team to manage a group of existing and future client relationships. The primary role of the Client Portfolio Manager is to support portfolio managers by representing them in meetings and communications with institutional prospects, clients, consultants, and internal staff. The Client Portfolio Manager owns the message of strategies supported and works closely with portfolio analysts, institutional writers, and other internal colleagues to ensure that all communications are current and accurate.

Additionally, the Client Portfolio Manager will prepare and deliver presentations to new and prospective clients, attend conferences and, over time, develop new relationships and serve as the primary on-going point of contact for those new clients. The individual must have a solid understanding of traditional and alternative investment strategies, asset allocation models, and performance metrics used to analyze institutional portfolios.

Primary Responsibilities 

The ideal candidate will be an active investment professional with strong technical investment experience. The Client Portfolio Manager will have primary, day-to-day responsibility for managing institutional client relationships which includes managing the client onboarding process and working with the client’s staff and investment committee/board on a regular, ongoing basis.

Ongoing Client Responsibilities – The Client Portfolio Manager will serve as a client’s primary point of contact for day-to-day inquiries and projects. Responsibilities include the following:

• Interface with client staff on a regular basis to answer all questions related to the management of the client’s portfolios.

• Respond in a timely manner to requests for special reports and projects.

• Manage the tactical asset allocations for the client portfolios in a manner that is consistent with the clients’ investment policy statements.

• Review monthly/quarterly performance reports for client portfolios.

• Prepare presentations for quarterly investment committee/board meetings. Presentations are tailored to each specific client and typically include performance data, risk data, market data, and a deep dive on a particular asset class, among other subjects.

• Travel to see clients for regularly scheduled investment committee/board meetings and make presentations during those meetings.

• Conduct ad hoc calls/meetings with investment committees to discuss topics like asset allocation, specific crises affecting the markets, investment trends, etc.

• Work closely with OCIO professionals in the accounting, legal, risk, and client service teams to bring the full resources to bear on each client engagement.

Client Transition – The Client Portfolio Manager will manage the process for transitioning new clients onto the Cerity Partners institutional platform and will perform the following:

• Collaborate with the Portfolio Management team to develop a transition plan and work closely with client during that process.

• Develop investment policy statements, which include target asset allocations, for portfolios Cerity Partners institutional team will manage.

• Work with the Portfolio Management team to create a timeline for liquidating current holdings and re-investing the proceeds into commingled vehicles. Process may require the equitization of cash proceeds intra-month to avoid a cash drag on performance.

• Work closely with legal team to negotiate and finalize documentation required for a client to invest in commingled vehicles.

• Collaborate with the accounting team to create the monthly/quarterly financial package for the new client.

• Interface on a daily/weekly basis to make sure the client is executing its specific requirements and is apprised of progress in completing the transition.

Required Qualifications: 

• A minimum of ten years of previous related and relevant work experience demonstrating increased responsibility and attainment of measurable success in a similar role. Relevant experience can include portfolio management, investment research, investment counseling, or institutional client service.

• A thorough understanding of Cerity Partners target market for institutional services.

• The right level of gravitas, confidence, and ability to represent the firm at an executive level.

• Strong organizational skills with a commitment to follow-up.

• Exceptional communication and relationship building skills, acute commercial instincts, a strong work ethic, commercial awareness, and negotiation and influencing skills.

• A high level of energy, excellent presentation skills and a willingness to travel extensively.

• Ability to work well within a collegial but fast paced and unstructured environment.

• Possess a high level of personal integrity and a passion for achieving competitive results.

• A proven record of success in both academic and professional pursuits, and a record of advancement at prior organizations.

• Demonstrated track record of success in effectively communicating complex concepts to a wide variety of audiences.

Leadership Characteristics:

Understands the Business

• Knows the business and has the mission-critical technical and functional skills needed to do the job; understands the current investment and market landscape and how an asset management business operates; is a quick and adept learner.

Organized and Efficient

• Is well organized, resourceful, and effective and efficient at marshalling multiple resources to get things done; lays out tasks in sufficient detail to mark the trail; is able to get things done with less and in less time; can work on multiple tasks at once without losing track; foresees and plans around obstacles.

Focused on Action and Outcomes

• Attacks priorities with drive and energy and an eye on the bottom line; not afraid to initiate action before all the facts are known; follows through on commitments.

Demonstrates Organizational Savvy

• Maneuvers well to get things done; knows where to go to get what is needed; politically aware and agile; knows the right thing to do; presents views and arguments well.

Communicates Effectively

• Writes and presents effectively; adjusts to fit the audience and the message; able to articulate a complex message.

Builds Strong Relationships

• Warm, friendly, and personable; easy to approach and talk to; relates well to all kinds of people; makes a pleasant first impression and builds solid relationships.

Acts with Integrity

• Is a person of high character; is consistent and acts in line with a clear set of values and beliefs; is direct and truthful but at the same time can keep confidences

Compensation Range:

$175,000-225,000

Why Cerity Partners:

Our people drive our success by working together to deliver exceptional service to our clients. Below is a glimpse of the key elements of our total rewards package:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance – day 1!

• 401(k) savings and investment plan options with 4% match

• Flexible PTO policy

• Parental Leave

• Financial assistance for advanced education and professional designations

• Opportunity to give back time to local communities

• Commuter benefits

Cerity Partners is committed to providing an environment where all individuals can be their authentic selves. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer who respects each individual and supports the diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences of our colleagues. We are dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. 

Cerity Partners is committed to working with and providing accommodations to applicants with disabilities or special needs. For those needing accommodations, please reach out to [email protected]. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.