Manager, Consultant Relations

Business Unit:EMEA
Job Description:

Role Summary

As a Manager, you will work closely with the Head of Consultant Relations in all their daily duties. This effectively involves managing the interaction between the consultant intermediated market and the Russell Investment fiduciary management / OCIO team and in-house investment division. It will also include deputising for the Head of Consultant Relations when necessary.

This role is a key external-facing role within the UK Institutional Business that combines both relationship management and sales prospecting activity. The role also includes exposure to the Professional Trustee sector and their interaction with the fiduciary management process.

The main focus of this role will be the ongoing maintenance of ratings and relationships with all consultant and professional trustee intermediaries, as well as the day-to-day management, co-ordination and oversight of all consultant-intermediated RFPs, ITTs, questionnaires and ad-hoc queries. It is expected that the role will manage the delivery of data to our external counterparties from various internal teams – both in Seattle and Mumbai.

It will involve ensuring effective liaison between the fiduciary management team and the underlying in-house investment teams. Management of the Russell Investment submissions to various external databases and building a network of contacts with the analysts and junior consultant community will also be fundamental facets of this role.

The responsibilities of the individual in this position include:

Regulatory & Business conduct

• Displaying exemplary conduct and living by our organisation’s Code of Conduct.

• Taking personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct across the business.

• Effectively and collaboratively identifying, escalating, mitigating and resolving risk, conduct and compliance.

Sales

• Promoting Russell Investments’ services across fiduciary management and OCIO, asset management and implementation services (including transition management, overlay services, FX, commission recapture, etc.) to consultants, and any other external stakeholders.

• Assisting the Head of Consultant Relations in bringing in opportunities through the consultant channel, and in getting Russell products buy-rated.

• Generating, scheduling and attending meetings with consultants.

• Leading on events for consultants.

• Supporting all EMEA Institutional sales activity.

Sales Support

• Developing sales collateral including briefing papers and presentations.

• Assisting with delivery of all Russell collateral to consultants. Typical collateral could include monthly and quarterly reports, sales and marketing literature.

• Responding to ad hoc requests from consultants and other external stakeholders.

• Acting as liaison between consultants and other Russell Investments associates as required.

• Preparing routine periodic written reports / newsletters including performance analysis and product development.

• Carrying out ad hoc projects such as prospect and competitor analysis and research.

• Maintaining and updating the CRM system with relevant sales activity.

• Maintaining close coordination with other groups within the EMEA GTM team, as well as with other Russell functional areas such as Marketing and the Investment division.

RFP

• Project managing the completion of Requests for Proposal (RFPs), Invitations to Tender (ITTs) and Due Diligence Questionnaires (DDQ’s).

• Interviewing key knowledge experts (investment professionals, product experts, etc) to produce marketing material, RFP input, prospect follow-ups, etc.

Other role specific responsibilities

• Owning project to increase Russell Investments’ visibility across third party databases.

• Helping with developing internal marketing platforms.

• Analysing & maintaining Consultant Relations activity.

• Mentoring Analysts from the Sales Support team.

• Having completed the Investment Management Certificate.

The successful candidate will have extensive demonstrable skills and experiences including the following:

• Candidates who are studying or intending to study for IMC or CFA (or other finance related professional qualifications) will be preferred.

• Relevant BSc/BA or equivalent qualification / experience.

• Ideally, the candidate will have had either consultant relations or fiduciary management experience in another asset management firm; or, advisory / fiduciary experience within an Investment Consultancy.

• Highly polished communication (written and oral) and presentation skills.

• A close working knowledge of the practical needs and experiences of pensions, present and future, of the UK institutional marketplace.

• Good knowledge and understanding of all major asset classes, with the ability to articulate investment processes knowledgeably and credibly.

• Able to lead individuals and teams to objectives and drives results; inspires the highest levels of performance.

• Is accessible, engaged and a positive force for change.

• Uncovers and meets the needs of both the internal and external clients.

• Maintains regular contact and builds strong working partnerships with clients and suppliers.

• Acts with urgency and works hard to address client demands.

• Effectively manages client expectations and delivers value-added service.