SMA Personal Account Management Specialist

Partnering closely with Regional Managers, Portfolio Managers, Financial Advisors, Product Management, Operations, and other internal business partners, this position combines relationship management, investment knowledge, business development, and operational expertise to deliver an exceptional advisor experience while helping drive organic asset growth. Lord Abbett's Separately Managed Account (SMA) business is one of the firm's fastest-growing strategic initiatives, serving financial advisors and clients across Municipal Fixed Income, Taxable Fixed Income, and Equity investment strategies.

The Role:

About Lord Abbett:

 

Lord Abbett is a global, active asset manager, founded in 1929. As an independent, private partnership, we think in decades, not quarters. That long-term perspective shapes how we invest, how we build our business, and how we develop our people.

 

Today, we serve clients around the world with investment capabilities across public and private markets. We build with intention, focusing our expertise where we believe active management can make a difference. Our independence gives us the freedom to think differently, invest for the long term, and act decisively when opportunities emerge.

 

The same principles shape how we work. We set high standards, value independent thinking, and expect people to take real ownership of their work. We invest in people who are curious, collaborative, and motivated to make an impact for our clients and the firm.

 

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Job Overview:

 

Lord Abbett's Separately Managed Account (SMA) business is one of the firm's fastest-growing strategic initiatives, serving financial advisors and clients across Municipal Fixed Income, Taxable Fixed Income, and Equity investment strategies. The Personal Account Management (PAM) Specialist plays a critical role in supporting this growth by serving as the dedicated SMA account manager for an assigned territory.

 

Partnering closely with Regional Managers, Portfolio Managers, Financial Advisors, Product Management, Operations, and other internal business partners, this position combines relationship management, investment knowledge, business development, and operational expertise to deliver an exceptional advisor experience while helping drive organic asset growth.

 

This is a highly visible role that offers significant exposure across the organization and provides opportunities to influence strategic initiatives, improve operational processes, and help shape the future of Lord Abbett's SMA business.

We’ll trust you to::

Advisor Relationship Management

• Serve as the dedicated SMA account manager and primary point of contact for all SMA-related activity within an assigned territory.
• Build and deepen trusted relationships with financial advisors through proactive engagement and consultative support.
• Deliver timely portfolio updates, investment commentary, and account-specific guidance to advisors.
• Coordinate meetings between Financial Advisors, Regional Managers, Portfolio Managers, and Investment Specialists.
• Maintain consistent advisor outreach focused on retention, satisfaction, and expanding existing relationships.

Client Experience & Operational Excellence

• Coordinate account maintenance activities including deposits, withdrawals, tax-loss harvesting, restrictions, account transitions, and contract delivery.
• Partner with across internal and external partner teams to ensure timely and accurate execution of advisor requests.
• Maintain exceptional responsiveness while ensuring operational accuracy and compliance.
• Proactively identify implementation risks, resolve issues, and escalate complex matters appropriately.
• Maintain accurate documentation and provide clear communication to stakeholders throughout the client lifecycle.
• Contribute to process redesign, workflow standardization, and automation initiatives that improve scalability and reduce operational risk.
•  Share knowledge and best practices that strengthen consistency across the SMA Services function.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Collaborate across Investments, Operations, Product Management, Marketing, Technology, Relationship Management, and Legal & Compliance to deliver strategic initiatives.
• Resolve complex account issues through effective cross-functional collaboration.
• Support implementation of new SMA products, platform enhancements, and process improvements.
• Assist with development of advisor-facing materials, educational content, and sales support resources.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for SMA products, platform capabilities, and advisor support.

Success in this Role

Successful PAM Specialists consistently:

• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with Financial Advisors and Regional Managers.
• Deliver an exceptional advisor and client experience through proactive communication and responsiveness.
• Support meaningful organic asset growth within their assigned territory.
• Drive proposal, transition analysis, and new account opportunities from pipeline through funding.
• Demonstrate deep knowledge of Lord Abbett's SMA investment capabilities.
• Identify process improvements that enhance efficiency and scalability.
• Serve as a collaborative business partner across Investments, Client Services, and Operations.

You'll need to have::

Required

• Series 7, Series 66, and SIE licenses.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience within the financial services or asset management industry.
• Strong understanding of investment markets, portfolio construction, and managed account solutions.
• Exceptional relationship management and client service skills.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of professionalism, accountability, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across multiple business functions.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and CRM platforms.

Preferred

• CFA, MBA, or other advanced investment designation.
• Previous experience supporting Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs), Financial Advisors, or Investment Professionals.
• Experience presenting investment concepts and portfolio solutions to advisors or clients.

 

Why Lord Abbett?:

Principles based, performance oriented.

 

We invest in our people the same way we invest in our strategies: deeply, deliberately, and for the long term. As a private partnership, we answer to our clients and to each other. That creates an environment where responsibility is clear, good ideas are taken seriously, and people have the opportunity to shape what gets built and how.

 

You’ll work alongside colleagues who expect a lot of themselves and each other, with access to leaders who are invested in your development. You’ll have the opportunity to deepen your expertise, broaden your experience, and build a career shaped by your strengths and ambitions.

 

Our principles-based, performance-oriented culture is grounded in four values: Excellence, Responsibility, Transparency, and Collaboration. They guide how we make decisions, work together, and serve our clients.

 

Lord Abbett has been recognized by Pensions & Investments as one of the Best Places to Work in Money Management for six consecutive years.

 

Compensation Information: Annual base salary for this role is $100,000 - $115,000. Salary is estimated for this role. Actual pay may be different.

Discretionary Bonus: Role may be eligible to receive an annual discretionary bonus. Discretionary bonuses are determined by several factors including, but not limited to, firm, team, and individual performance. 

Benefits: Lord Abbett is committed to offering a competitive total rewards package to all eligible employees. Offerings include competitive total compensation, retirement plans, competitive health and well-being plans. To learn more about what we offer, please visit Careers | Lord Abbett 

 

Lord Abbett is an equal employment opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual identity, caregiver status, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law. All employment decisions at Lord Abbett are based solely on the applicant’s relevant experience, skills and qualifications.

 

Important notice to Search Firms - Please Read Carefully
Without prior written agreement, Lord Abbett does not accept unsolicited submissions from employment agencies, search firms, placement services, or any similar provider (“Search Firms”) for employment opportunities. All candidates submitted by Search Firms to any employee or partner at our company without a written Search Firm agreement in place will be deemed the sole property of our company. In such circumstances, no fee, commission, or other compensation will be paid to such Search Firm in the event a candidate is hired by our company. To the extent a Search Firm has a written agreement in place, all introductions are position specific and should be directed to HR or the hiring manager, so we kindly request no unsolicited phone calls or emails.