Symmetry - Senior Investment Associate

Senior Investment Associate – Investments is a full-time, salaried, exempt position reporting to the head of the Investment team. The position supports the firm's investment team in the implementation, monitoring, and ongoing management of existing client portfolios as well as development of new strategies. This role bridges investment research, wealth strategies, portfolio oversight, and advisor support, ensuring that portfolios and strategies are implemented accurately, aligned with the firm's investment strategy, and periodically enhanced.

Responsibilities:

Strategy & Solutions Development:

• Contribute to the development of a robust pipeline of potential new products and solutions to enhance the firm's competitive positioning.
• Collaborate with sales and distribution teams to identify gaps and opportunities in the firm's investment offerings.
• Enhance existing models and strategies to align with market trends and emerging client demands.
• Partner with implementation and operational teams, including on broker dealer platforms, to ensure the seamless onboarding of new products.
• Support product launches with internal training, investment collateral, videos, and webinars.
• Engage directly with advisors to introduce and demonstrate the value of new strategies.
• Regularly review the product lineup to identify opportunities for filling gaps and diversifying offerings.

Portfolio Management, Implementation & Trading

• Work as a member of the portfolio management team on managing Symmetry's ETF & Mutual Fund model portfolios, SMAs, and other strategies, including portfolio operations, sub-Advisor oversight, reporting and regulatory responsibilities.
• Manage systematic model and strategy updates, ensuring smooth implementation.
• Collaborate and consult with executive management on curation and evolution of Investment solutions.
• Research new and enhanced implementation strategies and solutions.
• Work with trading team on with tax-aware portfolio management, including tax-loss harvesting and gain management.

Wealth Strategies

• Support OCIO relationships, including consulting with Advisors, developing portfolios, monitoring, and providing ongoing updates.
• Research, recommend, and help onboard providers of Wealth Strategies services.
• Work on case design proposals, including research, recommendations, and presentation.
• Coordinate with operations and custodians to ensure accurate trade execution of Wealth Strategies accounts.

Portfolio Maintenance & Enhancements

• Assist in maintaining the firm's model portfolios and asset allocation frameworks.
• Research and recommend enhancements to the firm's model portfolios as well as individual funds and SMA strategies.
• Ensure consistent implementation of model changes across client accounts on all platforms.

Portfolio Monitoring & Analytics

• Regularly assess the firm's performance reporting framework and recommend enhancements to improve efficiency, accuracy, and presentation.
• Monitor performance attribution analysis and assist with periodic reporting.
• Monitor investment holdings and flag material changes in risk, performance, or strategy.

Investment Research & Due Diligence:

• Evaluate investment managers, including strategy, performance attribution, risk profile, and organizational stability.
• Evaluate investment strategies, including strategy, risk profile, and market positioning.
• Assist with the selection and replacement of funds/managers/strategies.

Market & Economic Research:

• Analyze macroeconomic trends, market developments, and new strategies.
• Create and promote regular research notes and white papers
• Help produce and present periodic market commentary and investment insights for advisors and investors.

Advisor, Client, and Platform Support:

• Oversee the creation and timely updates of investment marketing materials, including factsheets, model allocations, performance collateral, commentary, etc.
• Develop investment-related content to articulate the value proposition of proprietary strategies and support advisor and client engagement.
• Provide internal and external training on strategies.
• Provide internal guidance on portfolio construction and investment implementation.
• Work with National Accounts to provide Research Support for adding new strategies to existing platforms as well as strategies on new platforms.

Other Responsibilities:

• Oversee and mentor analysts, providing guidance to improve performance and team effectiveness.
• Participate in setting firm investment policy as participant in Investment Committee meetings.
• Support the sales team by joining client and advisor calls, providing insights, and addressing investment-related questions.
• Perform any other duties reasonably related to the responsibilities described above.

Minimum Competencies & Qualities:

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in finance, economics, or a related analytical field.
• 5 - 10 years of relevant experience in an investment-related field.
• Chartered Financial Analyst® holder preferred -or completion of Levels I and/or Level II a plus.
• Excellent critical thinking and analytical skills; ability to interpret financial and statistical information, demonstrating an understanding of measures/metrics and their relationship to financial performance.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, with special expertise in Excel.
• Experience with Morningstar and Bloomberg desired.
• Strong understanding of portfolio construction and asset allocation.
• Experience with systematic/ quantitative investment strategies.
• Knowledge of portfolio trading and rebalancing processes.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills; ability to present complex issues clearly.
• Possesses good organizational and project management skills; ability to multi-task and prioritize competing tasks.
• Ability to work independently or collaboratively on cross-functional projects.