Senior Consulting Analyst recruitment
Role Summary
The Senior Consulting Analyst will support the work of the Seattle office on behalf of Russell’s Institutional consulting clients or as part of Outsourced Management Solutions.
This goal is achieved by delivering analytical and client servicing support as a member of a team dedicated to supplying advisory and investment-related services to defined benefit, defined contribution, and endowment and foundation clients. This position is responsible for investment/manager/portfolio related analysis, asset-liability and allocation projects, and client service support connected with the coordination and delivery of advice on plan governance (objective setting, asset allocation, and investment policy), implementation, manager evaluation, and performance monitoring.
The responsibilities of the individual in this position include:
• Deliver proactive and reactive analytical and client service support to senior members of the team (Consultants) as well as directly to clients. Analyses include creating, updating and coordinating quarterly investment reviews, presentations and client communication materials using proprietary Russell models, Excel and other pertinent software. Also design and create customized analyses and responses to ad-hoc client inquiries.
• Monitor and assist with comprehensive investment policy review and development, asset-liability and allocation work, investment implementation, manager evaluation, performance reporting, communicating advice on these and other issues, both verbally and in writing, to clients. Maintain knowledge of client allocations, structure, managers, and investment issues.
• Communicate to clients the reasons for manager performance varying from benchmarks and market/economic environment impact on managers. Understand client managers and the key drivers if their investment processes, including the rationale for our rankings. Collaborate with Consultants, Russell’s manger research, and clients to facilitate manager replacement searches, provide analytical support to the process and help the client synthesize quantitative and qualitative factors in evaluating replacement candidates.
• Serve as back-up for senior members of the team (Consultants) including direct client interaction via email, telephone and in person. Conduct and participate in meetings as appropriate.
• Assist on or lead a Client Directed Research topic and disseminate this knowledge/information within Russell, and to clients when given the opportunity.
The successful candidate will have extensive demonstrable skills and experiences including the following:
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Investment/Actuarial, Mathematics or related area required. MBA and CFA preferred.
• 2-3 years investment related experience such as market/economic impacts, investment analysis, or other related financial area.
• 2-3 years direct client service experience, knowledge of asset allocation theory, modeling, performance measurement, and research capability particularly as it related to managers or a market niche.
• Strong business acumen
• High energy, strong level of initiative, highly organized with strong attention to detail, ability to prioritize multiple assignments.
• Strong verbal and written communication and relationship skills, computer proficiency including working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word
• Ability to work independently as well as a member of a team
Russell Overview
Founded in 1936, Russell Investments is a global financial services firm that serves institutional investors, financial advisers and individuals in more than 40 countries.
Through a unique combination of interlinked businesses, Russell delivers financial products, services and advice. A pioneer, Russell began its strategic pension fund consulting business in 1969 and today is trusted by many well-known worldwide institutions for investment advice. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, USA and with offices in major financial centers worldwide, Russell has $155 billion in assets under management (as of March 31, 2012) in its mutual funds, retirement products, and institutional funds, and is well recognized for its depth of research and quality of manager selection.
Russell offers a comprehensive range of implementation services that help institutional clients maximize their assets. The Russell Indexes calculate over 50,000 benchmarks daily covering 65 countries and more than 10,000 securities.
We offer a competitive compensation and benefit package including: medical, vision and dental coverage, profit sharing retirement plan, sabbatical leave, and tuition assistance. Most importantly, Russell offers a work environment where respect for the individual and teamwork are part of our fundamental values. Russell supports workforce diversity and we are an Equal Opportunity Employer.