Associate Portfolio Manager

An opportunity to make a difference. At Border to Coast our purpose is to make a difference and we’re looking for a keen Associate Portfolio Manager to join our award-winning team. As a customer-owned and customer-focused organisation, integrity is one of our values, as is our collaborative and sustainable approach. Our focus is to secure the pensions of over a million people who have provided valuable service to their communities and society. We’re the largest UK asset manager outside London or Edinburgh, and we provide innovative investments that deliver sustainable returns over the long term.

As part of our 2030 Strategic Plan, our firm is evolving to deliver Total Fund Solutions, integrating both advisory services and investment strategy implementation. We are actively building this capability to provide comprehensive, customer-focused solutions that enhance investment outcomes. This role will be part of our Portfolio Solutions Group, which plays a key role in shaping and executing this vision – specialising in expert investment strategy and seamless implementation services tailored to our customers’ evolving needs.

The role – what you’ll be doing: As part of the External Management function within the Portfolio Solutions Group, you will support the launch and ongoing management of all externally managed fund propositions. You will play a significant contribution to all stages of our investment process, from fund design and portfolio construction through to manager research, selection, implementation and ongoing monitoring. This will involve producing in-depth investment research, feeding into strategic and dynamic asset allocation forums, and the consistent and rigorous selection and oversight of investment managers across asset classes and much more. Being part of the wider Portfolio Solution Group, there will also be opportunities to develop your wider skillset over time by supporting our Advisory and Investment Management Services offerings as they grow.

About you – and the value you’ll bring to our team: So, if you are an investment professional and have relevant experience in external manager research, selection and oversight or institutional asset management, with a strong understanding of economic fundamentals as well as equity and fixed income asset classes, then we want to hear from you! In addition to high levels of integrity and trustworthiness, you will also have excellent relationship management skills and an understanding of qualitative and quantitative due diligence. A relevant degree-level qualification is required, and candidates who are either CFA-qualified or working towards the designation will be preferred. Knowledge of Bloomberg and other portfolio management tools (such as eVestment) is desirable, but not a requirement.

As a customer-owned business, we are deeply committed to sustainability, collaboration, and integrity – values that shape everything we do and drive our long-term investment approach.

Why join Border to Coast? At Border to Coast, you will receive competitive remuneration and have access to excellent benefits:

• Vitality Health Insurance for all employees
• Employee Assistance Programme
• A generous holiday allowance of 30 days a year, plus bank holidays
• Professional Development including the opportunity to gain fully funded qualifications (e.g. IMC)
• Critical Illness Cover
• Pension scheme
• Stunning Leeds city centre location only a short walk to the train station
• Cycle to work scheme
• Life Assurance of 6 times of salary
• Sustainable travel plans and public transport discounts
• Range of discounts for Leeds gyms, shops and restaurants
• Hybrid working
• Onsite gym

We welcome applications from people of all experience levels and backgrounds and value diversity of thought. We are committed to creating an inclusive and engaging workplace, ensuring that colleagues maintain a work life balance. We encourage colleagues to progress, be themselves and be their best through both personal and professional development.

If you have a disability, or if you have a condition that you believe may affect your performance during our selection process, we would be happy to discuss making reasonable adjustments to our processes for you. Please contact our recruitment team at.

We’re looking for people with the right values, behaviours, skills and experiences and if you meet some of the role’s criteria and are interested in finding out more about Border to Coast and the team, we’d love to hear from you.

About Us: Border to Coast is the largest LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme) pool in the UK. It is owned by 11 Local Government Pension Schemes (‘Partner Funds’). The Partner Funds represent 3,100 employers and over a million members. The Partner Funds have c.£64bn in investments, of which Border to Coast is responsible for managing £47.9bn (as of 31 March 2024). Border to Coast also provides support and advice on a further £8.2bn, primarily invested in index funds, which sit outside of the pool. Border to Coast offers its 11 Partner Funds investment opportunities across equities, fixed income, private markets, and global and UK real estate. Our purpose is to make a difference for the LGPS. We seek to do this by providing cost-effective and innovative investment opportunities delivering returns over the long term for our Partner Funds, their employers and over 1.1 million LGPS members.

Since launch, Border to Coast has been awarded many accolades: ‘Best Pool of the Year’ at the LAPF Investment Awards three years out of four, most recently winning ‘Pool Innovation of the Year’, named at the Professional Pensions UK Pensions Awards as ‘Equity’ and ‘Alternatives Manager of the Year’, and our Climate Change report has won Pensions for Purpose awards two years in a row.