Global Equities - Head of External Managers in London

AustralianSuper, the largest pension fund in Australia and listed as a top 20 largest pension fund globally, is recruiting a pivotal senior investments role in our UK business that will play a key role in delivering to our Global Equities investment strategy managed from London.

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Executive to join our Global Equities team. Reporting to the Head of International Equity Portfolio, the Head of External Managers will oversee all aspects of our relationship with our external managers for our Global Equities Investment strategy.

The Fund: AustralianSuper, Australia’s largest superannuation and a profit-for-member fund, we help members achieve their best financial position in retirement.

The Role: The candidate will have extensive experience in equity manager selection and equity portfolio management. Global equities are the largest individual asset class for the fund, with a strategic ambition to manage the majority of assets internally and deliver consistent positive alpha. The candidate will play a critical role in contributing to this objective.

Role Responsibilities:

• Strong understanding of global core equity universe with 20+ years’ experience.
• Prepare detailed investment reports and presentations for senior management and stakeholders.
• Management of global equity external manager selection and oversight.
• Stay abreast of market developments, regulatory changes, and industry news to inform investment strategies.
• Participate in meetings with company management, industry experts, and other stakeholders to gather insights and build relationships.

People and Fund Leadership:

• Ensure our Members First culture is consistently and firmly embedded across the team.
• Contribute both functional expertise and broader leadership and business management ideas, skills, and experience as part of cross-Fund initiatives.

Strategic Planning and Business Performance:

• Deliver to the team’s annual budget and business plan, involving accountability for the team having adequate resources to meet the near term and strategic goals and operational plans of AustralianSuper - right people, right place, right skills, at the right time.
• Understand the requirements of the Fund and its Members and other stakeholders (e.g. Board, Board Sub-committees, regulators), including the Fund’s strategic and departmental objectives and agreed service levels, to ensure their needs are being met by supplier arrangements (cost, quality and risk).
• Drive evidence-based decision making – including appropriate and simple metrics that provide solid data for informed decision making, such as business strategy alignment, cost/benefit, and cost/quality/risk.

Governance and Compliance:

• Ensure relevant legislative and organisational requirements are met; keep up to date on all key changes to relevant regulations.
• Accountable for risk being managed in accordance with the Fund’s Risk Management Framework including risk identification and management, risk profiling, risk reporting and incident management.
• Implement strong risk controls on processes, policies and systems to ensure breaches are limited; actively build and promote a team culture of compliance and risk management awareness and appreciation.

What we’re looking for in prospective candidates:

• Proven track record in global equities investment.
• Responsible for, in a leadership capacity, managing an £25-£100bn+ complex Global Equities investment strategy with multiple external managers.
• CFA designation is highly desirable.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely.

Life at AustralianSuper: At AustralianSuper, we truly care about our colleagues. We know work and life are intertwined. That’s why we support the diverse needs of everyone and have policies that enable us all to thrive and be truly flexible. We ensure diversity is celebrated for the opportunity it provides us all to learn and grow, and ultimately to deliver better outcomes for members.

Our London and New York offices are made up of ~275 talented colleagues and is expected to grow four-fold over the next three years meaning when you join you become a key part of building our culture. As we collaborate with colleagues across multiple time zones flexibility in work hours are both a requirement and opportunity for this role.

We are committed to supporting our diverse workforce in a way that is inclusive and embraces diversity in all its forms. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process or the role, please let our recruitment team know.

What’s next: Apply now, if you share our values of Energy, Integrity, Generosity of Spirit, and Excellent Outcomes and would like the opportunity to work in a challenging, growing and rapidly evolving team to deliver outstanding results.