Head of Research in London

At Rathbones, we help people invest their money well, so they can live well. That means more than financial returns – it’s about helping people feel confident in their decisions and supported in their future. We don’t just manage money, we guide people through life’s big moments, helping them stay on track and focus on what matters most.

We’re proud to be one of the UK’s leading wealth managers, with £113.6bn in assets under management (as of March 2026) and 20+ offices across the UK and Channel Islands. We’re a FTSE 250 company with national reach and a local feel – and we’re growing.

Role Title: Head of Research

Division: Research

Location: London

Contract: Perm

Hiring Manager Robert Sears

About the Role

Opportunity

This is a senior leadership role with the opportunity to shape the future of investment research at Rathbones. The successful candidate will work closely with the Chief Investment Officer and senior investment leadership to build a consistent, high-conviction and well-governed research process that supports strong client outcomes, Investment Manager confidence and Rathbones’ external reputation.

Role Mission

To build and lead a highly credible, high-conviction and well-governed investment research function that produces well-evidenced recommendations; maintains a robust approved investment list; strengthens portfolio outcomes and client confidence; and supports Rathbones’ ambition to be the best UK wealth manager, by far.

Role Purpose

The Head of Research will lead Rathbones’ Investment Research function, setting the strategy, standards and governance for research across agreed asset classes including equities, fixed income, funds and structured products. The role is accountable for producing and overseeing high-quality investment research, translating insight into actionable guidance for Investment Managers, and ensuring research activity is compliant, well-governed, commercially relevant and aligned to Rathbones’ investment philosophy.

The role will lead, motivate and develop a high-performing research team; act as a trusted strategic thought partner to the Chief Investment Officer; chair the Investment Selection Committee; and represent Rathbones’ research process internally and externally with credibility and authority.

The precise scope of asset class coverage and direct research ownership will be agreed with the Chief Investment Officer, reflecting the structure, priorities and capabilities of the wider investment function.

Priorities for the first 12 months

• Complete an assessment of current research capability, coverage, governance, process quality, data and systems, and team structure.
• Agree with the Chief Investment Officer a clear research strategy, coverage model, quality standards and operating rhythm.
• Implement a documented framework for approved investments, including idea generation, due diligence, conviction ratings, monitoring, challenge, escalation and removal.
• Strengthen the operation, documentation and effectiveness of the Investment Selection Committee.
• Build trust with Investment Managers, senior stakeholders, Risk, Compliance, Distribution and client-facing teams.
• Establish clear measures of research effectiveness, including adoption, performance, risk, governance quality and client outcome evidence.
• Set clear objectives, accountabilities, development plans and succession coverage for the research team.

What you’ll be responsible for

Investment research strategy and governance

• Set and own the Investment Research strategy, operating model, coverage priorities and quality standards.
• Maintain a documented research process covering idea generation, due diligence, conviction ratings, approval, monitoring, challenge, escalation and withdrawal.
• Chair the Investment Selection Committee and ensure clear governance over approved investment decisions and research recommendations.
• Ensure committee papers, minutes, decision records and monitoring outputs provide a clear audit trail and evidence of effective challenge.

Research output and investment process

• Lead high-quality research across agreed areas such as equities, fixed income, funds and structured products.
• Ensure research combines qualitative judgement, quantitative evidence, valuation discipline, risk analysis and external expertise where appropriate.
• Translate research conclusions into actionable investment guidance for Investment Managers and portfolio teams.
• Ensure recommendations are clear on investment thesis, expected role in portfolios, risks, valuation, time horizon, monitoring criteria and removal triggers.

Manager, fund and external research relationships

• Oversee manager and fund research, due diligence, monitoring, fund selection, fund removal and external manager relationships.
• Work with the Chief Investment Officer to build and maintain strategic partnerships with core manager relationships.
• Ensure external research providers, data platforms and broker relationships are governed, value-adding and aligned to regulatory and commercial needs.

Risk, performance and client outcomes

• Use risk metrics, benchmark analysis, performance attribution, scenario analysis and post-investment reviews to assess research effectiveness.
• Work with Risk, Compliance and Investment Leadership to ensure research processes support good client outcomes, appropriate risk-taking and regulatory expectations.
• Maintain evidence that research recommendations are suitable for intended use, clearly communicated and monitored over time.
• Ensure adherence to Consumer Duty, Treating Customers Fairly, data protection requirements, financial promotions standards, conflicts of interest controls, market abuse obligations and conduct risk expectations.

People leadership

• Lead, motivate and mentor a high-performing research team, creating clear accountability for research quality, ownership of recommendations and continuous improvement.
• Recruit, develop and retain high-calibre colleagues, ensuring continuing professional development, clear objectives, constructive feedback and succession planning.
• Create an inclusive environment that encourages intellectual challenge, diversity of thought, ethical behaviour and compliance with company policies and regulatory responsibilities. Role-model constructive challenge, intellectual humility and openness to different views, ensuring that debate improves decision quality rather than reinforcing hierarchy or consensus.
• Address performance issues promptly, fairly and effectively, in line with Rathbones’ standards and values.

Stakeholder, client and commercial contribution

• Model Rathbones’ values and behaviours, building trust across Investment Management, senior leadership, Risk, Compliance, Distribution, Marketing and client-facing stakeholders.
• Act as a senior ambassador for Rathbones’ investment research process with clients, intermediaries, consultants, external partners and industry forums.
• Support thought leadership, client and prospect engagement, and investment communications, ensuring content is clear, fair, balanced, technically robust and aligned with regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to business planning, proposition development and commercial initiatives where research insight can support client retention, growth and reputation.

About you

If you meet some of these criteria and are excited about the role, we encourage you to apply

• Investment judgement: combines analytical rigour, experience and judgement to identify high-quality opportunities and risks.
• Leadership and talent development: builds accountable teams, develops talent and raises standards.
• Governance discipline: values evidence, challenge, documentation and regulatory defensibility.
• Communication and influence: explains complex investment issues clearly and influences senior stakeholders with credibility.
• Commercial and client mindset: understands how research supports portfolios, clients, advisers, growth and reputation.
• Calm decisiveness: demonstrates composure under pressure, thoughtful analysis and timely decision-making.

Experience, skills and knowledge

• Extensive senior experience in investment or manager research within wealth management, asset management or a comparable regulated environment.
• Deep knowledge across asset classes, with the ability to connect macro themes, security and fund selection, risk and client outcomes.
• Demonstrable experience leading research teams, setting research standards and influencing senior investment committees.
• Strong understanding of portfolio risk systems, performance attribution, benchmarks, factor and style analysis, and research effectiveness measurement.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain complex investment views to technical and non-technical audiences, clients and senior stakeholders.
• Strong regulatory awareness, including Consumer Duty, Conduct Rules, financial promotions, conflicts of interest, market abuse, information-giving boundaries and SMCR responsibilities.

Qualifications

CFA, MBA, postgraduate qualification or equivalent professional qualification preferred, but not essential where equivalent experience is clearly demonstrated.

• Strong academic background or equivalent professional experience, with evidence of intellectual rigour, analytical depth and sound judgement.
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to investment research, leadership, governance and regulatory responsibilities.

Our offer to you

We want everyone at Rathbones to fulfil their potential, in an environment where you are proud to work and feel like you belong.

We offer a comprehensive remuneration package, which we review regularly, and benefits include:

• A company pension - 9% non-contributory or 10% if you contribute 5%
• Private medical insurance – Individual on joining, family after 1 year’s service
• Life assurance - 8 x salary
• Income protection – 75 % salary
• Company share scheme
• Discretionary bonus
• Flexible holidays – purchase up to 5 additional days
• Green Car Scheme
• Family friendly policies – enhanced family leave for parents & carers
• Study support – study days and funding for courses and qualifications
• Season travel ticket loans
• Volunteering days
• Gym discounts
• Other voluntary benefits you can choose to suit you

Our employees can choose to take part in various social groups and communities to support their wellbeing, growth, development and sense of community. These include:

• Sports & Social Committees, such as cricket, football, netball, running, yoga, quiz nights, charity bake sales and much more.
• Inclusion Networks that help us drive change within the organisation such as Gender Balance, Multicultural, Abilities Count, Pride, Social Mobility, Generations, Menopause Matters@Rathbones’ and Armed Forces.
• The NextGen IM Network, which brings together a community of trainees from across the UK, who are all at the early stages of their careers and offers development opportunities, exposure across the business as well as peer support and connection.

Life at Rathbones

We aim to become an employer of choice for the wealth management sector, to achieve this we are working hard to build a diverse, equal, and inclusive workplace that motivates, develops and embraces the strengths of all our colleagues. Being part of Rathbones means you will join a team of passionate professionals in a successful culture that cares for its people. At Rathbones, we provide meaningful work, opportunities, and a voice to all.

We are committed to building a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities and encourage applications from all backgrounds. We welcome individuals who share our values.

We’re a Disability Confident Employer (level 2) under the UK Government scheme. This means we’ve signed up to a set of commitments around how we recruit, retain and develop people with disabilities. Find out more about the Government Scheme online, click here. If you require adjustments to apply for a role at Rathbones, please contact us via recruit@rathbones.com to let us know what adjustments you may need.

Mission

We believe in playing the long game. That means building consistent results, earning trust and doing the right thing — for our clients, our colleagues and the communities we’re part of.

Our values shape how we work:
- We aim high
- We get it done
- We show we care
- We do the right thing

These aren’t just words on a wall. They guide how we treat each other, how we make decisions and how we build relationships that last.

We will close this advert once we have received enough applications for the next stage. Please submit your application as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss out.