Senior Manager Researcher

Business Area: Investment Product Management

Place of Work: London

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract

When you join USS, the size and scale of our pension scheme means you will have numerous opportunities to learn and develop your career. Given our size you'll have real autonomy and influence as you collaborate closely with a wide-ranging team of experts.

About the role

In your role as Senior Manager Researcher you will make a meaningful and valued contribution from the outset. This role will provide a great opportunity to help research, select and monitor asset managers, across public equity, fixed income and absolute return for the DB and DC sections of the Scheme.

What you will be doing

• As a trusted part of the Investment Product Management team you will be responsible for:

• Research:

• Due diligence:

• Supporting the mandate search process, producing initial long- and short-lists of potential managers, working with internal and external stakeholders as necessary.
• Undertaking qualitative and quantitative due diligence (DD) on prospective managers including an assessment of managers’ RI capabilities (covering both ESG integration and stewardship activity).
• Ensuring that all DD reports and supporting materials are prepared and filed on a timely basis.
• Contributing to improvements in the DD process over time.

• Implementation:

• Guiding managers through the DD process, working closely with other members of the IPM team, operational due diligence, performance & risk, and responsible investment teams as necessary.
• Working closely with the legal and operational teams on negotiating investment management agreements and side letters with managers.
• Contributing to the manager onboarding and mandate implementation process, working across a wide range of internal teams.

About you

We know that sometimes people can be put off applying for a job if they don't tick every box, if you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, then please apply, regardless of whether you meet all the requirements outlined in this profile.

• Contributing to the research of existing and potential external asset managers to help meet the Scheme’s long-term investment objectives.
• Analysing and reviewing existing mandates to ensure ongoing fitness for purpose and produce regular monitoring reports.
• Working with internal asset class desks to ensure appropriate diversification of alpha sources and to maximise the benefits of the external manager programme.
• Contributing to review and oversight of internally managed strategies.
• Participating in early-stage research on new managers and strategy types that could play a role within the Scheme’s investment strategy in future.
• Establishing and strengthening relationships with external managers.

To be successful in the role you will have:

• Experience as an investment professional with significant exposure to manager research and selection activity.
• Intellectual curiosity and a passion for investment.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills.
• Highly numerate and computer literate ability.
• Strong communication skills.
• The ability to prioritise effectively and to manage multiple projects.
• The ability to deliver high quality work under time constraints.
• Attention to detail.
• Relevant qualifications (e.g. CFA / actuarial / IMC).

At USS, every individual contributes to building a secure financial future for our members and their families. We strive to create a work environment where everyone can thrive professionally while making a meaningful impact on the lives of others. We're also committed to helping you build your career by providing opportunities for development. We put a focus on recognising and supporting each individual's unique career path, driving this forward with the support of an engaged and proactive management team.

Here at USS, we want you to thrive in and out of work with a friendly team, flexible culture and excellent range of benefits!

How we will reward you

Our culture and values

Our people are what makes us different. We work together to create a diverse and inclusive culture that embraces individuality, where people are welcomed and feel comfortable in the knowledge that they can be themselves. Our purpose firmly states the importance of members, putting them ‘front and centre’ of what we do. This is embedded through our values:

• Integrity
• Collaboration
• Excellence

Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) was established in 1974 as the principal pension scheme for universities and higher education institutions in the UK. We work with around 330 employers to help build a secure financial future for more than 528,000 members and their families. We are one of the largest pension schemes in the UK, with total assets of around £75.5bn (at 31 March 2023).

USSIM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We strive to ensure our recruitment process is as flexible and inclusive as possible so we can attract diverse candidates and recruit the best talent. We want all candidates to perform at their best during the recruitment process, so if you need any reasonable adjustments or if there is anything we can do to help support you through your recruitment journey please let us know by contacting resourcing@uss.co.uk.

• Great starting salary
• Generous annual leave package
• Access to a high quality pension scheme provided through Universities Superannuation Scheme
• Supportive people policies (including enhanced occupational sickness pay and family friendly pay)
• Financial contributions towards your personal development to help you maintain your physical and mental wellbeing
• Access to a range of health and wellbeing services i.e., private healthcare, discounted gym membership
• Learning and development opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and talent
• Employee Volunteer Day’s to support the communities where you work and live
• Cycle to Work Scheme