Ariel Investments is a premier, boutique, asset management firm. Our primary goal is to drive exceptional investment returns by bringing diverse perspectives together. The only way to beat a benchmark is to not look like one. As value investors, our thinking is deliberate and unconventional. We offer an independent, patient investing approach and aim to deliver excellence in any environment. We uphold our fiduciary responsibility to every shareholder, no matter how big or small.
At Ariel, we strongly believe that teamwork yields results—which is why we have Co-CEOs. John Rogers and Mellody Hobson share a desire to cultivate leaders who are curious, focused and disciplined. We are nimble and efficient. Our drive is fanatical and intentional. Everyone plays their position and each contribution is critical to our firm’s success. We seek subject matter experts who are unapologetically themselves. We encourage our employees to reach their full potential and we give them the runway to do so.
After nearly four decades of active investing, we remain committed to our clients, our teammates and our community. We strive to be best-in-class investors and pioneer a path for those who entrust us with their financial future.
The Senior Client Associate is a member of the Institutional Client & Investor Relations team and is responsible for understanding Ariel’s investment process and being able to articulate how we use it. This individual will complete Client Due Diligence Questionnaires (DDQs), Request for Proposals (RFPs), and Requests for Information (RFIs) from clients prospects, third-party intermediaries, and financial advisors, creating compelling proposals that reflect Ariel’s patient investment philosophy and value-add. The Senior Client Associate will also help with client commentary discussing performance and help develop content for our database of standard responses. This individual will serve as a liaison between Institutional Client and Investor Relations and other departments to ensure consistent and accurate messaging across teams. This person will play a meaningful part in upholding the firm’s strong reputation by delivering high-quality reporting and service.
This individual is an independent worker who is curious and seeks to understand each inquiry and how our responses may be perceived.
Proof of vaccination is required. The hybrid work model is T-TH in the office and M & F generally remote. In-office time may be required on M & F for business and client needs.
Responsibilities Include
- Complete DDQs, RFPs, RFIs, and other qualitative questionnaires from clients, prospects, and consultants
- Manage multiple proposals/questionnaires simultaneously and their deadlines across several contributing teams
- Effectively communicate a description of the project, its import to the firm, the timeline for completion, and expected due dates
- Develop strong working relationships with client service, sales, consultant relations, and other groups across the organization
- Demonstrate a solid understanding of the firm’s strategies and product offerings
- Work to continually enhance and update standard responses in the content database
- Collaborate with ICIR colleagues on qualitative responses in consultant and third-party databases
- Identify potential process improvements and enhancements
- Follow-up and track proposal status (Win rate)
We’re Excited if this is You
- Minimum 5 (ideally 5– 7) years’ experience in investment management or investor relations
- Demonstrated ability of knowing how to articulate, and succinctly communicate an investment philosophy and process to a broad audience of prospects, clients, and financial advisors.
- Proven knowledge of investments and financial products
- Strong communication skills both oral and written
- Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and resourceful
- Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a time sensitive environment
- Positive, collegial, and proactive attitude
- Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team
- Track record of strong learning agility
- Collaborative, team-oriented work ethic and commitment to building an inclusive and diverse team culture required
Education
- Bachelor’s degree required
- FINRA Series 7, 63 preferred
Computer Skills Needed to Perform this Job
- Strong Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Familiarity with proposal management software, particularly Qvidian
- Familiarity with Consultant and Third-party databases
Competencies
Action Oriented - Enjoys working hard; is action oriented and full of energy for the things that he/she sees as challenging; not fearful of acting with a minimum of planning; seizes more opportunities than others.
Customer Focus - Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets firsthand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
Communicate Effectively - Is able to clearly and succinctly communicate verbally and in writing in a variety of settings and styles; can get messages across that have the desired effect.
Decision Quality - Makes good decisions (without considering how much time it takes) based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; most of his/her solutions and suggestions turn out to be correct and accurate when judged over time; sought out by others for advice and solutions.
Drive for Results - Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
Learning on the Fly - Learns quickly when facing new problems; a relentless and versatile learner; open to change; analyzes both successes and failures for clues to improvement; experiments and will try anything to find solutions; enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks; quickly grasps the essence and the underlying structure of anything.
Process management - Good at figuring out the processes necessary to get things done; knows how to organize people and activities; understands how to separate and combine tasks into efficient workflow; knows what to measure and how to measure it; can see opportunities for synergy and integration where others can't; can simplify complex processes; gets more out of fewer resources.
Time Management - Uses his/her time effectively and efficiently; values time; concentrates his/her efforts on the more important priorities; gets more done in less time than others; can attend to a broader range of activities.
Ariel celebrates diversity and practices inclusion as a way to get work done – it’s in our DNA. As an equal opportunity employer, our employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, parental status, mental or physical disability, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law. Ariel is committed to recruiting and retaining talented applicants, and to providing all employees with a workplace free from discrimination and/or harassment.
