Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, the Investment Office is part of the Office of the Treasurer and helps manage the majority of the assets invested for the benefit of the University of Tennessee. This capital base includes the University’s endowment of $1 billion, which will be the primary focus of this position. This global, multi-asset class portfolio contains public equity and debt, hedge funds, private equity and debt, venture capital, real estate, natural resources, and finally, a variety of credit instruments and strategies.
Position Overview:
The Investment Operations Officer will be a key member of a small, collaborative team and report directly to the Chief Investment Officer (CIO). This position plays a “hands-on” role that requires the ability to analyze and synthesize data, exercise independent judgment, build internal and external relationships, and create high quality deliverables. In addition, it covers all aspects of investment operations and requires regular interaction with numerous top-tier investment and financial-service firms. Most importantly, this person will help ensure the Endowment is supported by consistent, effective operations, thorough recordkeeping, and accurate financial reporting.
Position responsibilities include the following:
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Process investment and banking transactions, manage wires, onboard new investments, execute purchases and redemptions, process capital calls and cash distributions.
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Coordinate large financial transactions between global banks/custodians, the investment consultant, and investment managers.
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Maintain and support underlying investment activities in the trading and accounting systems, including daily trade confirmation and settlement, cash liquidity, and asset reconciliation.
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Monitor settled and forward-looking cash balances using an online custodial portal.
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Field inquiries and requests from various internal and external third-parties and serve as liaison for custodians, investment managers, and other service providers.
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Maintain complete record of all investments and financial information used for monthly accounting, annual audit, tax filing, and investment purposes.
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Coordinate/prepare annual report and audit deliverables, including financial schedules and valuation support.
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Manage data flow from master record-keeper to the University’s general ledger, including all trade activity, accruals, and investment transactions.
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Drive improvement and, where necessary, build out current systems and processes.
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Assist in monitoring and processing a group-email box for manager communications.
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Assist with processing payment of invoices and contracts.
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Complete special projects as directed by senior personnel.
Qualifications
Minimum Requirements:
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Depending on previous experience, a minimum of 7 to 10 years in investment operations or related financial operations, including trade execution/settlement, wire operations, custody/asset servicing, and/or treasury services.
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Undergraduate degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field.
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Solid working knowledge of investment or related financial operations.
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Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including grammatical proficiency.
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Proficient with Microsoft Excel and Word.
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Motivated self-starter with ability to manage work priorities independently and hit deadlines.
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Team oriented and comfortable in a fast-paced, professional services environment.
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Highly organized and able to manage multiple priorities.
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Must be innately detail-oriented with the ability to deliver accurate, independent work.
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Ability to maintain confidentiality of extremely sensitive and private data.
Desirable Qualifications:
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Prior operations experience with a fund-of-funds, pension, endowment/foundation, wealth-management firm, or family office.
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Solid working knowledge of complex institutional investment operations and accounting.
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Familiarity with both public and alternative investments, including private equity/debt/real estate, etc.
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Knowledge of and experience working with institutional custody/asset servicing platform, such as BNY Mellon, Northern Trust, or State Street.
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Experience using/working with Burgiss Private I and Backstop Solutions.
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Knowledge of financial controls, investment accounting, and investment systems.
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Experience preparing reports/presentations for senior personnel and third parties.
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Experience/ability to manage multi-stage operational transactions.
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Extensive experience with Microsoft Excel, including VLOOKUP, macros, and pivot tables.
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Strong drive to learn and willingness to put in extra time to grow skills/knowledge.
Recruitment will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For full consideration, application materials should be received by February 21, 2020.Candidates should apply electronically with a current resume or c.v., list of references, and a letter addressing how the candidate’s experience matches the position requirements outlined in the job description, as well as the applicant’s specific interest in the position.
If interested, please apply here.
