Associate Vice President, Middle Office (Loan Settlements)

Over the last 20 years, Ares' success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values - Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy - and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

Functional Job Title : Associate Vice President, U.S. Loan Settlements - Investment Operations (Middle Office)

Background Description: Ares is seeking an Associate Vice President to assist with all U.S. loan closing and settlement activities across the firm's global credit platform. This AVP will assist with the operating model, controls, and execution of syndicated loan settlements-including par, distressed, private credit, and structured products.

Operational Execution & Governance

• Assist secondary loan closings (par and distressed) using ClearPar and internal systems.
• Oversee booking, data integrity, and cash/position accuracy in WSO Admin and related platforms.
• Define and maintain standard operating procedures, workflow governance, and internal control frameworks.
• Monitor daily settlement pipelines, identify funding risks, and proactively mitigate operational and liquidity impacts.
• Partner with Legal, Trading, Portfolio Management, Treasury, Accounting, and Compliance to ensure seamless trade lifecycle execution.
• Serve as senior escalation point for complex settlement related breaks; personally manage high touch transactions through resolution.

Strategy, Process Improvement & Technology

• Drive the operational strategy for loan settlements, including process redesign, KPI frameworks, and automation initiatives.
• Collaborate with Technology and external vendors on system enhancements, integrations, and workflow optimization.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve scalability as the firm grows its credit platform.
• Develop and deliver executive-level reporting on settlement performance, aged items, and pipeline health.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field required.
• MBA, CFA, CPA, or equivalent professional credential is a plus.

Experience Required:

• 4-6+ years of investment operations experience at a buy-side investment manager or comparable environment.
• Expert-level knowledge of syndicated loan closings and settlement practices, including ClearPar workflows.
• Advanced proficiency with WSO Admin; familiarity with Allvue/Black Mountain, Everest, Geneva, and IVP preferred.
• Strong understanding of loan documentation, trade mechanics, and funding processes across leveraged loans, private credit, and CLO structures.
• Proven ability to manage high-volume pipelines, tight deadlines, and complex counterparties.
• Experience leading teams, overseeing third-party providers, and interacting with senior stakeholders.

Core Competencies

• Exceptional communication skills-able to coordinate effectively across front office, internal teams, counterparties, and custodians.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence, prioritize, and make decisions under pressure.
• High attention to detail with a hands-on, execution-focused mindset.
• Analytical and process-oriented, with a track record of driving operational improvements.
• Strong judgment regarding issue escalation vs. independent problem solving.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with evolving priorities and deal flow.
• Comfortable working in the details while maintaining a firmwide strategic perspective.

Reporting Relationships

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.

$140,000 - $160,000

The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit.

Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world-class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more.

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.