Vice President, Investment Research

About this role SpiderRock Advisors (SRA) is seeking an investment professional to scale institutional client coverage across family offices, pension funds, and endowments by driving measurable improvements in client onboarding throughput, RFP win support, and ongoing service quality. This role is designed for a candidate coming from an investment seat who can translate portfolio construction, performance, and risk into clear client-ready analysis and messaging. Responsibilities span the full client lifecycle, from pre-mandate RFP and due diligence support through implementation and ongoing relationship management, partnering with Sales, Portfolio Management, and Middle/Back Office to deliver against defined service-level targets (e.g., onboarding cycle time, documentation accuracy, timeliness of deliverables, and issue resolution time). The successful candidate will apply strong analytical rigor to produce and explain investment and portfolio analytics (e.g., performance and risk drivers, attribution, exposures, and options strategy outcomes as applicable), track and report status and risk metrics, identify process bottlenecks, and implement controls to reduce errors and escalations. Knowledge of asset management operations is required; options expertise is preferred. Key Responsibilities Partner with Sales and senior management team on institutional RFPs, DDQs, and consultant inquiries by producing data-driven responses, including portfolio construction, performance, risk, and options strategy analytics Building, operating and productizing bespoke analytics applications (e.g., Monte Carlo simulations) and managing derivatives strategy back testing. Own and improve the end-to-end client documentation lifecycle by implementing controls, tracking quality metrics (accuracy, rework, timeliness), and reducing exceptions and escalations Conduct product and account setup research by defining data, trading, reporting, and operational requirements; validate inputs in internal systems; and leverage SQL and Python as needed to reconcile data and support implementation Develop client-ready investment materials for proposals and reviews, including performance and risk attribution, exposure and positioning summaries, and strategy outcome analysis in partnership with Portfolio Management Manage delivery against service-level timelines by maintaining implementation dashboards, driving ownership and follow-through, and coordinating issue triage, escalation, and root cause resolution Identify, assess, and escalate investment and operational risks by monitoring key indicators, documenting action plans, and ensuring timely resolution and clear audit trails Set and manage stakeholder expectations by building implementation plans, defining dependencies, validating required data and documentation inputs, and communicating progress and risks Own the onboarding and ongoing client experience, including coordinating investment review cadence, preparing meeting materials, and responding to portfolio, performance, and risk questions with quantitative support Maintain disciplined internal communication via structured status reporting, action item tracking, and selective workflow automation using Python, SQL, and applied AI tools where appropriate Key Qualifications 3-6 years of experience and knowledge of institutional investor client segment BA/BS Degree required CFA and/or MBA preferred SIE, Series 7 and 66, or 63/65 licenses or the ability to obtain within the first 3-6 months of employment required Experience in wealth/asset management and equities and options Ability to review and analyze information from multiple sources and determine relevance Experience with Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Cloud Studio desired Technical proficiency preferred, including Python, SQL and relational databases, and applied AI/ML tools for data analysis and workflow automation Experience with Salesforce a plus Independently identify issues, analyze problems and provide viable account and documentation solutions Demonstrate creative problem solving and solid judgment/decision-making For Chicago, IL Only the salary range for this position is USD$140,000.00 - USD$200,000.00 . Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, and benefits including healthcare, leave benefits, and retirement benefits. BlackRock operates a pay-for-performance compensation philosophy and your total compensation may vary based on role, location, and firm, department and individual performance. Our benefits To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of benefits including a strong retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive healthcare, support for working parents and Flexible Time Off (FTO) so you can relax, recharge and be there for the people you care about. Our hybrid work model BlackRock’s hybrid work model is designed to enable a culture of collaboration and apprenticeship that enriches the experience of our employees, while supporting flexibility for all. Employees are currently required to work at least 4 days in the office per week, with the flexibility to work from home 1 day a week. Some business groups may require more time in the office due to their roles and responsibilities. We remain focused on increasing the impactful moments that arise when we work together in person – aligned with our commitment to performance and innovation. As a new joiner, you can count on this hybrid model to accelerate your learning and onboarding experience here at BlackRock. Guidance on AI use for candidates At BlackRock, AI has long been part of how we work – enhancing decision-making, improving operations, and helping us deliver better outcomes for clients. We encourage candidates to use AI thoughtfully to learn, prepare, and work more effectively; but during our interview process, we want to focus on getting to know you through your own experiences, thinking, and judgment. To support you, we’ve provided guidance on when and how to use AI during our hiring process so you can approach each step with confidence and showcase your best self. About BlackRock At BlackRock, we are all connected by one mission: to help more and more people experience financial well-being. Our clients, and the people they serve, are saving for retirement, paying for their children’s educations, buying homes and starting businesses. Their investments also help to strengthen the global economy: support businesses small and large; finance infrastructure projects that connect and power cities; and facilitate innovations that drive progress. This mission would not be possible without our smartest investment – the one we make in our employees. It’s why we’re dedicated to creating an environment where our colleagues feel welcomed, valued and supported with networks, benefits and development opportunities to help them thrive. To learn more about BlackRock, please visit Careers.BlackRock.com. We also encourage you to get to know us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, X, and TikTok. BlackRock is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity to all applicants and existing employees, and we evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity/expression), sexual orientation, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status, political affiliation, religion, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. View the EEOC’s Know Your Rights poster and its supplement and the pay transparency statement. BlackRock is committed to full inclusion of all qualified individuals and to providing reasonable accommodations or job modifications for individuals with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation/adjustments are needed throughout the employment process, please email View email address on click.appcast.io. All requests are treated in line with our privacy policy. BlackRock will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in a manner consistent with the requirements of the law, including any applicable fair chance law. BlackRock's purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a global investment manager and a leading provider of financial technology, our clients—from grandparents, doctors, and teachers to large institutions—turn to us for the solutions they need when planning for their most important goals. People join our firm from around the world to gain real-world experience while making an impact. Discover how you can have a career at BlackRock that's exciting, rewarding and full of possibilities.