Portfolio Strategist

Portfolio Strategist

The Portfolio Strategist is an investment management role supporting Horizon's consulting clients. The primary responsibilities of this role include portfolio construction and monitoring, manager due diligence, investment universe evaluation, and overall client support. The Portfolio Strategist will be the primary interface between Horizon's Investment Management team and their consulting clients; therefore, part of this role is communicating with clients on behalf of IM team and integrating Horizon strategies in customized portfolios while also advocating internally for interests of the consulting clients. This role requires a deep background in investment management to be able to communicate market views, allocation positioning, and an in-depth knowledge of Horizon's investment strategies.

Horizon's Portfolio Strategy Group supports the firm's largest financial advisory clients through its Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) offering. The team provides custom portfolio solutions, market research and practice management support to help foster the growth of their clients.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

1. Effectively communicate Horizon's investment solutions and process to financial advisors with the goal of growing assets under management for the business.
2. Provide allocation input, recommendations, research, and ideas into client portfolios.
3. Evaluate a prospective client's needs and creatively find a solution that most effectively meets their requirements.
4. Analyze and evaluate client requests regarding portfolio analysis and positioning of proposed solutions.
5. Articulate capital markets analysis to clients while also staying current on market events to provide clients with intelligent research.
6. Be the primary investment lead in meetings with current and prospective clients.
7. Provide scheduled and ad-hoc updates (both written & verbal) on all aspects of the product area including strategy, process, positioning, performance, markets, etc.
8. Incorporate Horizon strategies into customized client portfolios that are consistent with a goals-based approach to investment management.
9. Communicate investment strategies internally with the goal of informing the Investment Management team of relevant competitors or opportunities in the marketplace.
10. Respond in a timely manner to client and prospect requests.
11. Participate in Investment Management team meetings.
12. Adhere to and demonstrate Horizon's corporate values on a consistent basis.

Competencies

1. Outstanding analytical skills with a demonstrated ability to analyze funds, investment methodologies, and asset classes.
2. Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships.
3. Flexible communication skills: verbal acuity and writing proficiency, ability to listen to clients, capable of "translating" from investment-speak to financial advisor and/or end client language.
4. Exceptional organization and prioritization skills.

Required Education and Experience

1. Bachelor's Degree with a business, math, finance or economics or similar emphasis
2. CFA Designation

Preferred Education and Experience

1. A strong knowledge of asset allocation modeling and economic analysis is highly beneficial. Familiarity with multi-asset investing and financial market analysis is valued.
2. Demonstrated ability and experience with investment activities including manager and strategy research, portfolio construction and implementation, portfolio measurement and monitoring, and investment policy statement construction.
3. Client-facing experience is a plus.