Alternative Investment Operations Associate

Description

The Alternative Investment Operations Associate will serve as a pivotal contributor to the growth and success of our firm’s alternative investment platform. This role is responsible for delivering exceptional client service, ensuring operational excellence, and driving continuous improvement across all aspects of alternative investment operations. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in fund administration, custodial operations, investor relations, and compliance, while demonstrating a strategic mindset and strong leadership capabilities.
This position requires a proactive, detail-oriented professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is committed to exceeding client service expectations. The ideal candidate will collaborate with internal teams, external custodians, fund managers, and technology partners to optimize processes, enhance reporting capabilities, and support platform development initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Oversight
  • Process transactions from start to finish on subscriptions for alternative investments, including hedge funds, private equity, real estate, and other private market strategies.
  • Coordinate and resolve fund administration processes, custodial operations, and capital activity (subscriptions, redemptions, transfers, capital calls, distributions).
    Ensure timely and accurate fund and custody trade execution for clients and support wealth management teams as subject matter expert. 
• Client Service Excellence
  • Act as a primary point of contact for private wealth clients regarding alternative investment operations for custodians, funds, and fund administrators. 
  • Deliver exceptional service through proactive communication, issue resolution, and relationship management. Strive to always be proactive, not reactive. 
  • Partner with advisors and client service teams to ensure seamless onboarding and ongoing support.
• Strategic Initiatives & Continuous Improvement
  • Conduct operational due diligence for new fund managers and investment opportunities.
  • Provide practical insight form processing to drive process enhancements and automation initiatives to improve efficiency and scalability.
  • Collaborate on platform launches, reporting enhancements, and FinTech integrations.
• Compliance & Risk Management
  • Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and internal compliance standards.
  • Support audit and tax processes related to alternative investments.
  • Maintain robust controls to mitigate operational risk, suggest improvements continuously so we have an efficient and effective operating process.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with investment management, technology, and finance teams to align operational processes with strategic goals.
  • Work with external custodians, fund administrators, and technology vendors to resolve issue on transactions.
    

Ideal Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field; advanced degree or CFA/CAIA designation is a positive.
• Minimum 5+ years of experience in alternative investment operations within an RIA, wealth management firm, Fund Administrator or asset management environment.
• FINRA Series 7 & 63 (must be obtained within 60/90 days of starting the role as a condition of employment.)
• Understanding of: 
  • Fund administration and custodial operations
  • Alternative investment transaction processing and capital activity
  • Investor relations and client service for private wealth clients
  •  Fund and custody reporting
  • Operational due diligence and risk management
  • Audit and tax processes related to alternative investments
• Strong understanding of hedge fund and private market structures, compliance, and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience with investment management operations and project management for reporting and platform initiatives.
• Familiarity with FinTech solutions and technology-driven operational improvements.
  

Core Skills & Competencies

• Client-Centric Mindset: Ability to anticipate client needs and deliver exceptional service.
• Execution & Collaboration: Skilled at influencing cross-functional teams and managing relationships with Wealth Managers.
• Analytical & Detail-Oriented: Strong problem-solving skills with a focus on accuracy and risk mitigation.
• Project Management: Proven ability to support complex initiatives from concept to execution.
• Technology Proficiency: Comfortable leveraging technology platforms for reporting, automation, and process improvement.
• Continuous Improvement: Commitment to innovation and operational excellence.

Why This Role Matters

This position is critical to ensuring our alternative investment platform operates at the highest standards of efficiency, compliance, and client satisfaction. The ideal candidate will play a key role in shaping the future of our operations, driving growth, and reinforcing our reputation for delivering superior service to high-net-worth clients. This professional needs to be a self-starter and able to function effectively without constant direction for each task. It is imperative this professional follows the procedures outlines for all the Operational tasks.

Pay Transparency 
The salary range for this position is $110,000 - $130,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the work location, and relevant skills and experience.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time-away policy of every local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits .

Hours & Work Schedule

Hours per Week: 40
Work Schedule: M-F (4 Days In/1 Day Out)

Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.