Vice President Defined Contribution Lead

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

About Ares Wealth Management Solutions (AWMS)

Ares Wealth Management Solutions (AWMS) oversees the product development, distribution, marketing, and client management activities of investment offerings for the global wealth management channel. With a team of more than 150 professionals and backed by the power and scale of the Ares platform, AWMS represents one of the most resourced wealth distribution and client service teams in the alternatives industry. AWMS’ mission is to provide advisors and their clients access to innovative, solutions-oriented investment opportunities, across the Ares platform of industry leading credit, private equity, real estate, and secondaries strategies. Through our range of institutional and retail structures, coupled with excellent client service and educational resources, we help investors diversify their portfolios with private market solutions that can deliver consistent, long-term growth.

Position Summary

Ares is seeking a Vice President, Defined Contribution to join the RIA & Family Office Partnerships team. This individual will play a key role in executing Ares' defined contribution strategy across the wealth management ecosystem, helping expand the adoption of private markets within retirement-oriented investment programs.

The successful candidate will serve as a relationship manager, strategic partner, and subject matter expert across the defined contribution landscape, working closely with retirement-focused RIAs , recordkeepers, broker-dealers and other advisor platforms. This role requires a highly collaborative professional who can coordinate across distribution, product, marketing, legal, operations, and investment teams to advance strategic initiatives and drive business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Defined Contribution Strategy & Business Development

• Support the execution of Ares' defined contribution strategy within the RIA, family office, and broader wealth management channels. 
• Partner with the RIA & Family Office sales team to uncover opportunities where retirement and wealth management channels intersect.
• Develop and execute business plans and sales strategies designed to increase awareness, engagement, and adoption of Ares investment solutions.
• Monitor retirement industry developments, competitive dynamics, regulatory changes, and product innovation trends to identify new opportunities.

Strategic Relationship Management

• Maintain strong relationships with key defined contribution stakeholders, including advisors, consultants, recordkeepers, home office research teams, and platform executives. 
• Serve as a primary point of contact for strategic retirement-related partners and support partner onboarding, due diligence, fund placement, and education initiatives.
• Proactively engage with existing and prospective partners to identify opportunities and address business needs in a timely manner.

Advisor Education & Thought Leadership

• Serve as a subject matter expert on retirement investing and the role of alternative investments within participant portfolios.
• Deliver presentations, webinars, educational events, and thought leadership content to advisors, consultants, and platform partners.
• Support conference participation, partner events, sponsorships, roadshows, and other industry engagements.
• Develop insights and recommendations regarding evolving retirement market trends and implementation considerations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Product Management, Investor Services, Marketing, Legal, Compliance, Operations, and Investment Teams to advance key strategic initiatives.
• Coordinate internal resources to support onboarding efforts, diligence processes, fundraising initiatives, and partner engagement activities.
• Maintain and oversee pipeline, relationship, and opportunity tracking systems to ensure effective follow-up and execution.
• Prepare presentations, business reviews, and strategic updates for senior management, including pipeline activity, partner engagement, and growth opportunities.
• Provide market feedback to support product development, positioning, and future retirement-focused initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 7+ years of experience in defined contribution or retirement consulting
• Strong understanding of the defined contribution landscape, including 401(k), 403(b), 457, and other retirement structures.
• Experience working with RIAs, family offices, retirement advisors, consultants, recordkeepers, or wealth management platforms.
• Demonstrated relationship management and business development experience with institutional or intermediary clients.
• Excellent communication, presentation, organizational, and project management skills.
• Ability to operate effectively across multiple stakeholders and manage numerous strategic initiatives simultaneously.
• Proficiency with CRM systems and pipeline management processes.

Preferred

• Knowledge of alternative investments, private markets, and portfolio construction frameworks.
• Existing relationships across the retirement and defined contribution ecosystem.
• Professional designations such as CFA, CAIA, CFP, CIMA, QKS, AIF or similar credentials. 
• Experience working in a highly collaborative, matrixed organization.

Reporting Relationships

Compensation

$190,000 - $220,000

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.