AO/Senior Proposal Writer

Summary

Firm’s Client Response Center (CRC) Team is in search of a Senior Proposal Specialist to play an integral role in client service and retention efforts through the completion of Due Diligence Questionnaires, Onboarding Questionnaires, Contract Renewal/Sub-Advisory Questionnaires and RFIs (DDQs) for Firm’s retail and institutional clients worldwide. Projects will be primarily client servicing-related and include both standard and customized client DDQs. The Senior Proposal Specialist will write and review complex equity asset class and firm/entity level operational DDQs. The Senior Proposal Specialist will be responsible for writing, maintaining in repository and customizing for DDQs, an identified universe of language and data. The topics under Senior Proposal Specialist’s purview would relate to 1) Firm’s entire equities platform, such as equity trading, and, 2) firm level language for the Firm’s UK and European subsidiaries. The Senior Proposal Specialist will be expected to work directly and effectively with CRC Management, Equity Business Development Teams (BD Teams), RFP Writers and other Senior Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from across the firm for writing assigned DDQs and maintaining language. The Senior Proposal Specialist would be responsible for reviewing the work of and guiding and training the assigned Mid-Senior and Junior Specialists/Writers.

How You Will Grow

This is an exciting opportunity for you to grow -- to further increase your expertise and knowledge of the equity asset class and the asset management business by working at a large, global asset manager handling challenging equity and firm level DDQs for some of the firm’s largest and most strategically important clients. You will work directly with and would be tagged to some of Firm’s highly experienced internal subject matter experts to write and manage such DDQs. You will be empowered to maintain and customize existing language, and develop new language,  for the topic areas under your purview. Having full ownership of these projects and topic areas will further deepen and broaden your technical expertise in the intricacies of each topic, positioning you as a subject matter expert yourself.  This role also enables you to expand your sphere of influence, and further develop your leadership skills, by managing Mid-and Junior Specialists/Writers, sharing your expertise, coaching, and developing them to take more responsibility.

Job Description

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Write Complex Equity and Firm DDQs: Write complex DDQs for Firm’s equity products platform and also handle standalone firm and operational DDQs.
• Produce High Quality Drafts: Ensure high quality drafts which follow Firm specific best practices related to content and style.
• Customize: Ensure final documents are customized to reflect a nuanced and targeted response to the specific client request.
• Handle Follow-ups: Handle follow-up responses associated with previously completed DDQs, including researching responses as needed and coordinate with CRC Management, SMEs and BD Teams for the additional information needed.
• Maintain Equity Platform and Firm’s UK and European Entity Language: It is the Senior Proposal Specialist’s one of the core responsibilities to keep the Firm’s equity platform and Firm’s European entities’ language fully updated and compliance-approved in the response repository (Responsive).
• Customize Language: Customize existing language and develop new language to answer technical due diligence questions as needed.
• Understand Best Practices: Understand the policies, procedures and best practices for providing responses and reporting information in our DDQs.
• Understand Systems and Sources: Establish processes for and stay up-to-date on the systems, documents, websites and internal resources available to access the necessary information to complete DDQs.
• Stakeholder Management: Show high degree of independence and professionalism in managing all internal stakeholders, including all communications with these stakeholders, so as to maintain long term and productive engagements.
• Review for Mid- and Junior Specialists/Writers: Review DDQ drafts of assigned Mid-Senior and Junior Specialists/Writers.
• Train and Guide Mid- and Junior Specialists/Writers: Guide, train and develop the assigned Mid-Senior and Junior Specialists/Writers.

Job Qualifications & Key Attributes

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience: 5-7 years of due diligence and/or RFP writing experience with a 5 to 10 years of overall experience. Sound knowledge of the equity asset class and the functioning and organization of an asset management firm.
• Track Record of Execution: Must be an excellent and highly productive writer and reviewer of technical investment material. Must be able to handle multiple different projects simultaneously to meet tight client deadlines. 
• Strong Initiative and Judgment: Must have demonstrated initiative and good judgment as well as the ability to work well under pressure, within time constraints, and across time zones. Must be able to interact directly and effectively with multiple internal SMEs across the firm.
• Exceptional Attention to Detail: Must be highly organized and have strong attention to detail. 
• Strong Industry Knowledge: Familiarity of key terms used to describe portfolio characteristics and portfolio management styles with an understanding of what does and does not apply to equity portfolios. Knowledge of GIPS regulations, Composite requirements, and global Fund marketing regulations.
• Technical Knowledge: Expert-level knowledge of full MS Office Suite required, but especially Word and Excel.
• Technology-Forward: Preference will be given to candidates with strong experience in leveraging technology, including new and emerging AI technology, to complete DDQ drafts in as fast and efficient a manner as possible. Experience with the Responsive, content and project management software a strong plus.
• College education: MBA/MS/MA. CFA (L1 Cleared or higher) would be added advantage.