WHO WE ARE:
With the Investment Management Division (IMD) you will be joining a diverse group of achievers who celebrate the unique value individuals bring to support our shared cause: earning trust and contributing to the financial future of 1.9 million public education employees and retirees throughout Texas.
Navigating the current market environment takes innovation and we’re passionate about stewarding the right investments to make an impact both in the lives of our members and all Texans. We invite you to partner with the best financial minds in the business to manage a global portfolio of over $200 billion in public and private investments. Our success starts with you.
Position Summary
The Investment Operations Middle Office Sr Analyst - Associate is responsible for performing investment-related financial analysis work. This position will directly support TRS’s Investment Data Modernization initiative and will proactively work with the Middle Office team, IMD staff, and agency employees. The incumbent will assist with analyzing and reconciling data, prepare reports, participate in strategic initiatives, and process improvement projects. This position reports to a Manager of Investment Operations.
Key Accountabilities
Portfolio Services
- Participates on data modernization and transformation related projects to implement investment platforms or improve system integration between internal and external applications or other third- party software.
- Actively researches and identifies areas for improvement and automation for data quality control (QC), workflows, business processes, operations, reporting and investment systems.
- Updates and maintains operational documentation, policies, and procedures.
- Facilitates resolutions cross-organization.
- Has knowledge of data governance, data models, database navigation, date manipulation, and data analytics.
Data Analysis and Reconciliation
- Monitors, verifies, reconciles, and reports investment valuations and performance information including holdings, exposures, notional values, gains and losses, collateral balances, cash balances, returns, and trade life cycle events using systems including but not limited to internal applications, platforms, SQL databases, Excel and PowerBI.
- Assists with and analyzes market data, pricing, trading information, corporate actions, and other issues that affect portfolio valuation, performance, risk, compliance, and regulations.
- Assists with, researches, and explains the causes of discrepancies on investment book of record data on a daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, including conferring with internal and external investment managers, accounting, custodian, and investment systems.
- Engages in transaction communications between front office and trade operations and takes appropriate action to ensure accurate data flow between parties, including internal and external investment systems.
- Understands investment risk management and collaborates with internal investment risk team, custodian, and investment systems to ensure proper methodology.
- Has knowledge of compliance rules to ensure accuracy of compliance results and supports the front office in resolution with the ability to verify and explain results.
- Manages data quality, synthesizes data, and integrates analytics for investment decision making.
Reporting
- Compiles data and prepares detailed periodic and ad hoc reports on data reconciliation, portfolio valuation, holdings, fees, expenses, and other investment information using report writing, database, spreadsheet, and other software, for use by agency management, Investment's staff, the legislature and vendors, and to provide information requested under the Open Records Act.
- Prepares, generates, and analyzes data for investment decision- making including exposures, compliance, portfolio views, performance, risk, liquidity, fees, Management Committee and Board Reporting.
Performs related work as assigned
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of:
- Knowledge of investment concepts, terminology, styles, models, strategies and fundamental and quantitative investment factors.
Skills in:
- Performing complex financial analysis.
- Verifying and auditing financial data.
- Using a computer in a Windows environment with MS Office word processing, spreadsheet (including advanced Excel functions and macros), and database systems; report writing; and other business software.
- Conducting data searches and evaluations of large amounts of information, performing complex statistical analysis of the data, and preparing concise and accurate reports.
- Communicating complex technical information, verbally and in writing, including presenting analysis.
- Organizing and coordinating work assignments to effectively meet frequent and/or multiple deadlines, in handling multiple tasks simultaneously, and in managing conflicting priorities and demands.
Ability to:
- Establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with co-workers, agency staff, and external contacts.
- Thrive in an environment driven by change and improvement, and adapt effectively to changing requirements.
- Work effectively in a professional team environment.
Minimum Required Qualifications
Required Education
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in business administration, finance, accounting, operations research, math, information technology, liberal arts or a related area.
- A Master’s degree in a related area may substitute for a year of the required experience.
Required Experience (Sr Analyst)
- Three (3) years of full-time investment operations, data management, accounting, financial analysis, trade settlement or related experience requiring compilation, reconciliation, and/or analysis of detailed information.
Required Experience (Associate)
- Five (5) years of full-time investment operations, data management, accounting, financial analysis, trade settlement or related experience requiring compilation, reconciliation, and/or analysis of detailed information.
Preferred Qualifications
- Five (5) years (Sr Analyst) and Seven (7) years (Associate) of full-time investment operations, data management, accounting, financial analysis, trade settlement or related experience requiring compilation, reconciliation, or analysis of detailed information.
- Certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and/or Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) or working towards CFA/CPA/CAIA.
- Experience with modern investment book of record platforms either through day to day use or implementation of platforms
- Experience with software languages, database, report writing, and data visualization technology (SQL, SSRS, and PowerBI).
- Basic understanding of capital markets, investment securities (equities, bonds, and derivatives), and private markets (real estate or private equity).
- Basic understanding of investment performance measurement.
Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Codes:
Veterans, Reservists or Guardsmen with experience in the Military Occupational Specialty ( https://www.trs.texas.gov/files/trs-military-crosswalk.xlsx ) along with the minimum qualifications listed above may meet the minimum requirements and are highly encouraged to apply. Please contact Talent Acquisition at careers@trs.texas.gov with questions or for additional information.
To view all job vacancies, visit www.trs.texas.gov/careers or www.trs.csod.com/careersite.
For more information, visit www.trs.texas.gov.