Senior Associate – Strategic Asset Allocation, Public Markets - Sovereign Wealth Fund

Overview

We are collaborating with a premier sovereign wealth fund to recruit a Senior Associate for its Public Markets team. This role focuses on strategic asset allocation by selecting, appointing, and supervising top-tier external fund managers across global public markets instead of daily trading activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and map the external manager universe across various asset classes, investment styles, and regions using databases, consultant networks, industry events, and contacts.
• Screen investment strategies based on metrics like performance, risk profiles, factor exposures, drawdowns, liquidity, capacity, and fees to shortlist candidates for detailed due diligence.
• Lead both qualitative and quantitative due diligence including engaging with portfolio managers, analysts, and risk officers to evaluate investment philosophy, process, construction, alpha sources, and team stability.
• Employ analytics to distinguish skill-driven active managers from market beta and assess if fees and compensation are appropriate.
• Work with risk, legal, and compliance teams to coordinate operational and risk due diligence efforts.
• Compile detailed manager selection reports and investment memos and submit well-founded hire, retain, or redeem recommendations to investment committees.
• Negotiate contractual terms such as mandates, fees, performance benchmarks, liquidity, and side letters to align incentives with institutional goals.
• Continuously monitor appointed managers relative to benchmarks and peers, maintain conviction ratings, and assist in rebalancing and allocation-sizing decisions.

Candidate Profile

• Between 5 and 7 years of experience in public markets investing with a significant focus on external manager selection, oversight, and monitoring — preferably from pension funds, consultancies, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, or asset managers.
• Specific expertise in evaluating hedge fund and liquid alternative managers is essential.
• A commitment to long-term, strategic capital allocation via external funds, not direct day-to-day trading.
• Strong aptitude in assessing the repeatability of manager track records through rigorous research.
• Proficiency in quantitative analysis including performance metrics, factor/style evaluation, and risk measurement.
• Ability to make structured, risk-aware decisions with clear recommendations on hiring, retention, or termination.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with confidence in defending proposals before investment committees.
• Qualifications such as CFA designation or an advanced degree in finance, economics, or related disciplines.
• High ethical standards, fiduciary responsibility, and a proactive, entrepreneurial mindset.

What's Offered

This role offers a highly visible position within a respected regional institutional investor, providing direct interaction with senior leaders and global external managers. The approach emphasizes conviction-led, long-term investing in public markets, with the position based in Dubai.