Director, Equity Boutiques, Asia

About Us

Wellington Management offers comprehensive investment management capabilities that span nearly all segments of the global capital markets. Our investment solutions, tailored to the unique return and risk objectives of institutional clients in more than 60 countries, draw on a robust body of proprietary research and a collaborative culture that encourages independent thought and healthy debate. As a private partnership, we believe our ownership structure fosters a long-term view that aligns our perspectives with those of our clients.

About the Role

THE POSITION

Our global investment platform is comprised of over 500 investment professionals across seven investment functions (Hedge Fund Group, Private Investments, Sustainability, Equity & Fixed Income Boutiques, Research, Science & Strategy) in the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions. The team collectively manages approximately $1 trillion in assets across the capital structure.

The Equity Boutiques leadership team is responsible for ensuring Wellington has a world-class global investment platform with excellent investment results, capabilities, infrastructure, talent and products to meet the evolving needs of clients now and in the future.  We are seeking to add a Director to join the leadership team in leading and managing our Equity investment teams. The Director, as part of the leadership team, will develop and execute the department's strategic plan and various initiatives to ensure the investment teams have the talent and resources they need to deliver for clients.

This position will also be a core member of the APAC Investment Platform leadership team, as a thought partner to the Head of Investment Asia in leading the development and execution of the APAC Investment Platform’s strategic planning in the region.  This includes anticipating client / market trends and positioning the Wellington Investment Platform in APAC for sustainable success both from an investment excellence and commercial strategy.  You will also be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations, ensuring the business runs smoothly and then the APAC equity boutique team has the right talent, tools and resources needed to drive excellent investment performance for our clients.  The position is based in Hong Kong / Singapore and reports into the Head of Equity Boutiques with a matrix reporting into the Head of the Investment, Asia.

The successful candidate will have a passion for investing, demonstrated problem-solving skills, a commercial mindset and the ability to thrive in a highly collaborative team-oriented environment. They will be the utmost fiduciary and be focused on helping investment teams deliver excellent performance for our clients.  It is critical that the ideal candidate be an empathetic leader with the strongest ability to build trust-based relationships with investors.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Management experience: The ideal candidate will have a passion for helping others develop and experience in managing diverse and global investment talent including the ability to identify, coach, evaluate and lead talent. They will have the flexibility and openness to continue learning, evolving and growing as a manager of investment talent.

Superior collaboration and influencing skills: The successful candidate will enjoy contributing to a highly collaborative leadership team. They will bring credibility to engage productively with senior investors and leaders, including ability to provide a point of view, constructively challenge status quo and solve problems. The ideal candidate should have a good understanding of investment data and analytics, risk analytics and will bring a flexible mindset and creative approach to problem solving with the discretion to manage competing priorities from multiple stakeholders.

Passion for investing in Asia and trusted leader: The ideal candidate will possess an understanding of the markets in Asia, demonstrable problem-solving skills and the ability to thrive in a highly collaborative team-oriented environment. They will have a strong ability to build trust-based relationships with investors, helping investors understand the firm’s processes and navigate any internal dynamics. Importantly, the Director will be the utmost fiduciary. Demonstrable leadership experience in the investment/financial industry will be essential.

Strong business acumen and strategic mindset: The ideal candidate should possess the capability to work collaboratively across various regions and functions to tackle complex challenges.  Additionally, he/she should have the ability to effectively navigate matrix management. A strategic mindset is key to the role to envision and develop the long-term shared goals on investment performance, commercial planning and execution, aligning actions with objectives and leveraging complementary strengths of the team to maximize impact over time. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

INVESTMENT CAPABILITIES & TALENT Ensuring that we attract and retain the investment talent necessary to generate excellent research and investment performance:

• Building diverse and inclusive teams in which different perspectives, backgrounds and skill are embraced to improve idea generation and client outcomes
• Providing ongoing guidance, coaching and feedback for both junior and experienced investment professionals (e.g., helping them have impact by focusing on long term, deep, differentiated research; counseling on team dynamics; finding solutions to ‘pain points;’ enabling effective communication and the interface between investors locally, regionally and globally; and utilizing firm resources, including technology)
• Succession planning includes identifying talent needs/gaps and providing ongoing assessment of Investors’ investment skills/capabilities
• Identifying and developing the skills required in the future, including an alternatives skill set (shorting, absolute return mindset), investment science and advanced data skills, portfolio management capabilities, and risk taking; and
• Providing ongoing assessment of investment skill/capabilities and managing mid- and year-end performance and compensation review processes.
• Provide leadership of the equity platform in the APAC region across early career professionals to seasoned portfolio managers and research analysts. Enhance and perpetuate a culture of collaboration and excellence.

INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE, INTEGRITY & RISK Promoting idea generation and excellent investment performance in our portfolios. Ensuring portfolios are taking risks consistent with client expectations and regulatory requirements:

• Supporting Investors to develop well-articulated investment philosophies and processes
• Helping to provide risk management, fiduciary and supervisory oversight, and regulatory oversight
• Ensuring a successful operational model for each Investor’s research and investment process
• Managing investment capacity for each team and strategy in conjunction with the product management team; and
• Leverage the Investors’ time to ensure they are generating excellent investment results.

STRATEGIC & EXECUTION ORIENTED PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• Collaborating with the APAC Investment Platform leadership team and other global investment platform line managers to develop and execute global Equity Boutiques and local APAC investment platform long term strategy.
• Serving as a change agent to provide project management and rallying support for large scale initiatives that create the capabilities our investment professionals need to be successful.
• Business planning and management – strategic and commercial skillset to translate investment excellence into commercial results driven by client needs.
• Acting as the primary liaison to represent the APAC IPLT in various APAC regulatory and governance forums, as well as representing the APAC region within the global investment functions.

INFRASTRUCTURE & SUPPORT Ensuring that the Equity Boutiques platform has the necessary infrastructure and support to achieve its investment objectives and meet our fiduciary and regulatory responsibilities:

• Ensuring necessary infrastructure and support is in place
• Participating in new product development discussions globally, locally and across functions; and
• Connecting and collaborating with key support areas locally (Trading, Product Management, Legal and Compliance, IT, Client Group) and globally to ensure effective end-to-end investment processes.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 15+ years of relevant professional experience
• Superior organizational skills ability to manage, prioritize and complete multiple projects simultaneously and focus on results
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills with ability to articulate and integrate numerous viewpoints and mobilize/influence across the firm
• Ability to navigate stressful situations with poise, focused on being a calming presence, active listener and pragmatic problem solver as a stress absorber
• Prior management experience of investors and/or first-hand investment experience, either as an Analyst or Portfolio Manager, would be advantageous
• Proven experience operating in a highly matrixed, collaborative and integrated global organization
• Strong academic credentials: MBA and/or CFA (or equivalent)

Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications?  That’s ok. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply and welcome a chance to review your background. We are dedicated to building and maintaining a diversified workforce and considering a broad array of candidates with a variety of skill, workplace experiences, and backgrounds.

As an equal opportunity employer, Wellington Management ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, creed, national origin, age, ancestry, disability (physical or mental), medical condition, citizenship, marital status, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If you are a candidate with a disability, or are assisting a candidate with a disability, and require an accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, please email us at GMWTalentOperations@wellington.com.

We believe that in person interactions inspire and energize our community and are essential to our culture. In support of this commitment, our employees work from our offices 4 days a week with flexibility to work remotely 1 day a week. We believe that this approach ultimately supports our mission to deliver investment excellence to our clients and their beneficiaries over the long term.