Vice President/Principal, Investment Operations

Vice President/Principal, Investment Operations page is loadedVice President/Principal, Investment Operations Apply locations Singapore time type Full time posted on Posted Yesterday job requisition id R6466Over 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

Summary:

The successful candidate will be a senior member within the Ares Asia Investment Operations team, joining the Investment Operations team in Singapore. As a pivotal member of the Investment Operations group, the candidate will oversee all aspects of investment support, collaborating closely with the Investment teams on private equity deals and potentially credit deals as well.

One of the primary middle office functions of the Investment Operations team in Asia is supporting the deal closing process. The team is composed of Project Managers (PMs), each of whom leads deals from an operational perspective. The successful candidate will in some cases act as a PM and in others guide the more junior PMs, ensuring seamless coordination with the deal leads from the Investment Team and other critical support functions such as Fund Accounting, Legal, Compliance, and Tax. Each PM manages a deal portfolio, actively engaging with team members to drive successful outcomes.

In addition to these responsibilities, the candidate will work closely with the reporting manager to lead some of the Asia-wide process improvement initiatives as well as be a key member of the team leading some of the integration efforts with the Global team. This role demands a strategic thinker and a proactive leader who can drive operational excellence and foster collaboration across various departments.

Furthermore, the candidate will provide inputs and help with optimizing overall business processes, including deal pipeline management, trade booking, deal closings, settlements, and ongoing operational support for his/her responsible strategy. They will leverage data-driven insights to make informed decision-making and ensure that the team is aligned with the overall strategic goals of the organization. The candidate will also play a crucial role in mentoring and developing team members, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth.

This leadership role requires a visionary who can anticipate challenges and opportunities, and who is adept at navigating complex environments. The successful candidate will play an instrumental part in shaping the future of the Investment Operations Team in Asia, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of industry’s best practices and innovation.

Primary Functions and Essential Responsibilities:

• Core team member in setting out operational strategy and help refine the operating model for the Asia region, both from a regional perspective and for each specific business line. Provide strategic leadership to ensure alignment with firmwide organizational goals, leveraging technology and scaling the business around future acquisitions.
• Identify and address gaps between current and future state operating models through a combination of short-term tactical improvements and longer-term strategic initiatives. Take initiative in implementing these changes.
• Play an integral role in driving Asia-wide process improvement initiatives as well as integration initiatives with the Global operations team, guiding the team to implement changes that enhance efficiency and effectiveness, demonstrating flexibility and strategic vision. Inspire the team to embrace new challenges.
• Strategically oversee the deal pipeline, closing and ongoing management of investments for his/her responsible strategy / deals, ensuring robust operational controls and proactively addressing pertinent matters to maintain high standards of operational excellence.
• Lead the structuring of investments for his/her responsible strategy in the Asia region, focusing on operational perspectives to optimize outcomes, and providing strategic direction to the team to achieve these goals.
• Ensure operational readiness for the execution of transactions by monitoring the setup of investment subsidiaries,