Manager, UK Institutional

Business Unit:EMEA
Job Description:

Role Summary

The primary purpose of this role is to continue to accelerate Russell Investments’ growth within the UK Fiduciary Management & OCIO market. This individual will be expected to deliver new business sales in line with specific AUM and net revenue targets through trustee engagement and direct interactions with institutional investors. The role will also involve assisting other sales associates with prospecting, RFPs and pitch processes.

The candidate will design and execute a plan to achieve business targets, including generating new leads, progressing opportunities through the pipeline, editing and reviewing proposal documents, and leading the team at finals presentations.

In pursuing these opportunities, the role holder is expected to closely collaborate with the Head of Consultant Relations and the wider FM/OCIO sales team in the UK and across EMEA to maximise the chance of success. Additionally, this role involves supporting the wider EMEA group in the successful achievement of corporate-level new business goals. This may also include mentoring more junior associates within the institutional team.

The responsibilities of the individual in this position include:

Winning new business

• Leading and coordinating Russell’s engagement with professional trustees, working closely with the EMEA sales and client teams.

• Playing a lead role in new business efforts and RFP responses for fiduciary management and OCIO opportunities.

• Evolving and developing a concise persuasive articulation of Russell’s FM/OCIO capabilities to match client and prospect needs. 

• Acting as a primary point of contact for FM/OCIO enquiries and requests.

• Executing plans to achieve business targets.

Developing Russell Investments’ Fiduciary management proposition

• Contributing to formulating and developing Russell’s FM proposition. 

• Ensuring that the breadth of experience available (e.g. managing portfolios and overlay services) is reflected in the solutions provided and recommended to clients. 

• Working with internal Russell Investments teams (Product, Marketing, Legal etc.) to continually improve the quality and competitiveness of the FM product offering and promote the Company’s reputation and brand in the marketplace.

Developing Russell Investments’ institutional business

• Contributing to the development of Russell Investments’ EMEA business directly and by helping others achieve their individual goals.

• Helping the functioning of the department as a whole by collaborating with colleagues, sharing ideas and innovations, participating/leading in business development initiatives and mentoring colleagues.

Business Development

• Generating new leads and building pipeline.

• Progressing opportunities through the pipeline and leading the team at finals presentations.

• Ensuring CRM system is kept up to date and using insights from CRM to shape pipeline.

Regulatory & Business conduct

• Displaying exemplary conduct and living by our organisation’s Code of Conduct.

• Taking personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct across the business.

• Effectively and collaboratively identifying, escalating, mitigating and resolving risk, conduct and compliance.

The successful candidate will have extensive demonstrable skills and experiences including the following:

• CFA Level 1 or progress through Actuarial exams preferred.

• Relevant BSc/BA (Maths / Economics or similar) or equivalent qualification / experience.

• In-depth knowledge and understanding of UK Pension Fund market dynamics, and investors’ needs.

• Strong technical understanding of pension schemes’ investment objectives, factors which influence this, and the types of investment strategies which could help them achieve their objectives.

• Understanding the range of parties associated with decision making at pension schemes, and their perspectives, motivations and agendas.

• Good understanding of professional trustee market, with contacts across all the major firms.

• Strong understanding of competitor landscape and knowledge of the industry and existing contact base.

• Proven track record in developing pipeline, managing sales processes and achieving financial sales targets.

• Previous experience of working in a highly regulated environment.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Uses own initiative to generate leads, develop opportunities and close deals, using a variety of influencing approaches.

• Self-directed and able to anticipate and prepare for potential problems.

• Develops a deep understanding of the needs of the prospect and seeks to understand the true nature and complexities of the prospect’s business.

• Ensures quality and efficiency standards are met and builds continuous improvement approaches into work practices.