Senior Investment Consultant

About the role

We are seeking an Investment Consultant to advise institutional clients—both defined benefit and defined contribution—on investment objectives, policy, asset allocation, manager selection, and ongoing monitoring to optimize risk/return and meet fiduciary obligations. This hybrid role requires working at least three days a week in the office and is based in Chicago, St. Louis, or Minneapolis.

You will present capital markets and performance updates to executive committees and stakeholders, build portfolio recommendations for large and jumbo clients, and analyze participant demographics and investment menu structure. You’ll manage project plans, timelines, and budgets, and drive business development by expanding existing relationships and cultivating new clients.

Responsibilities

• Determine clients' requirements and brief the team as appropriate, providing direction and guidance to ensure deadlines and service standards are met
• Maintain and expand client relationships
• Thrive in an environment that embraces AI and technology-enabled tools
• Ensure specialist teams are involved in the provision of advice as needed
• Peer review reports, adding client-specific information and ensuring client suitability
• Direct the work of employees in a project team and coach/mentor junior colleagues
• Lead efforts to aggressively market and expand the Investment Consulting business and Mercer's broader services
• Gather data from various teams within Mercer on capital markets, manager research, and performance reporting
• Interact with third-party investment managers and custodians for pertinent information
• Evaluate and synthesize key drivers of client portfolio performance given overall capital markets, third-party managers' investment styles, and total portfolio characteristics
• Produce written quarterly materials in PowerPoint, including both content and formatting
• Understand client/prospect investment objectives and constraints
• Work with the third-party manager due diligence team to evaluate and select investments to fulfill the asset allocation
• Monitor performance and business developments of third-party managers in client portfolios and notify clients of critical issues in an accurate and timely manner

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required
• At least 8 years of related investment industry experience
• Deep understanding of investments and retirement plans, including 401k, Defined Contribution, and pension plans
• Experience with total portfolio management
• Experience responding to Requests for Proposal
• Experience creating and delivering presentations
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Excel
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills

Qualifications

• CFA, CIMA, CAIA, or MBA
• Experience prospecting for net new business
• Strong, demonstrated interest in capital markets and portfolio construction (not security selection), including the calculation and interpretation of standard risk/return metrics
• Strong, demonstrated interest in being client-facing and communicating technical (not necessarily financial) information concisely to clients

Benefits

• Professional development opportunities
• Inclusive and vibrant culture with talented colleagues
• Career growth opportunities and a range of benefits and rewards to enhance well-being
• Health and welfare benefits
• Tuition assistance
• 401K savings and other retirement programs
• Employee assistance programs

Pay

The applicable base salary range for this role is $122,400 to $244,800. The base pay offered will be determined on factors such as experience, skills, training, location, certifications, education, and any applicable minimum wage requirements. Decisions will be determined on a case-by-case basis. In addition to the base salary, this position may be eligible for performance-based incentives.

Schedule

This is a hybrid role that requires working at least three days a week in the office. Office-based teams will identify at least one “anchor day” per week on which their full team will be together in person.