Investment Associate

Cerity Partners

About the Role

Cerity Partners is hiring a single Investment Associate to support three to four Chicago wealth management partners. This is a career-track investment role for a high-quality recent graduate with a strong finance/investment background and a genuine interest in building a career in wealth management. Over a 3–5 year developmental arc, the analyst will become a dedicated investment resource for each participating partner, learning their clients, investment philosophy, preferred models, and portfolio-management approach, while pursuing the CFA designation. The role provides approximately 9–12 hours of dedicated investment support per partner per week.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain advisor-preferred models in RedBlack, including allocation changes, manager changes, and implementation preferences, consistent with the Cerity Partners A4P List.
• Monitor IPS compliance, including allocation ranges, portfolio drift, exceptions, and other issues requiring advisor attention.
• Prepare and process trades and portfolio rebalances.
• Raise cash for distributions and anticipated client needs.
• Invest incoming cash and implement approved portfolio changes.
• Proactively review portfolios ahead of client meetings and recommend trades or other actions for advisor consideration.
• Prepare customized investment analysis and client meeting materials, including portfolio attribution and other portfolio-specific analysis.
• Progress from primarily executing instructions to proactively identifying portfolio issues and recommending actions for advisor approval.
• Stay appraised of and understand new investment opportunities brought forth by the firm’s investment committee and identify where and why the opportunity makes sense or does not for client portfolios.
• Work with custodians to ensure money moves properly between accounts, investment data is properly recorded, and understand limitations or restrictions imposed on accounts that may influence investment decisions.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Genuine interest in investments and a career in wealth management.
• Willingness to pursue the CFA designation during the role.
• Strong analytical and Excel skills.
• Comfort working across multiple advisors' books and priorities.
• Familiarity or willingness to learn and master software programs, including but not limited to Microsoft Office, Claude, RedBlack, and Addepar.
• High attention to detail, particularly around trading, rebalancing, and compliance monitoring.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to prepare client-ready materials independently.
• Ability to talk to clients independently.
• Ability to train and mentor Client Service Associates.
• Ability to develop wealth planning and investment recommendations and present to clients when applicable.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills, and ability to organize and prioritize work to meet deadlines in a proactive manner with little supervision.
• Must accept and thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with potential and current clients.
• Tenacious about doing what is right for the client.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting, or a related field, with a strong academic record.

Working knowledge of e-Money, Salesforce is a strong plus.

Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.