Hedge Fund Operations Associate Jobs in Chicago, IL

POSITION SUMMARY

Managing Directors / Oxford Investment Fellows are a Partner level role and the most senior members of the investment team. The Managing Director will be the leader of the firm’s Diversifier Strategies investment program, with primary responsibility for the Savile Row Diversifier Strategies Fund LLC, Liquid Diversifiers, and related alternative investment mandates. As a senior member of the investment team, this individual will lead all aspects of manager selection, ongoing due diligence, portfolio construction, and risk oversight across a multi-strategy hedge fund portfolio spanning structured credit, relative value, quantitative multi-strategy, global macro, managed futures, and tail risk hedging. The Managing Director is responsible for sourcing and evaluating new hedge fund managers, monitoring existing manager relationships, constructing a diversified portfolio across the convergent-to-divergent risk spectrum, and navigating investment decisions through the Investment Committee. This role carries significant responsibility for portfolio performance, manager relationship management, risk oversight, and mentorship of junior investment professionals.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Investment Strategy, Manager Sourcing and Portfolio Management: Lead the design and implementation of Oxford’s Diversifier Strategies investment program. Proactively source, screen, and evaluate new investment managers across all relevant strategy types. Manage the overall portfolio construction across the convergent-to-divergent spectrum to ensure Oxford clients benefit from genuine diversification and uncorrelated return streams.

1. Manager Sourcing & Initial Screening: Identify, screen, and evaluate prospective fund managers across all alternative strategy types, including structured credit, relative value, quantitative multi-strategy, global macro, managed futures, and credit/tail risk strategies. Build and maintain a robust pipeline of manager candidates through an active network of prime brokers, placement agents, consultants, and peer institutions.
2. Operational & Investment Due Diligence: Lead end-to-end due diligence for new manager commitments, including investment process evaluation, quantitative performance analysis, risk factor attribution, operational infrastructure review, legal and compliance assessment, and reference checks. Conduct in-person manager meetings and on-site visits. Prepare comprehensive internal due diligence memoranda for Investment Committee review.
3. Portfolio Construction & Risk Management: Construct and actively manage the Diversifier Portfolio across the convergent-to-divergent spectrum to achieve the portfolio’s objectives of uncorrelated, risk-adjusted absolute returns. Monitor cross-manager correlations, factor exposures, and aggregate portfolio risk. Manage liquidity, redemption schedules, and rebalancing across all underlying managers. Identify and address concentration risks, including platform and strategy-level concentrations.
4. Investment Committee & Negotiation: Prepare and present investment memoranda and portfolio reviews to the Investment Committee. Lead commercial and legal term negotiations with managers, including management and incentive fee structures, redemption terms, capacity rights, and co-investment or side-letter provisions. Participate in investment decision-making via Investment Committee membership.
5. Ongoing Manager Monitoring: Oversee continuous monitoring of all underlying portfolio managers, including regular performance attribution, risk factor analysis, operational reviews, personnel tracking, and adherence to agreed investment mandates. Identify warning signs of style drift, personnel changes, or governance concerns. Lead manager termination decisions when warranted, as demonstrated by Oxford’s rigorous ongoing monitoring process.
6. Relationship Management: Maintain and deepen relationships with leading hedge fund managers, prime brokers, industry consultants, and peer institutions to ensure Oxford’s access to top-tier, capacity-constrained managers. Represent Oxford in manager meetings, industry conferences, and investment forums.
7. Leadership & Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and develop junior investment staff to foster a high-performance, collaborative investment culture. Serve as a thought leader on alternative investment strategy, hedge fund manager evaluation, and risk factor investing.
8. Asset Allocation: Collaborate with the broader investment research team on asset allocation, risk management, and portfolio construction matters.

II. Support MD Business Development and Client Servicing Requirements

1. Work closely with Oxford’s client-facing Managing Directors to support their business development and client servicing needs related to the Diversifier Strategies program.
2. Create and deliver presentations, as needed.
3. Attend client and prospect meetings, as needed.
4. Educate others by participating in various internal meetings, including the Investment Round Table, Investment Forum, CIO MD and FOS MD meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. BS/BA degree in finance, accounting, economics or related field required
2. MBA and / or CFA designation preferred
3. Minimum of ten years of investment experience, with substantial experience in alternative investments and hedge fund evaluation
4. Must have demonstrated experience in hedge fund manager due diligence, selection, and monitoring across multiple alternative strategy types
5. Must have deep knowledge of alternative investment strategies including, but not limited to, structured credit / ABS, convertible bond arbitrage, relative value, global macro, managed futures / CTA, quantitative multi-strategy, and credit/tail risk hedging
6. Must have strong quantitative skills, including the ability to analyze hedge fund performance attribution, risk statistics, factor exposures, and cross-manager correlation analysis
7. Experience with multi-manager portfolio construction and risk management across a convergent-to-divergent spectrum of strategies is strongly preferred
8. Must have excellent computer skills in Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint; experience with Bloomberg, FactSet, or similar investment research platforms strongly preferred
9. Must have a professional demeanor with the utmost respect for confidential matters
10. Must be able to work independently and in a team environment
11. Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong interpersonal skills
12. Must be detail oriented with excellent organizational skills
13. Must have ability to multi-task
14. Must have ability to work in a fast-paced environment
15. Must have strong work ethic with a positive attitude

WORKING CONDITIONS

1. Travel as business needs require, including manager visits, industry conferences, and client meetings
2. Moderate periods of sitting utilizing a computer