Investment Director - Global Property and Natural Capital

LGPS Central; West Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pension fund manager in the UK is searching for an Investment Director specializing in Global Property and Natural Capital. This role involves shaping investment strategies, managing Partner Fund mandates, and integrating responsible investing principles. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in private markets, excellent stakeholder engagement skills, and a commitment to sustainability. Along with competitive salary and benefits, the role offers a hybrid working environment aimed at encouraging collaboration and performance.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Generous Pension Scheme

30 days paid holiday plus bank holidays

Paid volunteering days

Excellent Learning and Development Opportunities

Hybrid Working

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Strong background in private markets, ideally in asset management.
• Experience with pension fund or institutional portfolios.
• Significant due diligence experience and investment recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver innovative investment strategies.
• Sourcing and analyzing investments across various funds.
• Manage Partner Fund portfolios and report on them.
• Champion responsible investment and integrate ESG considerations.

Skills

Global property expertise

Natural capital investment

Financial analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Communication skills

Responsible investment commitment

Education

Degree level or equivalent

CFA or equivalent qualification

Job description

Overview

Join LGPS Central at a pivotal moment-where investment meets long term impact.

We are looking for an Investment Director for Global Property and Natural Capital to play a leading role in shaping and managing our growing portfolios in these strategically important asset classes.

As part of our wider investment function reorganisation, we are recruiting an Investment Director, Global Property & Natural Capital, to play a leading role in our Private Markets programme.

You will shape investment strategy, oversee portfolio construction, and manage Partner Fund mandates across these strategically important asset classes. We are seeking deep sector expertise and a strong commitment to responsible investing.

If you have deep experience in global property or natural capital, strong institutional relationships and a passion for responsible and sustainable investing, this could be the next step in your career.

#PrivateMarkets #RealAssets #NaturalCapital #ImpactInvesting #UKPooling #Pensions #InvestmentCareers

What you'll be doing

As an Investment Director - Global Property and Natural Capital, here's a flavour of what you'll get involved in:

• Developing and delivering innovative strategies across global property and natural capital that meet Partner Fund requirements and reflect market developments.
• Sourcing, analysing, diligencing and executing investments across indirect funds, JVs, co investments and directs.
• End to end oversight of the investment process including analysis, due diligence, legal review with internal and external counsel, negotiation, approval and post completion monitoring.
• Managing Partner Fund portfolios in these asset classes including attending advisory committees, engaging with managers and ensuring reporting needs are met.
• Maintaining and developing key relationships with global fund managers, advisors, intermediaries and wider market participants.
• Developing a robust decision making framework for allocating assets across the global property and natural capital portfolios and keeping this under review.
• Championing responsible investment and integrating RI and ESG considerations into the investment process.
• Representing LGPS Central externally with managers, investors, regulators, Partner Funds and market participants.
• Providing assurance to the Head of Private Markets and CIO that investments are managed within agreed parameters.
• Contributing to the wider Private Markets agenda including sharing knowledge with teams working on Local Investments where relevant to natural capital.
• Leading and supporting colleagues across the Private Markets team and contributing to a high performing, collaborative and research driven environment.

About us

LGPS Central (LGPSC) Ltd is the FCA regulated asset manager for eight local authority pension funds across the Midlands. LGPSC is jointly owned on an equal shares basis by those Partner Fund, and it is responsible for managing £45bn+ of their assets. It is one of eight Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) asset pools in the UK.

LGPS Central's Partner Funds are :

• Cheshire Pension Fund
• Derbyshire Pension Fund
• Leicestershire Pension Fund
• Nottinghamshire Pension Fund
• Shropshire Pension Fund
• Staffordshire Pension Fund
• West Midlands Pension Fund
• Worcestershire Pension Fund

The Company is committed to responsible investment and has made responsible investment a core part of the investment process in every asset class.

LGPS Central offers a friendly and diverse, hybrid working environment with a range of employee benefits. The Company moved to new premises at i9, Wolverhampton Interchange in January 2022, close to local transport links.

Our objective is to be a leading investment management company working with and for our Partner Funds. With a focus on value for money and performance we want to aspire to be one of the best because this is how we will deliver the superior investment returns and low costs for our Partner Funds.

Requirements

The successful candidate will have a strong background in private markets ideally within an asset management setting, with exposure to pension fund or other institutional portfolios. The successful candidate will demonstrate :

• Recognised expertise and leadership in global property and natural capital investing with recent and relevant experience.
• Strong market relationships and credibility with fund managers, advisors and other market participants.
• A clear ability to articulate and deliver portfolio construction approaches across real asset strategies.
• Significant experience in due diligence, financial analysis and producing high quality investment recommendations.
• Experience of senior level collaborative decision making and portfolio oversight.
• Commitment to responsible investment within property and natural capital strategies.
• Experience of building and leading high performing teams.
• Strong communication, stakeholder engagement and relationship partnering skills.
• High levels of integrity, judgement and professional ethics.

Qualifications

• Degree level or equivalent
• CFA or equivalent qualification / relevant investment experience.
• Has or can meet all the requirements of being an FCA approved person.

What do we offer?

We are proud to provide our people with a premium and exclusive benefits package and we are continually improving the rewards we offer. Here are a few of the valuable rewards that you will enjoy :

• Competitive salary
• An enhanced and generous Pension Scheme
• 30 days' paid holiday plus bank holidays
• 2 days paid volunteering days
• An extra paid Company Day in addition to paid holidays
• Excellent Learning & Development Opportunities
• Welfare and Family friendly policies
• Enhanced pay for new parents
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme 247 Health & Wellbeing Support
• Vitality Private Medical Insurance
• Hybrid Working
• Company Service Awards
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Company Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Nominees of the Family Friendly Employer of the Year 2022 Personnel Today Awards 2022
• Winner of the Cultural Awareness Initiative of the Year FT Advisors Diversity in Finance Awards 2023
• Winner of Diversity and Inclusion Award LAPF In Investments Award 2023