Associate, Operational Strategy

Ares Management; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Ares Management is seeking an Associate for the Corporate Strategy – Operational Strategy Group (OSG) in Los Angeles. The role focuses on analyzing business processes and technology, leading discussions with senior stakeholders, and delivering process improvements across the organization.

The ideal candidate should manage large-scale change programs, collaborate with diverse functions, and demonstrate deep knowledge of alternative investments and asset lifecycles.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or related discipline.
• Experience: 3-5 years in business process re-engineering, process design, or consulting.
• Analytical mindset and passion for efficiency improvements.
• Domain knowledge of Alternative Investments and Fund lifecycles.
• Strong communication and team orientation, stakeholder interaction.

Responsibilities

• Advise business stakeholders and third‑party providers during project lifecycle.
• Deliver presentations to executives with clear takeaways.
• Drive organizational change adoption.
• Manage project lifecycles and connect upstream/downstream dependencies.
• Identify best practices for operational processes and system optimizations.
• Collaborate on business cases, project plans, and steering committee materials.

Skills

PowerPoint

Visio

Excel

Communication skills

Analytical mind

Multi-tasking

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/finance

Job description

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self‑Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee‑focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high‑performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

Ares is seeking a versatile Associate to work within our Corporate Strategy – Operational Strategy Group ("OSG"). Our OSG leads cross‑functional projects to define and implement process and technology solutions across the entire Ares organization.

We seek a candidate who can analyze business processes and technology, lead discussions with senior stakeholders, provide process improvement suggestions, and execute using their specific industry knowledge and problem‑solving capabilities.

This role requires a dynamic, adaptive, and experienced professional who can build and maintain strong business partner relationships. This position will require flexibility and rapid learning to become an expert in multiple functional areas and asset classes. The ideal candidate should have demonstrated an ability to manage large‑scale change programs. Successful collaboration across all business functions, strategies, and external vendors will be crucial.

Given the broad nature of projects in our queue, knowledge of investor, fund, and deal lifecycles in alternative investment classes will allow the candidate to make an immediate impact upon joining the firm. Strong knowledge of alternative investment asset classes is highly preferred.

Reporting Relationships

Principal, Corporate Strategy – Operational Strategy Group

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

• Serve as an advisor to business stakeholders, corporate functions and third‑party service providers during project lifecycle and be go‑to point for details and status updates on the project or program.
• Deliver presentations to business partners at multiple levels, including process owners, senior managers, and executives, focusing on takeaways, answering questions clearly and at the appropriate level of detail.
• Drive change adoption across the organization.
• Drive project lifecycle with ability to “connect the dots” between upstream/downstream dependencies and planning needs, while multitasking across multiple deliverables.
• Identify best practices for operational processes and system optimizations.
• Assist with implementation and integration activities associated with new products.
• Technically proficient communicator who can translate business language and requirements to technical teams and vice versa.
• Ability and willingness to be hands‑on in all aspects of project management, including:
  • Requirements gathering, documentation, use case development.
  • Process workflow documentation and diagrams.
  • Training/Acceptance plan development and execution.
  • Communications with business stakeholders relative to the status.
  • Collaborate with business stakeholders to create business cases, project plans, steering committee presentations, business requirements, and other project or program documentation.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in a business, finance, or related discipline.
• Experience required: 3-5 years of experience in business process re‑engineering, process design, or consulting. With experience in the analysis and design of new business processes, requirements definition, and implementation.
• An analytical mind and a passion/interest in bringing new ideas to increase the efficiency of existing processes.
• Demonstrates a passion for continuous improvement and eagerness to identify and solve problems.
• Domain knowledge of Alternative Investments (Private Credit/Private Equity/Real Estate/Secondaries) and an understanding of Fund, Investor, and Trade lifecycles.
• Strong communication skills (written and oral to all levels of the firm) and team orientation; capability of interacting with key stakeholders.
• Solutions orientated self‑starter with the ability to see the big picture, balancing tactical solutions while being mindful of the strategic direction of the firm.
• Ability to multi‑task and prioritize deadlines; results oriented.
• Strong technical skills with high proficiency in PowerPoint, Visio, and Excel.
• Good judgement and understanding when to solve issues independently versus what needs to be escalated.
• A demonstrated ability to research and leverage available resources to accomplish the task at hand.
• Comfort in dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty in a dynamic and fast‑paced environment.
• Dependable, great attitude, highly motivated and a team player.
• Ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $120,000 - $135,000. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance‑based bonus. The range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.

Benefits

Ares U.S. Core Benefits include comprehensive medical/Rx, dental and vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; flexible savings accounts (FSA); healthcare savings accounts (HSA) with company contribution; basic and voluntary life insurance; long‑term disability (LTD) and short‑term disability (STD) insurance; employee assistance program (EAP); and commuter benefits plan for parking and transit.

Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world‑class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more.