Director of Investment Risk and Quantitative Analysis

Franklin Templeton; Stamford (CT); Hybrid; USD 175,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Franklin Templeton's Canvas platform seeks a Director of Investment Risk & Quantitative Analysis to advance risk analytics across portfolio construction and tax-aware investing in Stamford, CT.

You will partner with Portfolio Management, Research, and Enterprise Risk teams to validate models, improve tracking error, and develop scalable analytics using Python or C# and SQL. Hybrid work with in-office collaboration.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in Investment Risk, Quantitative Research, or related roles in asset management.
• Strong background in risk management, portfolio optimization, and direct indexing.
• Experience with tax-aware investment strategies and tax alpha.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and drive Investment Risk and Quantitative Analysis strategy for Canvas products.
• Present findings to Canvas Management and risk teams.
• Own ongoing risk reporting, issue analysis, and resolution.
• Build independent portfolio optimizations to validate outputs.
• Evaluate and improve Tax Alpha model and tax-loss harvesting analysis.
• Design advanced risk checks using Aladdin and Barra with direct indexing data.
• Collaborate with Portfolio Management and Research to iterate models.
• Analyze portfolio performance drivers including return and volatility.

Skills

Investment risk

Portfolio optimization

Direct indexing

Tax alpha

Python

SQL

Aladdin

Barra

Quantitative research

Data analysis

Tools

Aladdin

Barra

Canvas

Job description

O’Shaughnessy Asset Management (OSAM) is part of Franklin Templeton, a forward-thinking asset manager that has built its success through powerful partnerships. We leverage cutting-edge strategies and deep insights to unlock opportunities for long-term wealth creation. Our talented, global teams bring expertise that is both broad and unique.

O’Shaughnessy Asset Management is a research and money management firm based in Stamford, Connecticut operating autonomously and backed with global, enterprise resources. Their approach to managing money is transparent, logical, and completely disciplined, leading to long-standing relationships with clients. OSAM is a leading provider of Custom Indexing services via its Canvas® platform which offers financial advisors an unprecedented level of control and ease in creating and managing personalized separately managed accounts (SMAs) that target improved after-tax outcomes.

For more firm information, please visit www.osam.com

About The Department

O’Shaughnessy Asset Management (OSAM) is owned by Franklin Templeton, a dynamic firm that spans asset management, wealth management, and fintech, giving us many ways to help investors make progress toward their goals. With clients in over 150 countries and offices on six continents, you’ll get exposed to different cultures, people, and business development happening around the world.

OSAM is a research and money management firm based in Stamford. Our approach to managing money is transparent, logical, and completely disciplined, leading to long-standing relationships with our clients. We are a leading provider of Custom Indexing services via Canvas. Canvas is a platform offering financial advisors an unprecedented level of control and ease in creating and managing client portfolios in separately managed accounts (SMAs). Advisors can set up custom investment templates, access factor investing strategies, utilize passive strategies, actively manage taxes, and apply ESG investing and SRI screens according to the specific needs, preferences, and objectives of individual clients.

Role Summary

Canvas is seeking a Director of Investment Risk & Quantitative Analysis to join the Investment Risk & Quantitative Analysis team within the broader Risk organization. This role is focused on advancing the firm’s quantitative capabilities across portfolio construction, optimization validation, and tax‑aware investing.

The Risk team is responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating business, operational, and investment risks across the firm. Anchored in the firm’s philosophy of Learn, Build, Share, Repeat, the team continuously evolves its frameworks and processes to enhance risk visibility and support informed decision-making.

This role sits at the intersection of portfolio construction, risk analytics, and quantitative research. The Director of Investment Risk & Quantitative Analysis will partner closely with our Portfolio Management, Research, and Enterprise Risk teams to evaluate model performance, diagnose portfolio outcomes, and enhance the firm’s optimization and tax‑aware investment processes.

The position offers significant exposure to large-scale portfolio implementation across thousands of accounts, with a focus on improving tracking accuracy, tax efficiency, and overall portfolio outcomes. This is a highly visible opportunity to directly influence the evolution of Canvas’s quantitative investment platform.

The successful candidate will play a critical role in enhancing model transparency and robustness by independently assessing the investment risks embedded in portfolio construction and optimization models, including model assumptions, constraints, factor exposures, concentration, liquidity, and tracking error, while also validating optimization outputs, improving tax‑alpha methodologies, and developing advanced risk and analytics frameworks. This position requires strong technical and analytical expertise, with experience in investment risk management, portfolio optimization, direct indexing, and quantitative investment strategies.

How You Will Add Value

• Formulate and drive the Investment Risk and Quantitative Analysis strategy for Canvas products
• Present findings and gain buy‑in from key stakeholders, including Canvas Management, Enterprise Investment Risk, Portfolio Management and Research organizations
• Own ongoing risk reporting, issue analysis, and resolution, balancing senior‑level presentations with hands‑on individual execution
• Build independent portfolio optimizations to validate optimization outputs, with a focus on identifying and analyzing discrepancies in tracking error and tax‑loss harvesting results compared to our core portfolio optimizers at the account level
• Evaluate and improve the firm’s Tax Alpha model, assessing the effectiveness of tax‑loss harvesting strategies and analyzing dispersion across portfolios and accounts
• Design and implement advanced risk and performance diagnostics to better understand portfolio outcomes, including tracking error, factor exposures, and tax impacts
• Lead the development of integrated risk checks leveraging Aladdin and/or Barra alongside direct indexing data to analyze dispersion, identify underlying drivers, and provide actionable insights
• Partner with Portfolio Management and Research teams to share findings and iterate framework and models based on feedback
• Analyze portfolio performance drivers, including return, volatility, and tax impacts
• Develop and maintain scalable analytics and tooling using Python (or C#), SQL, and other technologies to support ongoing research and monitoring
• Contribute to the evolution of quantitative investment processes, including optimization techniques, tax‑aware strategies, and portfolio construction frameworks

WHAT WILL HELP YOU BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ROLE

• 10+ years of experience in Investment Risk, Quantitative Research, Portfolio Construction, or a related investment role within investment management
• Strong background in investment risk management, portfolio optimization, equity factor models, and direct indexing strategies
• Experience evaluating or building tax‑aware investment strategies, including tax‑loss harvesting methodologies
• Proficiency in programming and data analysis, including Python (and/or C#) and SQL
• Familiarity with industry risk and analytics platforms such as Barra and Aladdin
• Strong quantitative and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to translate complex analyses into actionable insights
• Experience working with large‑scale portfolio datasets and account‑level analysis

Soft Skills

• Strong communication skills, with the ability to partner effectively across investment, research, and risk teams
• Ability to work independently in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment and manage multiple priorities

WORK SCHEDULE & LOCATION

• Hybrid work arrangement, 3 days per week in office
• Location: New York, NY; Stamford, CT
• Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer int he U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.*

Franklin Templeton offers employees a competitive and valuable range of total rewards, monetary and non‑monetary, designed to support their well‑being and recognize their time, talents, and results. Along with base compensation, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, a 401(k) plan with a generous match, and recognition rewards. We also offer a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a range of competitive healthcare options, insurance, and disability benefits, employee stock investment program, learning resources, career development programs, reimbursement for certain education expenses, paid time off (vacation / holidays / sick / leave / parental & caregiving leave / bereavement / volunteering / floating holidays) and a motivational wellbeing program. We expect the annual salary for this position to range between $175,000 - $200,000, depending on location and level of relevant experience, plus discretionary bonus.

Franklin Templeton is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees, and we evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation.

Artificial intelligence or automated tools may be used to assist in the screening, assessment, or selection of applicants for this position.