Portfolio Strategist

Horizon; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Horizon is seeking a Portfolio Strategist to support its investment management clients. The role focuses on portfolio construction, monitoring, manager due diligence, and tailoring investment solutions within a client-centric framework.

You will engage with Horizon's Investment Management team and clients to translate market insights into actionable portfolio recommendations, while maintaining strong relationships and delivering timely updates.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical capabilities and ability to evaluate investment funds and asset classes.
• Excellent client-facing communication and relationship-building skills.
• Proven ability to translate complex investment concepts into clear recommendations.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to manage multiple client engagements.

Responsibilities

• Lead portfolio construction and monitoring for client portfolios.
• Perform manager due diligence and investment universe evaluation.
• Deliver timely updates to clients and internal teams on market developments and portfolio positioning.
• Collaborate with Horizon's Investment Management team to align strategies with clients' objectives.
• Support OCIO clients and contribute to customized portfolio solutions.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Organization skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/finance/economics

CFA designation

Job description

Summary/Objective

The Portfolio Strategist is an investment management role supporting Horizon's consulting clients. The primary responsibilities of this role include portfolio construction and monitoring, manager due diligence, investment universe evaluation, and comprehensive client support. As the primary interface between Horizon's Investment Management team and its consulting clients, the Portfolio Strategist is expected to develop strong, trusted relationships through proactive engagement, regular communication, and a deep understanding of each client's objectives, preferences, and evolving needs. This includes anticipating questions and potential portfolio concerns, initiating timely discussions on market developments and portfolio positioning, responding promptly to client requests, and ensuring consistent follow-through on commitments. The Portfolio Strategist will communicate with clients on behalf of the Investment Management team, translate complex investment views into clear and actionable insights, integrate Horizon strategies into customized portfolios, and advocate internally for the interests of consulting clients. Success in this role requires a strong service orientation, a high degree of responsiveness and accountability, and the ability to coordinate effectively across teams to deliver a seamless client experience. The role also requires a deep background in investment management and the ability to communicate market views, explain allocation positioning, and demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of Horizon's investment strategies.

Horizon's Portfolio Strategy Group

Horizon's Portfolio Strategy Group supports the firm's largest financial advisory clients through its Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) offering. The team provides custom portfolio solutions, market research and practice management support to help foster the growth of their clients.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Effectively communicate Horizon's investment solutions and process to financial advisors with the goal of growing assets under management for the business.
• Provide allocation input, recommendations, research, and ideas into client portfolios.
• Evaluate a prospective client's needs and creatively find a solution that most effectively meets their requirements.
• Analyze and evaluate client requests regarding portfolio analysis and positioning of proposed solutions.
• Articulate capital markets analysis to clients while also staying current on market events to provide clients with intelligent research.
• Be the primary investment lead in meetings with current and prospective clients.
• Provide scheduled and ad-hoc updates (both written & verbal) on all aspects of the product area including strategy, process, positioning, performance, markets, etc.
• Incorporate Horizon strategies into customized client portfolios that are consistent with a goals-based approach to investment management.
• Communicate investment strategies internally with the goal of informing the Investment Management team of relevant competitors or opportunities in the marketplace.
• Respond in a timely manner to client and prospect requests.
• Participate in Investment Management team meetings.
• Adhere to and demonstrate Horizon's corporate values on a consistent basis.

Competencies

• Outstanding analytical skills with a demonstrated ability to analyze funds, investment methodologies, and asset classes.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships.
• Flexible communication skills: verbal acuity and writing proficiency, ability to listen to clients, capable of "translating" from investment-speak to financial advisor and/or end client language.
• Exceptional organization and prioritization skills.

Travel

Travel will be required approximately 10-20% of the time.

Required Education And Experience

• Bachelor's Degree with a business, math, finance or economics or similar emphasis
• CFA Designation

Preferred Education And Experience

• A strong knowledge of asset allocation modeling and economic analysis is highly beneficial. Familiarity with multi-asset investing and financial market analysis is valued.
• Demonstrated ability and experience with investment activities including manager and strategy research, portfolio construction and implementation, portfolio measurement and monitoring, and investment policy statement construction.
• Client-facing experience is a plus.

Performance Evaluation Standards

• Client onboarding and investment management structure development
• Quantity and quality of onboarding materials
• Adoption rate of investment management structure
• Speed of adoption relative to expectations

• Ongoing client support
• Quantity and quality of client interactions
• Proactive
• Responsive
• Client sleeve performance
• Customized portfolio construction and security selection
• Security/strategy monitoring
• Quantity and quality of recommendations
• Adoption rate of recommendations
• Performance of Best Ideas
• Quarterly meeting preparation, presentation, and follow-up
• Materials generated on time
• Quantity and quality of presentations
• Meeting follow-up