Portfolio Trading Analyst

Hightower Advisors; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision insurance (on

Parental leave

Hybrid work schedule

401k matching

HSA contributions

Student loan assistance

Pet insurance

Job summary

Hightower Advisors in Chicago is seeking a skilled Overlay Management professional to optimize client portfolios. You will rebalance portfolios to policy, oversee block order transmission, and manage cash flows with careful risk awareness.

The role requires 2–5 years in trading or portfolio operations, hands-on OMS/EMS experience, and strong Excel and communication abilities. Hybrid work and competitive compensation are offered in a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of trading or portfolio operations experience.
• Experience with overlay/centralized portfolio management is a plus.
• Proficiency with OMS/EMS and trade blotter workflows.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; advanced degree a plus.

Responsibilities

• Execute daily overlay workflows across trading and overlay team.
• Oversee transmission of rebalance orders to custodians and ensure accurate allocations.
• Process ad-hoc client cash requests and manage settlement cycles.
• Perform daily account reconciliations and produce audit trails and tax summaries.
• Liaise with advisors, portfolio managers, compliance, custodians, and vendors to resolve issues.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Communication

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's in Finance/Economics/Math/Engineering

Tools

OMS/EMS

TAMP platforms

Portfolio optimizers

Trade blotter

Job description

Our Story

Founded in 2008, Hightower is a wealth management firm that provides investment, financial and retirement planning services to individuals, foundations and family offices, as well as 401(k) consulting and cash management services to corporations. Hightower’s capital solutions, operational support services, size and scale empower its vibrant community of independent-minded wealth advisors to grow their businesses and help their clients achieve their financial vision. Based in Chicago with advisors across the U.S., we operate as a registered investment advisor (RIA).

Your Future Team

Hightower’s Overlay Management team owns daily trade prioritization, execution, and monitoring to ensure client portfolios are optimized to their assigned investment policies on the Hightower One platform; they coordinate with portfolio managers and advisors, manage risk and exposures (including cash, and tax overlays), and deliver compliance-ready reporting and reconciliations. We are a collaborative, driven, and forward-thinking group passionate about delivering excellent service, supporting advisor growth, and helping clients achieve their financial goals.

What You Will Do

Execute daily overlay workflows across the trading and overlay team, ensuring accurate trade implementation, cash management, and reconciliation with strong attention to detail and operational discipline:

• Overlay Management: Rebalance client portfolios to assigned investment policies; generating trades according to defined tracking error, risk, cash, and tax-loss triggers.
• Trade Execution: Oversee the transmission of rebalance-generated block orders to custodians, mitigating market risk and tracking execution to guarantee accurate, timely trade allocations.
• Cash Management: Process ad-hoc client cash requests and track daily settlement cycles to fund scheduled distributions safely without forcing overdrafts or unintended liquidations.
• Reconciliation & Compliance: Perform daily account reconciliations, manage exceptions, and produce compliance-ready audit trails and tax summaries.
• Cross-functional Support: Liaise with advisors, portfolio managers, compliance, custodians, and vendors to resolve exceptions and support portfolio and trading operations.

What You Will Bring

• Experience: 2–5 years in trading or portfolio operations, execution, or overlay/centralized portfolio management.
• Systems & Tools: Hands-on experience with OMS/EMS, TAMP platforms, portfolio optimizers, and trade blotter workflows; run‑group configuration and runbook maintenance.
• Domain Knowledge: Trade lifecycle, settlement mechanics, cash management, and tax‑lot accounting.
• Technical Skills: Advanced Excel (pivot tables, advanced formulas); SQL or equivalent query language a plus.
• Education: Bachelor’s in Finance, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering, or related; advanced degree a plus.
• Communication: Exceptional attention to detail, disciplined problem solving under time pressure, clear written and verbal communication, and strong stakeholder management with the ability to influence business and technology teams.

What We Offer

• Coverage on the first day of employment for medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid parental leave (16 weeks for primary caregiver and 8 weeks for secondary caregiver)
• Mother’s lounge onsite
• Flexible PTO plan
• Hybrid work schedule (minimum of 4 days in office)
• Free brand-new gym in the Chicago office
• 401k matching plan
• HSA employer contributions
• Student loan assistance
• Pet insurance
• Base salary of $85,000-$95,000 plus discretionary bonus (exact base salary amount will be dependent on experience)

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

Hightower is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, citizenship, veteran status, ancestry, age (over 40), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related), gender identity or expression, genetic information including sickle cell or hemoglobin C trait, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local law.

You are a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or possess other unrestricted U.S. work authorization and will not require sponsorship for U.S. work authorization now or anytime in the future.