Senior Investment Associate and Portfolio Manager

56 Maple; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

56 Maple in Chicago seeks a Senior Investment Associate and Portfolio Manager to join our eight-person team. You will lead investment research, portfolio analysis, and reporting, working directly with the president and partners to manage the existing portfolio.

The role blends asset management with due diligence across public and private markets, requiring strong communication, rigorous analysis, and ownership of initiatives.

Qualifications

• Six to ten years of experience in a family office, endowment, foundation, OCIO, investment consultant, or fund-of-funds with independent responsibility for investments.
• Strong understanding of private markets, fund structures, fees, carried interest, and performance measurement.

Responsibilities

• Analyze investment performance, attribution, risk, portfolio positioning, and manager exposures.
• Prepare portfolio reviews, market updates, and Investment Committee memoranda.
• Support manager research, due diligence, selection, and ongoing monitoring across public and private markets.
• Contribute to portfolio construction and asset allocation analysis under senior team guidance.
• Present due diligence findings and recommendations at Investment Committee meetings.

Skills

Investment acumen

Analytical rigor

Clear communication

Attention to detail

Ownership and initiative

Intellectual curiosity

Sound judgment and integrity

Collaboration and relationship mgmt

Adaptability

Technical proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree

CFA/CAIA/MBA valued

Tools

Excel

Job description

From: 56 Maple, Family Office and Investment Team

Subject:Job Description – Senior Investment Associate and Portfolio Manager

56 Maple

Born out of wealth accumulated through real estate and operating businesses, 56 Maple is a Chicago, IL based family office managing investments across a variety of asset classes. We invest with a long-term, multigenerational perspective, seeking to capitalize on less efficient, primarily private markets.

Our capital is allocated across direct ownership of real estate and operating companies, public market investments, and private investments ranging from large-scale funds to opportunistic direct deals, GP sponsors, and JV partnerships.

Our purpose is to steward capital for the family while leveraging our long-term, flexible capital and entrepreneurial investment style to outperform traditional wealth management approaches.

The Opportunity

56 Maple is seeking a Senior Investment Associate to join our eight-person investment team in Chicago. This is a high-ownership position on a collaborative team of generalists investing across public and private markets.

The role combines elements of asset management, alternative investment research and due diligence, portfolio analysis, and process improvement. This candidate will work directly with the president of the family office and firm partners, gaining exposure to manager selection, portfolio construction, private capital pacing and placement, performance analysis, and Investment Committee decision-making.

The Associate’s primary responsibilities will include investment research, portfolio analysis, reporting, and execution. The position requires someone who is articulate and personable and can build trusted relationships with investment managers, industry peers, and colleagues across the firm. It is expected that a majority of this role’s time will be spent managing the existing portfolio of assets and relationships.

We give team members meaningful responsibility, clear expectations, direct access to senior leadership, and the autonomy to identify and solve problems. As a small team, we also expect each person to contribute beyond a narrowly defined job description.

What You’ll Do

Investment Research and Portfolio Management

• Analyze investment performance, attribution, risk, portfolio positioning, and manager exposures.
• Develop a deep working knowledge of existing managers, serve as an internal resource on their strategies, and act as a point of contact between managers and the firm.
• Prepare portfolio reviews, market updates, and Investment Committee memoranda.
• Support manager research, due diligence, selection, and ongoing monitoring across public and private markets.
• Contribute to portfolio construction and asset allocation analysis under the direction of senior team members.
• Participate in Investment Committee meetings and present due diligence findings and recommendations on new investment opportunities.

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will have three to seven years of relevant experience at a family office, investment firm, asset manager, investment consultant, or similar organization, along with a strong foundation in investment analysis and portfolio management.

We are looking for someone who demonstrates:

• Investment acumen: A strong understanding of financial markets, investment fundamentals, and the factors that drive risk and return across asset classes.
• Analytical rigor: The ability to evaluate investment opportunities, interpret financial data, identify key risks, and develop well-supported conclusions.
• Clear communication: Strong writing and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex investment concepts and recommendations to senior decision makers.
• Attention to detail: A disciplined approach to research, financial analysis, and reporting, with a focus on accuracy and thoroughness.
• Ownership and initiative: The ability to manage responsibilities independently, anticipate needs, identify opportunities for improvement, and see assignments through to completion.
• Intellectual curiosity: An interest in understanding investment strategies, evaluating different perspectives, and continuously expanding knowledge across public and private markets.
• Sound judgment and integrity: The ability to approach investment decisions objectively, acknowledge uncertainty, and adjust conclusions as new information becomes available.
• Collaboration and relationship management: The interpersonal skills to build lasting relationships with investment managers and colleagues while contributing to a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Adaptability: A willingness to take on a broad range of responsibilities, learn new tools and technologies, and contribute wherever the needs of the team are greatest.
• Technical proficiency: Experience with Excel and the ability to create financial models, along with an interest in leveraging data tools and AI-enabled applications to improve analytical workflows.

Ideal Candidate Attributes and Qualifications

• Relevant experience: Typically, six to ten years at a family office, endowment, foundation, OCIO, investment consultant, or fund-of-funds, including independent responsibility for LP investments and manager relationships.
• Private markets expertise: Strong understanding of fund structures, fees, carried interest, and performance measurement, with experience evaluating re-ups and monitoring underperforming investments.
• Portfolio perspective: Experience assessing concentrations, forecasting capital calls and distributions, and evaluating commitment pacing and liquidity needs.
• Independent judgment: Demonstrated ability to challenge manager assumptions, recognize thesis drift, and form actionable recommendations.
• Oversight orientation: A sustained interest in managing existing investments throughout their lifecycle, with the discipline to follow unresolved issues through to resolution.
• Education and credentials: Bachelor’s degree required. CFA, CAIA, or MBA valued but not required; relevant experience and demonstrated investment judgment are the primary considerations.

Appendix

56 Maple’s diverse portfolio of limited partnership investments represents a significant component of the firm’s investment base and will be a primary responsibility of the Portfolio Manager. This individual will also contribute to the oversight and management of wholly and jointly owned real estate, operating businesses, other alternative investments, and public market positions. Further details on the portfolio’s composition and individual investments will be shared throughout the interview process.