Investment Director - Active Equities

Join LGPS Central at a pivotal moment-where investment meets long term impact.

We are recruiting an Investment Director, Active Equities to help build and maintain a high performing Active Equities investment function. Working closely with the Head of Listed Equities, you will help shape investor style, culture and investment outcomes, with shared responsibility for the oversight and development of multi manager Active Equity strategies and portfolios. 

This is a certified role under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime and is subject to Fitness and Propriety assessments and other regulatory requirements. 

What you'll be doing:

As Investment Director, Active Equities, a flavour of what you will get involved in includes:

• Leading the design, implementation and ongoing oversight of multi manager Active Equity portfolios.
• Supporting oversight and management of Active Equity market portfolios, ensuring alignment to approved strategies, prospectuses and mandate documentation.
• Driving robust and repeatable investment processes across portfolio construction, manager selection, monitoring, reporting and review.
• Leading manager research, selection, appointment, monitoring, retendering and transitions in line with Investment Committee policies.
• Embedding responsible investment, stewardship and ESG considerations within Active Equity strategies and manager oversight.
• Providing assurance that portfolios operate within agreed risk, compliance and governance parameters. Building a high performing, collaborative and research led culture across the Active Equities team.
• Supporting communications with Partner Funds and stakeholders, including presenting clearly on strategy and performance.
• Working closely with Risk, Compliance, Finance and Operations to ensure the investment process is delivered effectively and aligns to the Risk and Compliance Framework.
• Line managing, coaching and developing colleagues across the Active Equities team. 

About Us

LGPS Central (LGPSC) Ltd is the FCA regulated asset manager for eight local authority pension funds across the Midlands. LGPSC is jointly owned on an equal shares basis by those Partner Fund, and it is responsible for managing £45bn+ of their assets. It is one of eight Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) asset pools in the UK.

LGPS Central's Partner Funds are:

• Cheshire Pension Fund
• Derbyshire Pension Fund
• Leicestershire Pension Fund
• Nottinghamshire Pension Fund
• Shropshire Pension Fund
• Staffordshire Pension Fund
• West Midlands Pension Fund
• Worcestershire Pension Fund

The Company is committed to responsible investment and has made responsible investment a core part of the investment process in every asset class.

LGPS Central offers a friendly and diverse, hybrid working environment with a range of employee benefits. The Company moved to new premises at i9, Wolverhampton Interchange in January 2022, close to local transport links.

Our objective is to be a leading investment management company working with and for our Partner Funds. With a focus on value for money and performance we want to aspire to be one of the best because this is how we will deliver the superior investment returns and low costs for our Partner Funds.

Requirements 

You will bring significant experience of investment decision making and portfolio oversight within Active Equity markets, ideally in an FCA regulated environment, alongside:

• A proven track record of successfully managing and overseeing investment portfolios.
• Strong portfolio construction, manager selection and investment evaluation skills.
• Experience overseeing internally and externally managed equity portfolios.
• Substantial experience of collaborative decision making at senior level.
• Experience of building, leading and developing high performing teams.
• The ability to evaluate portfolio performance and risk objectively.
• A clear commitment to responsible investment and stewardship.
• High professional ethics, integrity, judgement and strong decision making.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills, including credibility with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• A holistic understanding of risk management within a multi manager structure.

Qualifications:

• CFA or equivalent qualification/ relevant investment experience
• Degree level, or equivalent, in a relevant discipline.
• Has, or can meet, the requirements of being an FCA approved person. 

What do we offer?

We are proud to provide our people with a premium and exclusive benefits package and we are continually improving the rewards we offer. Here are a few of the valuable rewards that you will enjoy:

• Competitive salary
• An enhanced and generous Pension Scheme
• 30 days' paid holiday plus bank holidays
• 2 days paid volunteering days
• An extra paid Company Day in addition to paid holidays
• Excellent Learning & Development Opportunities
• Welfare and Family friendly policies
• Enhanced pay for new parents
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme 247 Health & Wellbeing Support
• Vitality Private Medical Insurance
• Hybrid Working
• Company Service Awards
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Company Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Nominees of the Family Friendly Employer of the Year 2022 Personnel Today Awards 2022
• Winner of the Cultural Awareness Initiative of the Year FT Advisors Diversity in Finance Awards 2023
• Winner of Diversity and Inclusion Award LAPF In Investments Award 2023