This role is to lead our research across the alternative real estate sectors, with a particular focus on Residential. We expect it to have a significant impact in shaping our investment strategies and communicating frequently with clients and potential clients. Whilst the focus is on leading our thinking on Residential, both Build to Rent and Student Accommodation, it will require an ability to explore new areas, building and maintaining views on areas such as healthcare, self-storage and other emerging investment types.

This role is to lead our research across the alternative real estate sectors, with a particular focus on Residential. We expect it to have a significant impact in shaping our investment strategies and communicating frequently with clients and potential clients. Whilst the focus is on leading our thinking on Residential, both Build to Rent and Student Accommodation, it will require an ability to explore new areas, building and maintaining views on areas such as healthcare, self-storage and other emerging investment types.

The role will include:

• Insight origination: Deriving evidence-based, independent views that contribute to the delivery of strong risk-adjusted returns for clients. Delivered through a variety of means, including short research notes, longer reports and presentations. This will span a range of topics, principally;
• Market insights: Including assessments of current market conditions, investment pricing  and capital flows / sentiment
• Sector views: Comprehensive assessments of different subsectors, their risk and return characteristics
• Portfolio perspectives: Identifying, analysing and communicating the contribution that different sectors/subsectors play in a Real Assets portfolio and informing effective diversification / risk management
• Client solutions: Representing to clients the role that these sectors play in a broader multi-asset portfolio and helping to structure investment programs to match risk / reward profiles to client objectives
• Guidance for stock selection / management strategies: Utilising the insights garnered through the market insight and sector view streams, to work with Front office colleagues to identify stock selection criteria that assist in meeting client objectives, either to maximise return or minimise risk
• Influence and profile: This person is expected to have a high profile within our business, communicating the results of research projects persuasively to Real Assets fund managers and clients. We also seek to lead broader industry thinking, through press contact, publications, conference presentations and participation in industry organisations. The role is to lead the agenda in the areas for which they are responsible, and making a clear connection between the results of research initiatives and practical investment implications.

Candidate profile

Characteristics:

• Considered; the role of research is to provide a distinctive voice within Real Assets, with rigorous, evidence-based insight
• Independence of thought; able to absorb knowledge and views from colleagues / others but with a view to developing an unbiased point of view
• Creativity / originality / innovation; an emphasis on continuous improvement, challenging ourselves to deliver more
• Confidence / authority; You must have the confidence of your convictions to ensure that your ideas have influence
• Flexible; able to adapt to changing priorities and respond positively
• Energetic
• Collegiate; good at working effectively with colleagues to harness the different skills and roles that each person brings to a task

Skills

• Highly analytical; able to take research questions, identify an appropriate research method to address them, undertake the process and deliver a set of evidence-based conclusions with an emphasis on the investment implications / recommendations that flow from them
• Project management; able to manage projects effectively, so that they deliver their objectives within the time and (if applicable) budgets set at the outset.
• Excellent communication; able to communicate effectively, with authority and therefore influence in print and in person with colleagues and clients at different levels of seniority and with differing professional backgrounds
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills

Qualifications

• Likely to be degree-educated, most obviously in an economics, finance, geography or business-related subject
• May well have an additional investment or finance related qualification eg CFA, IMC, CAIA, IPF diploma

Experience

• Strong understanding of the sectors covered by this role
• Strong understanding of investment fundamentals; the contributors to risk and return, desirable portfolio characteristics and the implications for portfolio construction, client objectives etc
• Wider interest and understanding of Real Assets; the role of different subsectors in constructing Real Asset portfolios and the contribution of Real Asset portfolios to meeting client objectives

Whatever your role, we reward ability, performance and attitude with a package that looks after all the things that are important to you. Our employees have a wide range of benefits including a generous pension scheme, life assurance, 27 days' holiday, private medical insurance, performance related bonuses, a variety of share schemes, discounts at both a huge range of high street stores and our own great products, as well as a 12% car allowance scheme, your hard work will be rewarded when you join us.