Client Service Research Associate - Westport, United States - Bridgewater Associates

Description

About Bridgewater

Bridgewater Associates is a premier asset management firm, focused on delivering unique insight and partnership for the most sophisticated global institutional investors. Our investment process is driven by a tireless pursuit to understand how the world's markets and economies work - using cutting edge technology to validate and execute on timeless and universal investment principles.

Founded in 1975, we are a community of independent thinkers who share a commitment for excellence. By fostering a culture of openness, transparency, and inclusion, we strive to unlock the most complex questions in investment strategy, management, and corporate culture.

Explore more information about Bridgewater on our website here .

Our Culture

Bridgewater's unique success is the direct result of our unique way of being. We want an idea meritocracy in which meaningful work and meaningful relationships are pursued through radical truth and radical transparency. We require people to be extremely open, air disagreements, test each other's logic, and view discovering mistakes and weaknesses as a good thing that leads to improvement and innovation. It is by continually striving together for the highest levels of truth and excellence that we create meaningful work and meaningful relationships.

Explore more information about Bridgewater's culture on our website here.

Our Client Service Philosophy

Bridgewater believes that the key to our success lies in creating meaningful, long-lasting relationships with our clients. To this end, Client Service works closely with our clients to help them not only broaden their understanding of the company's investment process and products but also to deepen their understanding of the financial markets more generally. Over and above traditional client service organizations that focus on selling products, Bridgewater's Client Service group operates as an advisor to clients on their entire portfolio, not just the portion under management at Bridgewater.

By providing exceptional transparency and reporting on portfolios, Bridgewater's market outlook and performance, risk management analysis, and advisory research, Client Service helps clients solve their most pressing investment problems and plan their investment strategies. The group frequently meets with clients to discuss portfolio performance, give updates on recent research, provide guidance and training on Bridgewater's pioneering work in such areas as risk budgeting, alpha and beta separation, portable alpha, optimal beta, currency overlay, and global inflation-indexed bond investing; and assist in developing strategies that best meet client needs.

About the Client Service Research Team

The Client Service Research organization acts as Bridgewater's in-house investment, advisory arm. Investment professionals in the group partner with Client Advisors to provide clients with advice, knowledge, and insights to address their most challenging investment management concerns as well as provide transparency and reporting on their portfolios. CS Research analysts work on a wide range of projects from long-term strategic topics to answering client's day-to-day questions around Bridgewater's market outlook, strategies, performance, and positions.

About the Role

Client Service Research Associates (CSRA) play a critical role in Bridgewater's overall client service strategy. From their unique position at the heart of Bridgewater's client-focused research activity, these individuals have an aerial view into our ever-evolving perspectives on world markets, high-impact company-wide projects and our investment philosophy and processes. CSRAs work alongside Client Advisors and Portfolio Strategists to collaborate on client-focused research and are responsible for the execution from start to finish, including shaping the deliverable, project managing it through the organization, performing analyses, and generating insights to help shape clients' investment thinking.

Bridgewater's approach to client service requires our CSRAs to continually expand their understanding and knowledge of the markets. Through formal training and informal on-the-job instruction, CSRAs become well-versed in our investment approach, process and different strategies, our book of business, and our production systems. Successful CSRAs will:

• Understand the depth and breadth of Bridgewater's economic and market knowledge as well as our investment philosophy.
• Develop a holistic understanding of portfolios and portfolio management principles.
• Contribute to Bridgewater's world-class client service research strategy through creative thinking about how to generate insights, use of analytical tools to create relevant data analyses and visualizations, and convey key messages to our clients about our investment philosophy, strategies, performance, and outlook in the markets.
• Be able to crisply communicate investment concepts and strategies in writing and data visualizations to clients.

You will have the following responsibilities:

• Develop a strong understanding of Bridgewater's investment strategies and philosophy, portfolio construction concepts, the fundamental macroeconomic drivers of global economic and financial markets, as well as Bridgewater's book of business and commercial strategy.
• Strategize with Portfolio Strategists, Client Advisors, and other investment professionals to develop the best approaches to handle client requests and enable high-quality client engagements.
• Apply analytical skills, market knowledge, and an understanding of Bridgewater's investment methodology to deliver high-quality and impactful client deliverables.
• Independently run complex projects and guide junior analysts in their day-to-day work. This includes but is not limited to writing memos, creating presentations, generating analytics that answer client questions, project management, and creating data visualizations.
• Work creatively with existing methodologies and tools to identify and solve problems in how we serve clients by simultaneously contributing to the creation of new tools, models, and or "machines" to automate and streamline our processes.

Minimum Requirements

The Client Service Research role is a great opportunity to transition into Bridgewater. While the position does not require deep experience in asset management, preferred candidates will have prior experience within a related and similarly fast-paced professional services environment. We are looking for intellectually curious, energetic individuals who can learn quickly and are aggressive problem-solvers. Candidates should meet the following criteria:

• 4+ years' experience in a related field (markets / investing, quantitative analysis, financial services consulting etc).
• Bachelor's or Master's degree with a strong academic and extracurricular track record.
• Interest for, and understanding of, markets and investing.
• Ability to solve complex problems through logical analysis.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and organize time effectively in a fast-paced and constantly changing environment.
• Strong work ethic and demonstrated ability to achieve results and drive projects to completion; strong attention to detail.
• Aptitude for remaining composed and confident under pressure.

In addition, to succeed within our unique culture and work environment, individuals must demonstrate humility, innate curiosity, and openness to new ideas and approaches. Candidates must be driven, confident, and goal-oriented. All Bridgewater employees are expected to be honest, exceptionally direct, and eager to provide and receive objective feedback. Our employees constantly strive for self-improvement through feedback and self-reflection and are committed to the pursuit of excellence.

Physical Requirements

For most of our roles, Bridgewater offers remote work flexibility, with most employees required to work in our Westport office a minimum of two days (and in some cases three days) per week with the option to work offsite on other days.

Why Choose Bridgewater?

It takes all types to make Bridgewater great. We seek a diverse group of innovative thinkers and push them to engage in rigorous and thoughtful inquiry. We develop people through an honest examination of their abilities and performance, enabling personal growth and professional development. We strive to provide you opportunities that will challenge you and unlock your potential.

Compensation and Benefits

The wage range for this role is $200,000 - $300,000 inclusive of base salary and discretionary target bonus. The expected base salary for this role is between 70% - 90% of this wage range.

One of our core priorities at Bridgewater is to enable our employees to build a great life and career, and we believe our benefits are an important extension of that philosophy. As such, currently Bridgewater offers a competitive suite of benefits including:

• Health insurance with 100% premium covered and access to additional concierge medical services
• 401(k) plan with generous employer match
• Paid time off, including fully paid parental leave and a competitive PTO package
• Workplace flexibility and access to back up childcare
• Financial assistance for family building support, including adoption and egg freezing
• Workplace wellness, including on-site gyms, free meals and healthy snacks , and meditation rooms
• An engaged and active community that includes many company events, affinity networks, and extracurricular interest groups.
• For a full list of Bridgewater benefits, click here .

Bridgewater reserves the right to change its current benefits program at any time, in a manner that is consistent with applicable federal and state regulations.

This job description is not a contract and confers no contractual rights, privileges, or benefits on any applicant or potential applicant. Bridgewater has the right to change any and all terms of this job description, including, but not limited to, job responsibilities, qualifications and benefits. Nothing in this job description constitutes an offer or guarantee of employment. Please note that we do provide immigration sponsorship for this position.

Bridgewater Associates, LP is an Equal Opportunity Employer