Director, Due Diligence - Dallas, TX, United States

Description · The Director, Due Diligence oversees and enhances the firm's product research and oversight framework, ensuring a competitive, compliant, and strategically aligned product shelf across categories such as annuities, insurance, mutual funds, alternatives, and managed ...

Job description

Description

The Director, Due Diligence oversees and enhances the firm's product research and oversight framework, ensuring a competitive, compliant, and strategically aligned product shelf across categories such as annuities, insurance, mutual funds, alternatives, and managed accounts. This role leads comprehensive product evaluations, conducts operational and regulatory reviews of asset managers, and produces detailed documentation and recommendations for governance committees. With deep expertise in industry products, regulatory standards, and risk management expectations, the Director maintains robust due‑diligence policies, governance processes, and audit‑ready records to support regulatory oversight and firm‑wide consistency while mentoring and developing a high‑performing due‑diligence team.

What You Will Do: 

1. Oversee and Enhance Product Due Diligence Processes

• Lead and continuously improve the firm's product due‑diligence framework to ensure alignment with regulatory expectations and firm strategy. 
• Maintain and enhance due‑diligence policies, procedures, governance charters, and committee guidelines to ensure consistent, repeatable, and auditable processes. 
• Implement a control framework to ensure efficacy of due‑diligence policies and procedures. 

2. Conduct Product Research and Analysis

• Research and evaluate a broad product universe across categories such as annuities, life insurance, mutual funds, ETFs, managed accounts, UITs, structured products, and alternatives. 
• Utilize qualitative and quantitative criteria to assess product performance, risk, expenses, consistency, transparency, and firm fit. 
• Perform detailed analyses of product providers, fund families, managers, and operational processes. 

3. Monitor Ongoing Product Shelf Quality

• Oversee and maintain an approved and competitive product shelf based on market research, risk assessments, client needs, and profitability metrics. 
• Continuously review industry product offerings to keep the firm's shelf competitive and compliant with Reg BI and other regulations. 
• Track trends such as product inflows/outflows, market changes, and client behavior to identify product gaps or opportunities. 

4. Conduct Operational and Regulatory Due Diligence

• Perform operational risk reviews of asset managers, including internal controls, compliance programs, trade processing, valuation practices, and reporting processes. 
• Lead on‑site due‑diligence visits with product manufacturers and service providers. 
• Review financial statements, control reports, and regulatory documentation to evaluate operational soundness. 

5. Ensure Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Maintain documentation, committee minutes, and product decisions to support regulatory examinations (FINRA, SEC, state). 
• Ensure products meet regulatory requirements, best‑interest standards, and internal risk parameters.
• Partner with compliance, legal, risk, and finance to obtain product approvals and ensure oversight alignment. 

6. Governance & Committee Leadership

• Present product recommendations to Product Review Committees or governance bodies, including detailed justifications and risk assessments. 
• Maintain governance documentation and coordinate with internal audit and oversight functions. 

7. Strategic Product Portfolio Management

• Own the overall product portfolio, including impacts on sales, profitability, and advisor adoption. 
• Contribute to marketplace research, pricing strategies, provider roadmaps, and product implementation strategies. 

8. Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Advisor Support

• Collaborate with distribution leadership, marketing, operations, and technology to ensure accurate product information, guides, pricing, and training resources. 
• Provide support to advisors and supervision functions by making research, product comparisons, and due‑diligence insights accessible. 

9. Reporting & Documentation

• Produce detailed written due‑diligence reports summarizing findings, risks, and recommendations. 
• Ensure all product decisions and due‑diligence activities are fully documented and retained for regulatory review. 

10. Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a due‑diligence team, enhancing skillsets and promoting a culture of robust research and risk management. 
• Drive strategic initiatives that evolve the team's capabilities and processes in line with industry trends and regulatory changes

What You Need to Have: 

• Bachelor's degree in finance or a related field or equivalent.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in Product Due Diligence, preferably in the Financial Services Industry. 
• Deep understanding of a broad financial product universe, including annuities, life insurance, mutual funds, ETFs, managed accounts, structured products, and alternative investments
• Understanding of market trends, product lifecycle economics, and competitive landscape analysis. 
• Expertise in both quantitative and qualitative product evaluation methodologies (e.g., expenses, performance, risk measures, consistency, product structure, manager review). 
• Knowledge of operational due‑diligence areas such as internal controls, trade processing, valuation practices, NAV analysis, and regulatory compliance programs
• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks applicable to broker‑dealers (e.g., Reg BI, FINRA requirements, SEC oversight) and how they apply to product approval and oversight.
• Knowledge of best practices in due‑diligence processes for private investments, as well as compliance standards in dynamic regulatory environments
• Ability to develop and maintain policies, procedures, governance charters, and documentation required for regulatory compliance and audits.
• Capacity to evaluate complex product structures (e.g., crediting methods, riders, alternative investment strategies)
• Ability to manage the entire product portfolio with an eye toward competitiveness, profitability, and long‑term business strategy. 
• Skill in defining product KPIs, evaluating product shelf gaps, and aligning offerings with firm growth objectives and customer demands. 
• Capability to conduct marketplace research, design product roadmaps, and influence pricing and provider strategy.
• Ability to present findings to governance committees, senior leadership, and cross‑functional stakeholders. 
• Skills in interacting with advisors to provide clarity on product analysis and due‑diligence outcomes.

What's Nice to Have: 

• Ability to mentor, coach, and develop due‑diligence team members, fostering growth and enhancing skills. 
• Experience supervising teams responsible for product analysis, tools, systems, and information management. 
• Capability to drive organizational scaling, maintain continuity, and ensure consistent quality in due‑diligence processes.
• Ability to work with marketing, operations, technology, legal, risk, compliance, and distribution leadership to ensure product readiness and aligned communication. 
• Skill in coordinating with internal audit and oversight bodies to ensure proper documentation and risk management. 
• Ability to support advisors and supervision teams with research, tools, and product insights.
• Comfortable leveraging technology tools and platforms to streamline due‑diligence processes, manage product data, and ensure documentation accuracy. 
• Ability to integrate product research, shelf management systems, and reporting tools to maintain transparency and accessibility.

Travel Requirements: Up to 40%

Compensation: 

The base annual salary range for this role is $216,000 to $276,000, plus a competitive performance-based bonus.  Base annual salary depends on a wide array of factors, including but not limited to skill set, years and depth of experience, certifications, and location. Base annual salary may also differ significantly due to geography and cost of labor considerations. 

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