Portfolio Construction / Asset Allocation Team Associate

POSITION SUMMARY

KKR is seeking an experienced quantitative investment professional, at the Associate level, to join its Global Portfolio Construction team which is responsible for the following: 

• Leading portfolio construction initiatives for KKR’s Private Markets portfolios with $150bn+ AUM
• Leading all portfolio construction and asset allocation initiatives for KKR’s Balance Sheet, a $15bn+ proprietary capital portfolio invested across funds and co-invests in Private Equity, Real Assets, Liquid Credit, Alternative Credit, Structured Credit and Hedge Funds
• Leading structuring and pricing initiatives for KKR’s collateralized fund structured products
• Providing asset allocation recommendations and driving various quantitative performance and risk initiatives for various KKR Strategic Multi-Asset Partnerships

The successful candidate for this role will be focused on portfolio construction initiatives across KKR’s Private Equity portfolios.  In this high visibility role, the successful candidate will interact frequently with KKR senior management and will therefore be expected to synthesize information clearly.  They will also be tasked with contributing to proprietary models in asset classes where there are fewer industry-level standards, requiring someone who is capable of being creative and thinking outside the box.  In general, the successful candidate must be highly technical, while also being collaborative as a member of this high-performance team.  This position is based in New York.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Help prepare portfolio construction recommendations for Private Equity funds for Portfolio Management Committees across the Americas, Europe and Asia
• Maintain and continue to improve upon customized models tailored to the firm’s investment process and risk framework; work closely with dedicated IT resources to automate and institutionalize those
• Use quantitative and qualitative approaches to understand drivers of performance, risk exposures and economic sensitivities
• Provide suggestions which could help optimize alpha potential of the portfolios and address any specific risk exposures
• Serve as a quantitative resource for the larger firm, evaluating existing resources and recommending improvements in models and technology

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

• 2-5 years of experience in a quantitative investment or portfolio construction role
• Prior experience with public equities or private equity as an asset class, which allows for a fundamental, company-level discussion around various investment theses
• Experience applying best practices in quantitative methods and strategies to the investment/risk management process, including practical application of large data analysis
• Understanding of global economic principles and trends, and their impact on the management of a large and diverse investment platform
• Strong programming skills in a structured language (Python preferred) as well as competence in using Microsoft Office products
• Knowledge of risk systems a plus (MSCI RiskMetrics, Barra, Bloomberg PORT, Factset)
• Strong academic credentials from a respected institution, and ideally a Masters or PhD in a technical field such as Computer Science, Financial Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering or similar

CRITICAL COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS

• Structured problem-solving skills
• Aptitude for critical and creative thinking across the quantitative and qualitative spectrum
• Superior communication and presentation skills (written and oral) coupled with the requisite level of gravitas to effectively communicate complex ideas at a high level
• Proven ability to manage demands of multiple projects in a fast-paced work environment, including ability to prioritize time efficiently and handle heavy workloads while remaining attentive to detail
• Strong relationship development skills, including with internal product and support teams and with individuals of whom work is being requested
• High level of intellectual curiosity, accountability and drive; self-motivated with the ability to work autonomously

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