Head of Alternatives and Hedging Solutions

Join LGPS Central as we build our new Alternatives and Hedging capability.

We are recruiting a Head of Alternatives and Hedging Solutions to lead the development and delivery of our strategies in this area and to shape how we support Partner Funds through diversifying assets and robust risk-management solutions.

This senior role will take ownership of our alternatives fund strategy and our hedging services. You will guide the design and oversight of portfolios across hedge funds, diversified growth, absolute return bonds, insurance-linked securities, gold and other strategies as they evolve. You will also lead on designing and overseeing equity protection, LDI and currency hedging programmes delivered for Partner Funds.

You will work closely with the CIO and senior leaders to build a high performing team, strengthen our investment processes and ensure our solutions reflect regulatory requirements, government expectations and Partner Fund needs. The role has a strong leadership, relationship management and stakeholder engagement focus, alongside deep technical responsibility.

We are looking for an experienced investment leader with strong alternatives and hedging knowledge, clear portfolio construction skills and a track record of managing and developing high performing teams. If you want to shape a new capability and support the next stage of our growth, we would like to hear from you.

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What you’ll be doing:

As the Head of Alternatives and Hedging Solutions, here's a flavour of what you’ll get involved in:

• Leading the development and delivery of LGPS Central’s alternatives fund strategy and hedging solutions, ensuring they meet Partner Fund requirements and government expectations.
• Designing and implementing investment solutions across hedge funds, diversified growth, absolute return bonds, insurance linked securities, gold and other diversifying strategies.
• Overseeing the design and oversight of equity protection, liability driven investment and currency hedging programmes delivered for Partner Funds.
• Managing the full lifecycle of alternatives and hedging mandates including sourcing, analysis, due diligence, legal review with internal and external counsel, negotiation, approval and ongoing monitoring.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with global fund managers, external advisors and other market participants.
• Establishing a robust decision making and portfolio monitoring framework and keeping this under review in line with market and regulatory developments.

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

The successful candidate will bring strong senior-level expertise in alternatives and hedging, ideally within an asset management or institutional investment setting. They will demonstrate:

• Strong portfolio construction, manager selection and monitoring skills across a broad alternatives spectrum.
• Experience designing and overseeing equity protection, LDI and currency hedging programmes.
• Senior involvement in collaborative investment decision making and portfolio oversight.
• A track record of building, managing and developing high performing investment teams.
• Excellent relationship management capabilities and credibility with managers, advisors and institutional stakeholders.
• Strong risk, compliance and performance evaluation capability across alternatives and derivative overlays.
• High levels of integrity, judgement and professional ethics.

Qualifications:

• CFA or equivalent qualification/ relevant investment experience.
• Preferably degree level or equivalent in relevant discipline.
• Has or can meet all 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