Investment Associate

Position Summary:    Cerity Partners is hiring a single Investment Associate to be shared across three to four Chicago wealth management partners. This is a career-track investment role for a high-quality recent graduate with a strong finance/investment background and a genuine interest in building a career in wealth management. Over a 3–5 year developmental arc, the analyst will become a dedicated investment resource for each participating partner — learning their clients, investment philosophy, preferred models, and portfolio-management approach — while pursuing the CFA designation. The role provides approximately 9–12 hours of dedicated investment support per partner per week, depending on whether the position is shared among three or four partners. It moves investment-knowledge work — but not necessarily partner-level experience — to the appropriate level, freeing partners and senior team members to focus on client relationships and advice, complex planning, prospect development, COI relationships, business development, and asset gathering and retention. Primary Responsibilities   Maintain advisor-preferred models in RedBlack, including allocation changes, manager changes, and implementation preferences, consistent with the Cerity Partners A4P List Monitor IPS compliance, including allocation ranges, portfolio drift, exceptions, and other issues requiring advisor attention Prepare and process trades and portfolio rebalances Raise cash for distributions and anticipated client needs Invest incoming cash and implement approved portfolio changes Proactively review portfolios ahead of client meetings and recommend trades or other actions for advisor consideration Prepare customized investment analysis and client meeting materials, including portfolio attribution and other portfolio-specific analysis Progress over time from primarily executing instructions to proactively identifying portfolio issues and recommending actions for advisor approval Stay appraised of and understand new investment opportunities brought forth by the firm’s investment committee and identify where and why the opportunity makes sense or does not for client portfolios. Work with custodians to ensure money moves properly between accounts, investment data is properly recorded and understand the limitations or restrictions imposed on accounts that may influence investment decision. Required Qualifications:   Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting, or a related field, with a strong academic record Genuine interest in investments and a career in wealth management; willingness to pursue the CFA designation during the role Strong analytical and Excel skills; comfort working across multiple advisors' books and priorities Familiarity or willingness to learn and master how to use various software programs, including but not limited to Microsoft Office, Claude, RedBlack, and Addepar. High attention to detail, particularly around trading, rebalancing, and…