Director, Project Management- Advisor Services Alternative Investments

Your opportunity

Advisor Services(AS) is the leading provider of custodial, trading, technology and practice management to registered independent advisory firms. We provide access to sophisticated wealth-management services that help advisors attract and retain affluent clients, as well as profitably grow, compete and succeed in their business efforts.

Advisor Experience & Platform Solutions is seeking a Director, AS Alternative Investments to be a subject-matter-expert and advocate for Advisor Services’ alternative investments.  Alternative investments are a growing area with advisors and at Schwab, and this is a high-impact individual contributor position focusing on cross-functional collaboration with product partners and initiatives that help reduce risk, enhance operational efficiency, and support Schwab’s commitment to this space.

You will help create the optimal client experience for Schwab’s alternative investment product, policy and offerings.  The primary function of this role includes managing Advisor Services’ alternative investment risk, ensuring compliance through monitoring activities, and ensuring Advisor Services employees, advisors and their end-clients have proper information regarding alternative investments.

What you are good at:

The ideal candidate should have a good understanding of alternative investments, the diverse needs of RIAs and overall Advisor Services knowledge. The Director will actively participate in, and/or autonomously lead, projects to completion to drive growth of the alternative investment platforms, support of the team and the business, coordinate communication between Service/Sales/support teams and present product updates to business leadership. This individual contributor role will report to the Director, AS Operational & Wealth Services Experience and have the opportunity to gain exposure through work on critical / high visibility initiatives.

Individuals must have superior partnering skills as work typically requires a coordinated effort with team members and cross-functional business partners.  Members of the team who are highly successful demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively, develop recommendations that are data driven/fact-based, deliver results in a matrixed organization and have the flexibility to handle complex situations. We are seeking individuals with a bias for action and the ability to successfully execute on multiple projects simultaneously.

Key Responsibilities:

• Facilitate the alternative investment exception process for Advisor Services, collaborating with Legal and Compliance, Operational partners, and AS leadership.
• Monitor existing policy exceptions and mitigate risk. 
• Manage the AS Alternative Investment Concentration policy and work with Sales to ensure advisor compliance
• Maintain and update communications, forms, and educational resources, including Knowledge Center and Schwab Advisor Center.com
• Advise business partners on Schwab’s alternative investment offer to improve understanding and provide solutions to unique situations
• Mitigate risk of out-of-policy securities by facilitating the process to notify end-clients and lead Sales and Service partners to action.
• Oversee the Alternative Investment Annual Review process to ensure the current book of business meets policy 
• Handle complex or out-of-the box requests or SME roles and own them to completion
• Be available for on-demand project requests or conference calls with business partners or advisors
• Educate key partners such as Sales and Service as well as advisors on the latest technology and tools to help them with product adoption, overall growth and self-sufficiency
• Collaborate with internal partners to ensure timely and accurate delivery of projects and information
• Maintain a strong band of communication between internal business partners, including operational partners and leadership
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of features and benefits of the Schwab alternative investment offer, products, and services

What you have

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• 7+ years of experience in alternative investments or product management with a strong track record in project management and risk assessment
• Knowledge of Advisor Services business policies and procedures, products and services
• Strong experience with risk analysis, compliance or AML processes
• Solid communication skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to condense policies and concepts into clear, concise language
• Problem resolution skills as well as effective collaboration across departments to resolve issues, and the ability to build a consensus and influence others in a matrixed organization
• Exceptional attention to detail and analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to influence outcomes by building collaborative relationships with business partners
• Excellent business judgment including the ability to identify business risks and regulatory impacts and articulate those risks to business partners and all levels of management
• Excellent time and resource management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products

Preferred Qualifications

• Active or previously held FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses
• Active or previously held RINRA Series 9 &10 licenses
• 3-5 years in Advisor Services or working with registered investment advisors
• Experience with communications with the public
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects and responsibilities effectively and follow through from inception thru completion