Company: Westwood Partners www.westwood-partners.com
Position: Research Associate
Location: New York, NY
Reporting: The Research Associate will report to Aric Ng, Head of Research at Westwood Partners. Prior to joining Westwood in 2003, Aric was an equity research analyst at SG Cowen. Aric has an undergraduate degree in finance from Bentley University
Westwood Partners: Founded in 2002, Westwood Partners is a retained executive search boutique focused exclusively on the financial services industry. Westwood is comprised of 12 senior recruiters, each of whom has pertinent work experience in the financial services industry, extensive subject matter knowledge and a successful track record working with clients to understand their critical business needs. Consequently, we are able to identify and recruit superior talent and achieve unparalleled results on behalf of our clients. As trusted advisors, we work closely with our clients to increase their understanding of the competitive landscape, to identify areas of strategic advantage and investment, and to structure their businesses to compete most effectively. Westwood Partners provides global coverage for our clients, having successfully completed numerous assignments in North America, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East . Westwood Partners provides world class executive search and advisory services in the following areas: Capital Markets, Hedge Funds, Asset Management, Investment Banking, Private Equity, Wealth Management, Sales and Trading, and Real Estate.
Opportunity: Westwood has experienced significant growth since its inception 8 years ago, both in terms of the number of recruiters employed and the number of clients/engagements served. As a result, there is a distinct need to expand the capabilities of our existing Research function. At Westwood, the Research group is a critical part of the team and is responsible for providing support to the recruiters with information essential to the completion of the search or consulting effort. More specifically, Research at Westwood is responsible for the execution of candidate identification, organizational mapping, competitive intelligence and market analysis. As such, the Research group plays an active role in developing and broadening the knowledge base of the firm. This hire will be an integral part of the broader Research team.
Major Responsibilities:
Some of the Research Associate’s major responsibilities will be as follows:
- Prepare “get smart” packages for recruiters ahead of new business pitches that help the team quickly and effectively understand the competitive landscape of a particular industry sub-sector.
- Participate in search kick-off meetings by proactively recommending a research strategy.
- Generate potential candidates, sources, and target lists through the use of independent desktop research, phone calls, and proprietary databases.
- Monitor industry news and trends, ensuring the timely communication of this information to recruiters.
- Assist in the development of new business presentations and materials, utilizing the firm’s resources.
- Create organizational charts and other mappings to be used both for specific search work as well as for general firm knowledge.
- Assist in the firm’s knowledge management activities, which includes managing and periodically reviewing the firm’s publications/ databases.
- Update and maintain the firm’s proprietary database, market overviews, and other research materials.
- Prepare search status reports as needed.
- Assist in keeping the firm’s website and other marketing collateral current.
Ideal Profile: The successful candidate must have prior experience in a research associate, analyst, or market research position in the financial services industry. He/she will have developed an excellent conceptual understanding of the financial services industry and will be familiar with the industry’s various functions. Prior experience in an executive search firm is ideal, but is not critical.
The successful candidate will also have the following competencies:
Strong intellectual capacity with a natural sense of curiosity- Highly developed conceptual skills
- An ability to synthesize information and grasp concepts quickly
- An ability to present material in an organized and clear manner
- Excellent organization skills and an extreme attention to detail
- An ability to manage a demanding workload, balance multiple tasks, and prioritize projects as needed
- An understanding and knowledge of organizational structures within the financial services industry
- Strong computer skills and familiarity with technical tools/databases
- An ability to handle and thrive in ambiguity
Westwood Partners LLC.
330 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10017
(646) 495-5483
