Strategy & Corporate Development Manager

Summary

Location: London

Salary: Competitive

Closing Date: 13 September 2019

The Company

CQS is a credit-focused multi-strategy asset manager founded in 1999.Our firm's deep experience allows us to offer solutions for investors across a range of return objectives and risk appetites. CQS is an active asset manager with expertise across corporate capital structures including corporate credit, structured credit, asset backed securities, convertibles, loans and equities. We are committed to delivering performance and high levels of service to our investors.

CQS currently has $17.8bn assets under management and has offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, Jersey and Sydney. Our investors include pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, funds of funds, endowments and foundations, and private banks.

The Role: Strategy & Corporate Development Manager

The role will work with the Global Head of Strategy to analyse strategic initiatives and make recommend next steps.

Such initiatives may include, on-boarding strategic teams, establishment of joint ventures, possible fund transitions, set-up and implementation of asset management facilities in new geographic markets and select M&A transactions.

The individual would be expected to work autonomously to develop detailed business cases for such strategic initiative including understanding of the competitive landscape, impact on the firm's existing business model, possible resourcing and capital needs.

This role will also include a quarterly review of the firm's performance against key strategic indicators.

This is a highly visible role across a leading alternative asset management platform, focused on delivering its next phase of growth to ensure it is well placed to service the increasingly complex investment needs of sophisticated institutional investors.

This role involves working very closely with both the Global Head of Strategy and the Group CEO.

The Strategy Team is currently made up of 3 team members as well as having a Corporate Change Manager to lead the delivery of such projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Global Head of Strategy and Regional CEO's to take strategic initiatives and to deliver clear recommendations and next steps

• Develop detailed, costed business plans for potential organic and inorganic avenues of growth

• Develop business plans to develop the existing local office network as well as looking to launch subsequent such offices in key asset management geographies

• Input to commercial discussions on proposed initiatives

• Understanding of the Asset Management and competitor landscape to continually provide rigour to the existing strategic vision

• Begin to develop network with advisors to source such opportunities

• Develop trusted working relationships with the key stakeholders across the business, including the Investment teams, Distribution team and key corporate functions

• Must act as an agent for change - demonstrating a positive demeanour and approach to initiatives

• Use and continually develop leadership skills

Person Specification

• Awareness of the Asset Management regulatory landscape

• Acute understanding of the commercials and operations of a global asset manager

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and negotiate

• Proficient at modelling business cases and corporate transactions ideally gained in an Investment Bank focused on Financial Services (ideally asset management & exchanges)

• Aptitude to learn and understand complexity in business and people

• A self-starter able to solve complex problems often with innovative solutions - an autonomous culture which rewards those with the aptitude and desire to learn

• Numerate with good financial and spreadsheet skills

• Able to interact with people of all levels across a flat organisation with several high profile fund managers

• Language skills given team's global focus - requirement for Cantonese and Mandarin. Additional Asian language capabilities an advantage

• 1st class degree in Economics / Finance

• Minimum 4A's at A-Level including Maths