Investment Operations Analyst at Cascade Asset Management Company

Cascade Asset Management Company (“Cascade”) is proud to protect and grow capital in service of Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation Trust in support of their mission-related and philanthropic activities. Mr. Gates and the Foundation Trust are committed to creating a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.

Located in the Seattle area, Cascade applies its fundamental, long-horizon investment approach across asset classes and geographies, primarily through direct investing, as well as through a select group of funds and segregated accounts. Cascade offers the unique blend of being part of a team that manages a multi-billion-dollar portfolio while also working with professionals in a culture that values intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and respect.

Team Description

Investment Operations is a dynamic, energetic, and collaborative group operating as a central hub within the organization. Investment Operations is responsible for timely and accurate processing of all portfolios, securities, and related entity transactions. Specific team functions include cash management, trade confirmation and settlement, portfolio and custody reconciliations, collateral management, corporate actions, and asset transfers, and security master setup and maintenance.

Position Description

The Investment Operations Analyst is directly responsible for successful execution of day-to-day operations for a global, multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio holding a vast array of asset types including equities, OTC and cleared derivatives, fixed income, private equity and real assets, etc. As a result, the Analyst role provides a unique opportunity for diversified learning and a breadth of experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure seamless confirmation and settlement of trade activities with counterparties and custodians, leveraging systems such as Blackrock’s Aladdin, CTM, Acadia, and other industry tools
• Validate, confirm, and instruct initial margin and variation margin (IM/VM) margin call activity related to bilateral and cleared over-the-counter (OTC) and exchange-traded-derivatives (ETD) positions
• Manage Prime Broker activity including validation of risk margin calculations and posting of sufficient collateral
• Ensure accuracy of cash and investment positions within the Investment Book of Record (IBOR)
• Setup and maintain critical reference data and asset information across all asset classes, including publics, privates, and derivatives
• Interface directly with the trading desk, legal, and other internal/external teams to facilitate issue resolution
• Complete timely new account and market request activities within internal and external systems
• Effectuate changes from corporate or class actions, validating, communicating, and processing updates to systems
• Mentor junior staff, facilitating operational excellence and helping foster a culture of continuous learning
• Identify and assess risks across the trade lifecycle and escalate accordingly to management
• Develop and implement training and educational materials for new hires on core responsibilities; participate in knowledge sharing and learning opportunities
• Support the definition, collection, and reporting of operational metrics tied to data quality and operational excellence
• Collaborate on critical initiatives, process improvement roadmaps, and innovative ideas to improve service delivery and standards
• Provide project support in collaboration with other teams
  
  

Skills And Qualifications

• 2+ years of financial services or securities experience required, preferably within a middle or back-office investment operations role
• Undergraduate degree preferably in finance, accounting, economics or related field; CFA a plus
• Basic understanding of fixed income and equity markets, foreign exchange (FX), derivatives, and collateral management
• Ability to multitask and balances priorities against ambiguity in a fast-paced environment
• Possesses a keen eye for details, superlative accuracy, with a no-tolerance approach for data inaccuracy
• Driven by process efficiencies and system improvement; approaches day-to-day operational data optimization with passion
• Able to present ideas and plans clearly, using available resources, in order to foster understanding across a multitude of stakeholders at various seniority levels
• Applies statistical and graphical techniques to raw data to discover useful information. Clearly drafts documents, reports, and presentation materials
• Proficiency in Excel required
• Expertise with SQL and VBA strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to learn new applications/systems quickly with previous Aladdin experience preferred
• Demonstrated understanding of the project management lifecycle
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with an empathic style, improving partnership and cross-group collaboration skills
  
  

$85,000 - $105,000 a year

Cascade is committed to paying employees equitably for substantially similar work. Base salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple reasons, including but not limited to relevant experience, knowledge, education, and degree to which a candidate meets the role requirements, current business needs, and market factors. A reasonable estimate of the current base salary range for this position will generally be between $85,000 to $105,000 per year, but the final salary offered may be outside this range based on these reasons and individual circumstances. Additionally, base salary is only part of the total compensation package as we believe that our employees are the reason for our success, and in recognition of their contributions, eligible employees may participate in a generous annual performance-based discretionary bonus program.

What We Value

Cascade is deeply committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants seeking employment. All employment decisions are based on a candidate’s or employee’s capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, age, national origin, citizenship, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Questions regarding accommodation requests due to a disability should be directed to Human Resources.

Employment Requirements

Upon hire, you are required to present proof of your eligibility to legally work in the U.S.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.