We’re Hiring

First Trust Capital Solutions L.P. (“FTCS”) is a holding company whose subsidiaries offer a curated spectrum of alternative investments across private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, real estate, and private credit. These solutions are offered in a variety of structures across the accreditation and liquidity spectrums including interval funds, private funds, and direct investments to broker-dealers, investment advisors, family offices, and institutions.

Junior Analyst

Job Type: Full-Time
Wage/Salary: Dependent on experience
Location(s): Chicago, IL

Summary

The Junior Analyst role at First Trust Alternative Investment Research (“FT AIR”) is focused on

supporting all aspects of the investment due diligence efforts with respect to the firm’s hedge fund, private equity, venture capital, real estate, private credit, and liquid alternatives investments and related co- investment opportunities. The Junior Analyst engages in detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of a range of alternative investments and is responsible for conveying their findings effectively to the firm’s broader investment team. This role requires analytical and technical skills as well as verbal and written communication skills. The Junior Analyst role sits within dozen person investment research team of FT AIR.

Principal Responsibilities:
  • Perform qualitative and quantitative assessments of alternative investment managers and strategies
  • Function as a point of contact for the investment team with prospective and existing portfolio investments
  • Participate in calls and meetings with existing and prospective alternative asset managers
  • Perform ad hoc statistical analyses of fund risk exposures
  • Compile and distribute formal written notes related to existing and potential investment meetings
  • Support the creation of broader investment committee recommendations
  • Lead the effort to maintain updated firm and fund materials with respect to existing investments
  • Provide analytical support to evaluate existing client portfolio investment performance
  • Responsible for maintaining and improving current investment due diligence work-flow processes
  • Provide trading/operational support for internally managed hedge fund portfolios
  • Manage various ad hoc research projects related to new product development
  • Assist in sourcing new alternative and liquid investments
  • Participate in the creation of market/industry commentary for firm marketing efforts
Qualifications:
  • 0-2 years of relevant work experience in investment banking, asset management, or related field
  • Excellent undergraduate academic record
  • Interest in or progress toward the CFA designation a plus
  • Interest in understanding hedge fund, private equity, private credit, and real estate strategies
  • Effective communicator, both written and verbal
  • Strong grasp of statistics used in financial analysis
  • A demonstrated high level of analytical/quantitative skill
  • Passion for the alternative asset management industry
  • Ability to manage simultaneous projects, often with time constraints
  • Self-motivated and highly curious
  • A willingness to travel both domestically and internationally up to 25% of the time
Technical/Systems Skills:
  • Highly proficient in: Microsoft Excel, Power Point, and Word
  • Experience with: Bloomberg, Morningstar, eVestment/Pertrac, LightKeeper, Enfusion a plus

First Trust Capital Management (“FTCM”) is a privately-owned alternative investment research and asset management firm that advises investment advisors, family offices, and high net worth individuals. FTCM was created on the belief that an independent firm was the best way to ensure our clients were served with their greatest interests in mind – both in terms of customized alternative investment solutions and a streamlined operational experience when investing in private and liquid alternatives.

FTCM houses a specialized business unit called FT Alternative Investment Research. This dedicated investment research team operates as a supportive unit to our advisor clients as well as a resource for a select group of institutional clients and family offices. The sole purpose of this dedicated team is to find investment solutions to enhance client portfolios. In 2021, FT AIR:

  • Participated in over 350 portfolio manager meetings
  • Performed initial review of 500 investment strategies
  • Participated in over 25 capital introduction events
  • Attended 10 top-tier investment conferences

Investment due diligence covers all asset classes and strategies, wherein the Research Team maintains a proprietary database of portfolio managers and all related correspondence. Importantly, the Research Team does not perform database screens to identify prospective portfolio managers. The vast majority of currently sourced funds and strategies have come through our extensive network and reach within the investment community as opposed to any screening process. Prior to making any allocations, the Research Team sets the expectation with the fund manager and their team that we require a certain level of transparency and access. We perform ongoing due diligence on our approved managers to ensure that are adhering to their style, process and investment mandate.

Investment Performance Analyst

Job Type: Full-Time
Wage/Salary: Dependent on experience
Location(s): Chicago, IL

Summary

At First Trust Capital Management we offer a curated spectrum of alternative investments across private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, real estate, and private credit. The Investment and Performance Analyst will be actively involved in First Trust Capital Management’s business development initiatives with an emphasis on investment, attribution, and data analysis rooted in a fundamental understanding of investment opportunities. The role will interface across business units as well as externally with portfolio managers, business development representatives, and other investment professionals.

The ideal candidate will have a broad knowledge of investment offerings in both traditional asset classes and alternative investments, have a working knowledge of investment structures such as ‘40-act mutual funds, interval funds, tender offer funds, private funds, and direct investments. Most importantly, the ideal candidate must have the ambition to work in a fast paced environment at a rapidly growing firm.

Responsibilities

  • Master and refine data analysis tools available to systemize how FTCS answers complex questions (both quantitively and qualitatively) on a regular cadence
  • Balance the completion of assigned reoccurring responsibilities, while meeting ad-hoc project request deliverables
  • Maintain a key focus on process management, output codification, and quality control
  • Conduct attribution, exposure, and other analyses to assess investment performance and provide actionable insights across public and private offerings
  • Manage performance and attribution analysis efficiently to complete ad-hoc data requests from outside sales team
  • Develop expertise on all current and future FTCS investment products and lines of business
  • Assist in providing unified sales messaging through providing regular data points and marketing support to the distribution team on portfolio positioning, asset class themes, and key selling points
  • Support development of product launch strategies and all aspects of generating ongoing product marketing collateral
  • Participate in meetings with internal and external stakeholders to share fund expertise and speak to the merits of investments and value proposition
  • Assist marketing and business development with other duties and special projects as needed
  • Maintain accurate data with and manage third-party vendor relationships as needed

Requirements

  • Wide knowledge of quantitative and qualitative concepts pertaining to all aspects of the broad investable universe
  • A desire to support the sales team and to help an already fast-growing business unit continue to expand without sacrificing quality or data integrity
  • Basic knowledge of asset management distribution model and channels
  • Ability to prioritize tasks, work on multiple assignments, and manage ambiguity
  • Aptitude for problem solving, ideal candidate must be resourceful and able to work both independently and as part of a team
  • Strong writing, communication, and presentation skills
  • Must be proficient in Microsoft applications (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint)
  • Advanced experience or progress towards learning (e.g., VBA, Macros) in Excel preferred
  • A keen understanding of utilizing systems to assist in performing portfolio attribution (Bloomberg, Morningstar, Lightkeeper)
  • Comfort and familiarity with large data sets, relational databases, reporting and query tools
  • Basic knowledge or a proficiency with SQL/Cognos or a programming language is a plus
  • Working knowledge of CRM programs (HubSpot, Salesforce) is a plus
  • Pursuit or progress towards a CFA, CAIA, CIPM and/or CIMA strongly preferred
  • 2+ years of relevant work experience, salary commensurate with experience

Email resume and cover letter to careers@firsttrustcapital.com

First Trust Capital Solutions offers a comprehensive benefits package.
First Trust Capital Solutions is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, M/F/D/V.