The Chief Investment Officer will assume the leadership responsibility for managing the portfolio management team and overseeing the Mercer Funds and custom portfolios for all types of clients in Canada. The Chief Investment Officer (CIO) will guide the team in building portfolios for usage by delegated clients and be responsible for the oversight of day-to-day activities including monitoring performance, execution of dynamic de-risking trades for clients, re-balancing execution, and client transactions. Play a leading role by acting as “The Investment Expert” in offering Mercer solutions to the institutional market. Work with larger clients to design and build bespoke investment solutions that meet client’s risk/return targets. This position will provide leadership to influence all stakeholders in Canada.

Investment Expert

oPlay a leading role by acting as an “Investment Expert” in guiding the team in the portfolio construction process. 

oPlay lead role in the design and management of the strategies in Canada.

oProactively identify the best investment structures on an ongoing basis to ensure portfolio objectives.

oEnsure Mercer’s best thinking is incorporated in all portfolios.

Manager Selection

oPlay a key role in the identification and selection of suitable investment managers.

oPlay a key role in monitoring the Mercer Portfolio’s and custom client managers.

oSupport Dynamic De-risking Solutions (DDS) Architect/Custom Client PM for the selection of long duration/matching funds.

oManage the investment team in the selection of investment managers for Defined Benefit (DB), Defined Contribution (DC), Wealth Management, Not-for-Profit and Insurance clients.

oContribute to a two-way dialogue with the manager research team to ensure awareness of best ideas and vice versa.

Coordinate Implementation Activities with DDS

oWork with head of DDS implementation to coordinate and collaborate with head of DDS implementation Team.

oPromote consistency with Defined Benefit value proposition and DDS value proposition.

Work with Leadership, Business Leaders & Stakeholders

oEstablish a working relationship with key leaders and business leaders in Canada.

oPromote Mercer innovation in order to meet commercial needs of the market place.

oTake a lead role in developing innovative investment solutions.

oWork with Mercer’s Manager Research teams as well as other sources of intellectual capital to ensure Mercer Funds always represent Mercer’s best ideas in them.

oEnsure the Investment Team integrates and supports operational requirements.

oWork with Legal & Compliance to ensure recommended investment solutions are viable with clients.

Delegated Implementation & Marketing

oManage the proper implementation of portfolios, including contributing to the preparation of suitable material for and discussion with clients.

oContribute to the preparation of new business presentations, RFPs and tender documents as required.

Key Skills Required

oThe Chief Investment Officer (CIO) will have extensive experience in manager search and selection as well as multi-manager portfolio construction with a strong track-record of adding value through manager selection and blending as well as portfolio construction and risk management in a Fund environment including Regulatory requirements.

oThe CIO will have extensive experience of asset allocation processes with a strong track-record in adding value through strategic and dynamic asset allocation across traditional and alternative assets including private markets.

oThe CIO will have a good working knowledge of defined benefit and defined contribution strategies including Target Date Funds and post-retirement solutions.

oThe CIO will have a track record in advising and influencing large, sophisticated clients and their advisors and have extensive interaction with senior client decision makers. 

oThe CIO will have strong communication and analytical skills and be able to interact confidently with other senior investment professionals, internal stakeholders including client service and sales staff, with clients and tender managers.

oThe ability to confidently represent Mercer and our DS fund strategies with external audiences both small and large (including as conference speaker and with media), enhancing the brand, is essential.