At American Equity we offer leading annuity products that help empower our clients to fulfill their needs and wants in retirement. Our success comes from hiring high-energy individuals who embody the beliefs that drive our unique culture. We currently fund over half a million retirements nationwide, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, for over thirty years with satellite offices in Charlotte, NC and New York, NY.

 

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE JOB:   

Investments FP&A Director is responsible for oversight of the FP&A functions within the investments team and analysis of the strategic alignment with enterprise objectives, strategic initiatives analysis and related investment data / metrics that drive senior management decision making to meet strategic goals. Investments FP&A director will manage team and drive departmental priorities including allocating resources to support business objectives, strategic initiatives, and planning needs. The Investments FP&A Director has consolidated ownership of the investments plan models (STAT & GAAP) for the enterprise, including collaboration with investment managers and teams where relevant. The Director regularly engages in strategic financial and investment conversations with business partners and monitors key performance indicators that measure investment returns and adherence to investment policies, statutes, and limitations.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• Engages business partners to oversee the creation of detailed investment plans and influences strategic business actions and decisions to improve understanding of investment performance including identification of opportunities to increase efficiency, profitability and optimizing capital.
• Owns and builds on current models to forecast investments, financials, investment KPI’s and KRI’s, and compliance with investment policy statements while applying investment, business, and financial knowledge to help explain results of forecasts and projections.
• Analyzes investment outlook, identifies key areas of risk and opportunity, and makes recommendations to Deputy CIO, CIO, and investment managers for improvements or adjustments.
• Manages or assists in gathering and manipulating data from multiple sources for analysis to identify trends, extract insights and deliver actionable presentations of findings.
• Prepares and maintains financial models and tools, leveraging team of contributors, to provide consolidated and entity-specific outlook of investment performance and profitability on a STAT and GAAP basis including analysis by asset class.
• Collaborate with business leaders and FP&A counterparts to enhance business leaders’ assessment of profitability and risk-adjusted returns.
• Leads an efficient team of employees with responsibility for managing the employee life cycle and experience, including but not limited to: (1) selection and retention of talent (2) continuous feedback and performance management (3) reward and recognition (4) corrective action and employee development.
  • Helps monitor regulatory and rating agency developments related to investments that will impact financial performance and capital efficiency.
• Master knowledge of all asset classes in the American National portfolio including risk and return characteristics and capital implications across accounting, regulatory and rating agency frameworks.
• Apply financial and economic concepts including investment & financial modeling, economic analysis, discounted cash flow analysis, various valuation methodologies, and net investment income.
• Demonstrates investment, finance, business, and industry expertise; learns strategy, drivers, metrics, and data elements of the company.
• Leverages analytical tools and methodologies (including visualizations) to present findings.
• Identifies key areas requiring attention or additional focus to proactively address questions for management.
• Establishes credibility through respectful, thoughtful interactions, attention to detail, professional integrity, and excellent financial insight.
• Creates, promotes, and sustains a high-performance culture; continuously raising the performance bar for the investments team.
• Formulates questions for the team to research and analyze for enterprise benefit.
• Maintain and build technical skillset and continued education in platforms including but not limited to Microsoft Suite, Bloomberg, SP Global, SAP, Aladdin, etc.
• Performs other related work as needed.
• Performs other related work as assigned.

 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Direct Reports: TBD

General Description of Indirect Reports (2 and 3-downs): None

 

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:  

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university in accounting, finance, or business; plus ten (10) years of progressively responsible related financial planning and analysis/reporting experience, including two (2) in a leadership role; or equivalent training and/or experience.
• Experience in investments and/or alternatives and financing industry.

 

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS:

• Certified Financial Planning and Analysis Professional (FP&A) is preferred.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:   

• Exceptional data and analytical skills with high attention to detail.
• Proficient in use of Microsoft Office Suite, Bloomberg & Capital IQ.
• Strong quantitative capabilities, analytical and spreadsheet aptitude.
• Ability to complete tasks daily that are under specific deadlines with no exceptions.
• Ability to maintain relationships with brokers, custodians, managers, and other organizations as well as coworkers and Senior management.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Ability to begin to review and rationalize analyst and associate work product.
• Exceptional people and communication skills, including collaboration in a team environment.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to present information to groups of individuals at varying levels within the enterprise.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where limited standardization exists.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, pressure, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.

 

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