Equity Analyst

Job Title: Equity Analyst
Employee Status: Regular
Schedule: Full-time 
Location: Hyrbid to Westfield Center, OH

About Us:
You’re ready to make your mark where people care about each other. Where your work is meaningful. And where your unique perspectives are welcome. Think about joining Westfield, a company focused on what’s most important – the people behind our policies.  

Westfield was founded in 1848 by a small group of hard-working farmers who believed in the promise of the future and the power of the individual. Today, as one of the nation’s leading property and casualty (P&C) companies, we remain true to their vision and are dedicated to making a positive difference in our customers’ lives.

Responsibilities :

•  Provides direct support to assigned Portfolio Manager 2 on fixed income, equity, or alternatives portfolios by performing economic, sector, sub-asset class and individual security or fund research, recommending specific securities, mutual funds, ETFs, limited partnership deals, or direct coinvestment deals, executing trades or agreements, and performing ongoing monitoring of all portfolio investments.
• Works to define the optimal sub-asset class allocation for each portfolio. Responsible for full life-cycle of investments, including sub-asset class research, portfolio construction, trading, and attribution.
  • Participates in team strategy discussions. Prepares and presents analysis on assigned sub-asset classes, including fundamental analysis, or interest rate analysis in support of recommendations.
  • Monitors market activity throughout the day, including analysis of market news, issuer and credit spreads, and discussions with industry peers and brokers. Monitors domestic and world situations, analyzing their effect on investments to ensure the successful management of portfolios.
  • Improves existing investment processes by making them more efficient and effective. Documents processes for business continuity purposes.
• Determines security selection within asset-class assignment(s).
  • Assesses security credit fundamentals such as yield spreads, ratings, earnings, events, and other drivers to determine impact on price performance and liquidity. Conducts duration and convexity analyses on the portfolio. Assesses equity security fundamentals such as business prospects, earnings growth, price/earnings multiples (P/E), dividend growth and yield, market/company events and other drivers to determine impact on total return potential. Conducts investment and operational due diligence of new and current alternative fund managers. Determines portfolio need by security strategy, historical and target performance, fees, sourcing capabilities and persistence of returns.
  • Derives future expected value of securities and their risk-return profile under normal and shocked adverse scenarios.
  • Employs multiple valuation methodologies to assess company performance.
  • Analyzes information related to economic conditions, business environment, financial markets, industry, regulations, and geopolitics for use in making investment decisions.
  • Builds and maintains industry and company-specific models with the goal of understanding the economic drivers of a business.
  • Monitors projected cash (income, excess premium, trading cash, etc.), identifies specific security-level investment decisions, and determines timing of purchases.
  • Generates orders and communicates to brokers for execution. Monitors executions and allocates trades, as appropriate, based on pre-defined allocation requirements.
• Monitors, analyzes, reviews, and reports on performance returns, attribution, and risk reporting metrics for securities in investment portfolios and maintains ongoing watch list.
  • Conducts economic studies to maintain up-to-date information on holdings and recommends additional purchases, sales, or exchanges.
  • Identifies / monitors various exposures and risks. Escalates to the Portfolio Manager 2 and the Chief Investment Officer when necessary.
  • Prepares and discusses monthly results with the Portfolio Manager 2 and the Chief Investment Officer.
  • Works on the annual planning and budgeting process. Performs monthly income variance analysis.
  • Analyzes securities in a loss position quarterly. Produces a rationale and recommendation on whether it should be impaired.
• Makes regular presentations to the Investment Committee with investment insights and provides a written summary to the Portfolio Manager 2, the Chief Investment Officer or the Investment Committee as appropriate.
  • Presents sector reviews and updates to the Investment Committee.
  • Periodically presents other reports as required such as those related to ERM, Liquidity, etc.
• Works on projects assigned by the Portfolio Manager 2 or the Chief Investment Officer.
• Supports the management reporting process as requested to ensure high-quality decision support.
• Manages all stakeholder relationships. Contributes to the annual assessment of approved broker list.
• Participates in calls with regulators and external auditors to review portfolio actions, OTTI and other potential investment portfolio impacts.
• Participates in periodic assessments of third-party advisors, brokers, and technology providers.
• Travels occasionally in order to perform special assignments, training, industry events, investment/economic research and/or between office locations.

Qualifications: 

•  1 years’ experience using quantitative and qualitative analytical skills to interpret financial data, including experience leveraging data to make decisions (e.g. working as a fixed income analyst, securities analyst, financial analyst, credit analyst or research analyst, or relevant experience with financial modeling or critically analyzing data).
• Working towards or will start working towards obtaining the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
• Advanced user of office productivity tools, including Excel, Word and Powerpoint to develop reliable work processes, models, and systems, and present their results.
• BS in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Engineering, Actuarial Science or related fields.
• Experience working independently to complete work assignments, projects and deliver effective presentations.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication with the ability to interact with all levels of the company and audiences.
• Strong trading and negotiating skills.
• Knowledge of Bloomberg (or similar investment software) and regulations governing insurance, banks and ERISA.
• Understanding of portfolio performance measurement and Modern Portfolio Theory.
• Valid driver’s license and a driving record that conforms to company standards.
• Physical  essential functions: ability to work 40 hours in an office environment (sitting, standing, on a computer, etc.), operate office related technology (computer, phone, etc.), travel as required.

Westfield offers a Total Rewards program that focuses on compensation, benefits and wellness, and includes perks like 401(k), pension plan, annual incentive, education reimbursement, flex-time, onsite fitness center or gym reimbursement and casual dress. Work/life balance, recognition, and learning and career development are all part of a rewarding career with Westfield. 

Learn more about current opportunities at www.westfieldinsurance.com/careers.

We are an equal opportunity employer/minority/female/disability/protected veteran.

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