Principal, Public Markets, Investment Risk UK

Principal, Public Markets, Investment Risk | London

AustralianSuper is the largest pension fund in Australia and one of the 20 largest pension funds globally. We are a responsible, long term asset owner committed to delivering strong retirement outcomes for members, with strong governance central to our approach.

At AustralianSuper, we truly care about our colleagues. We know work and life are intertwined, so we support the flexibility and balance that helps our people thrive.

Your new role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal working within Public Markets Investment Risk to join our Group Risk team.

This is a senior Line 2 investment risk role, acting as a recognised Subject Matter Expert for Listed Equities and providing independent oversight, challenge and insight across the Fund’s public markets investment activities.

Working closely with senior investment stakeholders, you’ll bring an independent risk perspective to portfolio strategy, manager appointments, investment proposals and key governance decisions. You’ll also play an important role in continuing to evolve our public markets risk frameworks and ensuring our approach reflects leading global institutional investment practice.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Provide independent oversight and challenge across Listed Equities strategies, including International and Australian Equities.
• Review portfolio strategies, manager appointments, investment proposals and strategic initiatives, providing clear and commercially informed risk perspectives.
• Assess portfolio exposures, concentrations and emerging risks, identifying potential vulnerabilities and implications for the broader Fund.
• Challenge investment assumptions, valuation approaches, portfolio construction decisions, liquidity considerations and other key risk drivers.
• Prepare high-quality independent risk assessments, reviews and materials for senior management and governance forums.
• Lead the ongoing development of Listed Equities and broader public markets risk frameworks, methodologies, monitoring approaches and governance practices.
• Provide thought leadership on emerging market risks, industry developments and evolving investment structures.
• Build strong relationships with investment teams, external managers and advisers while maintaining independence of judgement.
• Partner with colleagues across Investment & Liquidity Risk and Group Risk to provide a holistic view of investment risk across the portfolio.
• Contribute to Board, Committee and Executive risk reporting and support a strong risk culture across the Fund.

What you’ll need

We’re looking for a highly experienced investment or risk professional who can combine deep Listed Equities expertise with strong commercial judgement and the confidence to constructively challenge senior investment stakeholders.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Extensive experience across public markets investing, investment risk, portfolio management, ideally having worked within a pension fund, sovereign wealth fund, asset manager, or regulated financial services environment.
• Deep experience and technical knowledge of Listed Equities.
• Strong understanding of equity risk drivers including market, sector, style, regional, manager, concentration, liquidity and idiosyncratic risk.
• Strong knowledge of portfolio construction, including multi-manager portfolios and differing investment strategies and objectives.
• Demonstrated experience providing credible independent challenge to senior investment professionals.
• Experience developing or enhancing public markets risk frameworks, methodologies and monitoring approaches.
• An understanding of the role of Listed Equities within large, diversified multi-asset institutional portfolios.
• The ability to identify emerging risks and translate complex analysis into clear, actionable insights.
• Experience preparing investment reviews, risk opinions and governance materials for senior executives, Investment Committees or Boards.
• Exceptional analytical, critical-thinking and judgement skills.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to make complex investment and risk concepts clear to different audiences.

• Relevant Degree / Qualifications and hold an accreditation in Risk Management or be willing to obtain one after joining the Fund.

This position is based at London King’s Cross Estate, one of the core assets of the Fund’s global portfolio, with a hybrid work schedule. 

Life at AustralianSuper: Our London and New York offices are made up of over 300 talented colleagues and is expected to grow further over the next three years meaning when you join you become a key part of building our culture.

As we collaborate with colleagues across multiple time zones flexibility in work hours are both a requirement and opportunity for this role.

We offer great benefits including generous leave type, leading pension contributions, health insurance and promote a blended working environment in which all roles can flex, and we’re happy to discuss what this looks like for you.

We are committed to supporting our diverse workforce in a way that is inclusive and embraces diversity in all its forms. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process or the role, please let our recruitment team know.

What’s next: If you have deep Listed Equities expertise and are looking for an opportunity to apply that experience in a highly sophisticated, long-term institutional investment environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now, if you share our values of Energy, Integrity, Generosity of Spirit and Excellent Outcomes and would like the opportunity to work in a challenging, growing and rapidly evolving team to deliver outstanding results.

AustralianSuper uses AI to review resumes and conduct initial phone interviews. This involves processing your resume, cover letter, and voice recording in Australia, the UK and the USA to help assess your suitability for the applied role. When invited to an AI phone screening, you may opt for a traditional phone screening instead. For information on how we handle your personal data, please refer to our Candidate Privacy Policy.

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