Technology Support Specialist

Ariel Investments is a premier, boutique, asset management firm. Our primary goal is to drive exceptional investment returns by bringing diverse perspectives together. The only way to beat a benchmark is to not look like one. As value investors, our thinking is deliberate and unconventional. We offer an independent, patient investing approach and aim to deliver excellence in any environment. We uphold our fiduciary responsibility to every shareholder, no matter how big or small. 

At Ariel, we strongly believe that teamwork yields results—which is why we have Co-CEOs. John W. Rogers, Jr. and Mellody Hobson share a desire to cultivate leaders who are curious, focused and disciplined. We are nimble and efficient. Our drive is fanatical and intentional. Everyone plays their position, and each contribution is critical to our firm’s success. We seek subject matter experts who are unapologetically themselves. We encourage our employees to reach their full potential and we give them the runway to do so.   

After four decades of active investing, we remain committed to our clients, our teammates and our community. We strive to be best-in-class investors and pioneer a path for those who entrust us with their financial future.  

Position Summary:

Ariel Investments is seeking a Technology Support Specialist, reporting to our Technology Operations team, to help deliver best-in-class technical support in our Chicago office. The successful candidate will manage technical support issues cradle-to-grave across our key trading, back-office, and market data systems. They will collaborate with team members across the technology organization to maintain and enhance the end-user experience for all Ariel team members.

Responsibilities:

• Support business critical Front and Middle Office tools (ex; CRD, Eagle, Electra, Factset), with a focus on the data integration between these core systems


• Improve existing automations and workflows for overnight and start of day batch, including further building out alerts and notifications on critical data delivery


• Troubleshoot internal and external system integrations and other core ETL processes


• Create and manipulate files, interact with DBAs and databases and SQL programming


• Serve as the point person for after-hours batch or evening process remediation to ensure a clean start of day for investment teams


• Help build stronger relationships with key technology providers the front and middle office leverage


• Provides exceptional deskside and remote support to Ariel team members across our Chicago and New York offices


• Provides installation, configuration, maintenance and troubleshooting support of computer hardware, software, audio/visual, networks, printers, and computer peripherals


• Ensures past incidents and resolutions are documented appropriately according to our newly created iTIL standards   

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of related technical experience


• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, business computing, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education, certification, and experience


• Experience in the financial service industry is required 


• Comfortable interacting with traders, portfolio managers, and company executives


• Experience supporting front-office technologies, including Order Management, market data platforms, and public cloud solutions, is a plus


• Background supporting Avaya telephony, IPC trader voice systems, Microsoft 365 (including Teams and SharePoint), and a large Windows 11 (or higher) laptop environment


• Excellent communication skills; self-motivated and a team first collaborator


• Recognized as a strong contributor to company culture

Compliance:

Ariel employees, including the incumbent(s) in this position, are required to: (1) read and strictly adhere to all compliance policies and procedures of the various Ariel entities, as applicable; and (2) work together with their colleagues, including the CCO, to resolve compliance issues.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Diversity:

Ariel celebrates diversity and practices inclusion as a way to get work done – it’s in our DNA. As an equal opportunity employer, employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, parental status (including pregnancy), disability, perceived disability, veteran status, status of military discharge, or any other basis under federal, state, or local law. Ariel prohibits discrimination against an applicant or employee because of their actual or perceived protected characteristic(s), and is committed to recruiting, retaining, and developing a diverse group of talented applicants, and to providing employees with a workplace free from discrimination and/or harassment.

Equal employment opportunity takes place in all employment practices, including recruiting, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, and termination. The firm seeks to uphold an inclusive culture where diversity is recognized and valued. As such, Ariel provides employees a robust benefits package that includes:

• Coverage for same-sex partner (domestic or spouse)


• Coverage for children (natural born, step, adopted or foster)


• Fully paid medical insurance that covers fertility treatments, gender affirmation


• Employer contributions to a Health Savings Account


• Maternity leave at 100% pay (12 weeks)


• Paid Parental Leave (up to 12 weeks depending on tenure)

Lastly, all employees have access to Ariel-sponsored educational, training, and recreational activities.