Director, Investment Risk

Summary:

The Director, Investment Risk will establish a centralized investment risk function within the Enterprise Data & Analytics team. Building upon GW&K’s current investment risk management practices, this function will provide coordinated risk measurement, analytics, governance, reporting, and oversight across the firm’s Equity and Fixed Income strategies.

This role will strengthen the firm’s ability to monitor, evaluate, and report on portfolio exposures, risk trends, and emerging risks across the organization. The Director, Investment Risk will partner closely with investment professionals, Product Management, Legal & Compliance, Information Technology, and senior leadership to enhance risk oversight, transparency, and support scalable growth.

The ideal candidate is a senior, hands-on investment risk professional who combines strategic vision with practical execution. This individual will advance GW&K's investment risk program and lead a consistent, firm-wide approach that complements the existing risk ownership and expertise within the investment teams.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the continued development and enhancement of GW&K's investment risk framework, including risk guidelines, oversight processes, governance practices, reporting standards, and escalation criteria.
• Monitor and report portfolio, strategy, and product-level risk exposures across Equity and Fixed Income strategies; track risk trends, thresholds, and outliers and escalate material exceptions as appropriate.
• Perform portfolio risk analysis, risk attribution, benchmark-relative assessments, factor analysis, scenario analysis, and stress testing.
• Actively participate in the Investment Policy Committee, Product Management Committee, and other related GW&K governance and operating committees. Lead the development of a formalized Investment Risk Committee over time.
• Work directly in investment risk and analytics platforms, including FactSet, Axioma, and Bloomberg, to evaluate portfolio exposures and risk characteristics.
• Partner with stakeholders to evaluate and implement technology enhancements that support the continued development of a more robust Fixed Income risk analytics and reporting capabilities.
• Develop and maintain risk dashboards, recurring reports, and analytical materials for investment teams, senior leadership, and governance forums.
• Partner with portfolio managers, analysts, and investment leadership to understand portfolio construction, risk drivers, and exposures while providing independent review, challenge, and oversight of material investment risks.
• Collaborate with Legal & Compliance and Business Infrastructure teams to improve risk data capture, reporting infrastructure, and historical trend analysis; support risk assessment, governance, and escalation activities where investment risks intersect with operational or regulatory matters.
• Support internal, client, and consultant due diligence requests related to portfolio risk, investment processes, and risk management practices.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required and CFA charter holder preferred.
• 8+ years of dedicated experience in investment risk management, portfolio analytics, or a closely related investment oversight function, ideally within a buy-side asset management environment.
• Demonstrated experience building, formalizing, or enhancing investment risk programs, governance structures, and operating frameworks within an institutional asset management organization, with proven hands-on Fixed Income risk expertise across reporting, analytics, and processes.
• Prior experience spanning both Fixed Income and Equity strategies strongly preferred.
• FRM certification is a plus. Familiarity with taxable and municipal Fixed Income strategies; experience evaluating, implementing, or enhancing Fixed Income or multi-asset risk systems.
• Proficient with using investment analytics and risk platforms such as Bloomberg, FactSet, Axioma, or comparable tools.
• Deep understanding of portfolio construction, benchmark-relative risk, tracking error, factor exposures, scenario analysis, and stress testing; familiarity with measures such as VaR, duration, convexity, spread risk, and liquidity risk.
• Strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with excellent written and verbal communication and the ability to translate complex risk concepts into clear, actionable insights for multiple audiences.
• Self-starter who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment and takes a hands-on approach to driving change, with comfort operating where tools, processes, and reporting standards continue to evolve.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills, with the ability to operate independently as the firm’s lead investment risk professional while engaging effectively with investment teams, senior leadership, and business stakeholders.
• Experience supporting investment risk committees, governance forums, client due diligence, or consultant requests is preferred.

This role is based in our Boston office on a hybrid schedule - 4 days per week in-office, 1 day per week remote. 

The actual base salary is dependent on several variables including but not limited to education, experience, skills, and geography. In addition, GW&K employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus and/or commission, which is based on a number of factors, including individual and firm performance.

Base Salary Range

$175,000-$225,000 USD

About GW&K

GW&K is a growing and dynamic investment management firm that is always looking for talented, hard-working, team-oriented individuals. We are interested in people that fit GW&K’s unique and highly collaborative culture.

The people who work at GW&K are the backbone of our firm. Everything we do from our mission to help our clients achieve their investment objectives, to building and sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is achieved because of the dedicated, talented, collaborative people who work here.

GW&K provides comprehensive benefits that are designed to meet the long-term needs of our employees and their families. Along with competitive compensation packages, we offer health and dental care coverage, employer-matched 401k, tuition reimbursement, parental leave and a variety of other benefits that support a healthy work/life balance in a hybrid environment.

GW&K Investment Management is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to gender, race, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, marital status, religion, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local laws.