Associate, Investment Operations

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry. Job Description At Ares, Investment Operations is a strategic partner to the investment business, ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of our global investment platform. We are seeking a highly motivated Investment Operations Analyst to join our New York-based Operational Excellence team. In this role, you will take ownership of critical operational processes while partnering across Operations, Portfolio Management, Technology, Fund Administration, Finance, and external banking partners to resolve complex operational challenges, strengthen controls, and drive strategic process improvements. This position is ideal for an experienced operations professional who enjoys solving complex problems, leveraging data to identify opportunities, and driving operational excellence. You'll gain broad exposure to sophisticated credit and alternative investment products while leading initiatives that improve scalability, enhance controls, and reduce operational risk across the firm. PRIMARY FUNCTIONS AND ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITES As an Investment Operations Analyst in the Operational Excellence team, you will play a key role in supporting Ares' investment platform by: Operational Excellence & Risk Management Own daily cash, par, and non custody reconciliation processes across Ares investment portfolios, ensuring timely identification and resolution of operational risks. Lead investigations into complex operational exceptions, performing detailed root cause analysis and coordinating cross functional resolution efforts. Identify systemic issues, recommend sustainable solutions, and implement control enhancements that improve operational resilience. Evaluate existing operational controls and recommend improvements to strengthen governance, reduce risk, and improve efficiency. Act as a subject matter resource for reconciliation and operational control processes. Cross-Functional Partnership Partner with Portfolio Management, Fund Administration, Treasury, Technology, Finance, and Operations to resolve complex operational issues and improve end-to-end workflows. Build trusted relationships with custodian banks, agent banks, and external service providers, driving timely issue resolution and process improvements. Review and challenge fund administrator processing, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to operational standards. Provide operational guidance and support to junior team members where appropriate. Process Improvement & Innovation Lead initiatives to automate manual processes and improve operational efficiency through technology and workflow redesign. Drive system enhancements, platform migrations, testing efforts, and new business implementations. Identify opportunities to improve scalability by leveraging automation, data analytics, and process optimization. Develop operational metrics and dashboards that provide insight into performance, risk, and process effectiveness. Champion continuous improvement initiatives across Investment Operations. Strategic Projects Lead workstreams on cross functional strategic initiatives supporting Investment Operations transformation. Represent Operational Excellence in project meetings and working groups, providing operational expertise and recommendations. Partner with Technology and business stakeholders to define business requirements and implement technology enabled solutions. Support change management efforts and adoption of new operational processes. QUALIFICATIONS: Education Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related discipline. Experience Required 3–6 years of experience in Investment Operations, Middle Office, Fund Operations, or related financial services functions. Strong experience supporting bank loan operations, private credit, fixed income, or alternative investment products. Demonstrated experience investigating complex operational issues and implementing process improvements. Proven ability to manage cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders across business and technology teams. Strong understanding of reconciliation processes, operational controls, exception management, and risk mitigation. Experience working with custodian banks, agent banks, broker dealers, prime brokers, and fund administrators. Solid understanding of accounting principles and investment operations. Experience within hedge funds, private credit, or private equity is preferred. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Power BI; experience with Wall Street Office, Geneva, Python, SQL, or automation tools is highly desirable. Experience participating in technology implementations, operating model changes, or business transformation initiatives is a plus. General Requirements Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to independently manage complex issues. Demonstrated ability to identify opportunities for operational improvement and drive execution. Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and a strong control mindset. Comfortable managing competing priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across multiple business functions. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present findings and recommendations. Proactive, acc