Head of Investment Risk

Job Title: Headof Investment Risk

Location: London

Client: Confidential (Institutional Asset Manager)

Employment Type: Full-Time Permanent

Reports to: Chief Risk Officer (CRO)

Overview

We are working exclusively on behalf of a highly reputable institutional asset manager to identify an experienced Head of Investment Risk. This is a pivotal leadership role within a well-resourced and growing investment function. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the full spectrum of investment risk-spanning public and private markets-and will lead a team focused on providing proactive insight, control, and challenge to the investment process. This opportunity offers significant visibility across executive leadership and investment committees and would suit a candidate seeking meaningful influence in a purpose-driven, intellectually rigorous organisation.

Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Design and lead a best-in-class investment risk framework across asset classes, including equities, fixed income, credit, private equity, real assets, and multi-asset portfolios.
• Act as a senior risk advisor to the CIO, CRO, and Executive Committee on matters related to market risk, liquidity, counterparty exposure, and risk-adjusted performance.
• Provide regular investment risk oversight to the Board, Investment Committees, and Risk Committees.

Risk Analysis & Oversight

• Ensure effective measurement, monitoring, and analysis of investment risk at both mandate and portfolio levels, with particular attention to private markets and alternative investments.
• Lead the production and development of tailored risk reports using tools such as Barra, MSCI RiskMetrics, and in-house models to deliver insight to portfolio managers and senior stakeholders.
• Oversee escalation protocols for risk breaches and performance anomalies, ensuring appropriate governance and challenge.

Team Management & Development

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of risk professionals focused on analytics, assurance, and reporting.
• Foster a collaborative culture across risk and investment functions; embed a healthy and commercial risk mindset across first and second lines of defence.
• Ensure strong succession planning and resourcing coverage across critical areas of the function.

Data, Models & Systems

• Oversee enhancement of the risk infrastructure including data architecture, model validation, stress testing, and scenario analysis.
• Champion the development of dynamic tools and dashboards to support automated, timely risk reporting and actionable insights.
• Support integration of new systems and methodologies, working closely with internal quant, IT, and portfolio analytics teams.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate cross-functionally with investment teams, performance and attribution specialists, compliance, and finance.
• Build trusted relationships across internal stakeholders and represent the function to key external advisors, auditors, and regulators.
• Contribute to firm-wide initiatives including policy development, balanced scorecards, and ESG risk considerations.

Candidate Profile Required Skills & Experience

• 10+ years of investment risk experience, ideally within asset management, pension schemes, sovereign wealth funds, or large institutional investors.
• Proven leadership in managing risk across traditional and alternative asset classes, including private markets.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory frameworks (AIFMD, Solvency II, etc.) and investment governance structures.
• Proficiency with risk systems (e.g., Barra, RiskMetrics, Bloomberg) and quantitative tools (e.g., Excel VBA, Python, R, SQL).
• Strong presentation skills; ability to translate complex risk metrics into clear, actionable insights for investment and governance audiences.
• Strong academic background; degree in Finance, Economics, Mathematics, or related discipline. CFA/FRM preferred.

Desired Attributes

• Strategic thinker with strong analytical foundation and commercial acumen.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to engage and influence at all levels.
• High attention to detail, proactive and organized in managing complex workloads.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and shaping how risks support long-term value creation.

Why Apply?

• Opportunity to shape and lead a high-impact investment risk function.
• Close collaboration with executive leadership and investment decision-makers.
• Exposure to a diverse, global, and complex investment portfolio.
• Supportive and intellectually curious environment with a purpose-led culture.
• Competitive compensation and benefits tailored to seniority and experience.

To Apply

This search is conducted on a confidential basis. For more information or to express interest, please contact our recruitment team directly: Josh Lawson or Georgina Carter. All applications will be handled with utmost discretion. Please note that the budget is restrictive and non-negotiable. There is a tight timeline, and applications will close soon.