"Investment Operations Manager"

Liberty University is seeking a highly motivated CPA, CFA or CIA with deep expertise in investment operations, fund accounting, and reconciliation to join the Liberty University Investment Office (LUIO). This role involves leading onboarding and ongoing monitoring of external investment managers with a focus on Operational Due Diligence (ODD), ensuring thorough evaluation of operational risks and controls. This individual will also play a crucial role in maintaining data integrity for the University’s accounting and performance books of record by collaborating closely with State Street and Liberty’s Accounting team to ensure accurate and timely reconciliation of investment transactions, positions, and valuations across all accounts. This position requires a professional who is proactive, detail-oriented, collaborative, and aligned with Liberty’s Christian values.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Due Diligence & Manager Oversight

• Lead and implement operational due diligence for 8-10+ new managers per year, and 20+ existing investment managers.
• Maintain relationships with third-party operational due diligence providers and deliver comprehensive summaries of their reports for presentation to the Investment Committee.
• Evaluate operational due diligence reports and address any identified concerns, coordinating with relevant stakeholders to ensure appropriate follow-up and resolution.
• Review and analyze both manager-level and fund-level audited financial statements to ensure sound financial practices, and alignment with institutional standards.
• May be required to complete a comprehensive operational due diligence report independent from third party providers.
• Develop and maintain a manager onboarding and monitoring framework, ensuring consistent evaluation of operational risks and controls, while overseeing the maintenance and effective use of the LUIO’s research management system to support informed decision-making and ensure documentation integrity.
• Liaise with fund managers, administrators, custodians, and service providers to ensure robust operational practices and documentation.

Accounting, Reconciliation & Cash Flow Management

• Oversee daily and monthly reconciliation of cash and securities transactions across all investment accounts.
• Ensure accuracy of capital calls, distributions, wire transfers, and fee tracking.
• Collaborate with internal Accounting and external custodians (e.g., State Street) to maintain the integrity of the accounting book of record.
• Support audit and tax-related requests, ensuring timely and complete responses.
• Conduct periodic self-audits and escalate any process or control gaps.
• Manage all annual audit requests from external auditors on behalf of LUIO, coordinating closely with Liberty’s accounting department to ensure timely and accurate fulfillment of documentation and reporting requirements.
• Responsible for reviewing the work of operations analysts and ensuring that analysts follow proper procedures, while also working with analysts to suggest necessary changes to improve processes.

Data Management & Documentation

• Supervise and lead the reconciliation process between the LUIO analytics system and custodian records, setting standards for data validation, guiding resolution protocols, and ensuring cross-platform consistency and reliability.
• Perform data integrity reviews of investment transactions, positions, valuations, and performance metrics.
• Manage acquisition, categorization, and secure storage of manager documents and market data.
• Monitor manager correspondence and reporting, escalating time-sensitive issues as needed.

Workflow Management

• Manage subscription, redemption, and regulatory documentation for new investments.
• Maintain operational workflows and ensure compliance with internal controls and external regulations.
• Assist in the implementation and integration of LUIO’s new analytics systems for performance and risk, ensuring alignment with operational workflows and data integrity standards.

Investment Support

• Oversee the creation of executive-level materials that will be presented to the Investment Committee, including performance reporting and analysis, operational updates, and manager due diligence summaries.
• Collaborate closely with the LUIO team to review materials prepared for the Investment Committee and Board of Trustees, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with the LUIO’s standards of professionalism and presentation.
• Coordinate with external vendors and internal procurement teams to manage and maintain investment-related contracts, ensuring compliance and operational continuity.
• Lead collaborative efforts with the LUIO to monitor portfolio-level risk exposures, leveraging the newly selected risk system to generate actionable insights and ensure timely escalation of emerging risks.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervise assigned investment staff and interns.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDENTIALS

Education and Experience

• CPA, CFA, or CIA is required.
• 5-7 years of experience in investment operations, fund accounting, internal audit or operational due diligence at an endowment, foundation, pension, or asset management firm.
• Proven experience with manager onboarding, monitoring, and risk assessment.
• Strong understanding of investment accounting, reconciliation processes, and operational controls.
• Excellent communication, critical thinking, and organizational skills.
• High integrity and alignment with Liberty University’s mission.
• Proficiency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook; experience with Bloomberg, MSCI Total Plan, Solovis, Bipsync, or similar systems preferred.
• Ability to articulate and defend the unique Christian educational mission and vision of Liberty University and its subsidiaries to a wide variety of individuals and groups.
• Self-motivated and directed, possessing an ability to motivate others.
• The highest level of integrity, honesty, and sense of fiduciary duty.
• Individual must not be in default on any federal student or parent loan.
• Individual must not be convicted of, or pled nolo contendere or guilty to, a crime involving the acquisition, use, or expenditure of federal, state, or local government funds, or be administratively or judicially determined to have committed fraud or any other material violation of law involving federal, state, or local government funds (CFR 668.14(b)(18)(i)).

ABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES ESSENTIAL TO THE FUNCTION OF THE JOB

Communication and Comprehension

• Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing to convey clear, well-articulated information.
• Ability to communicate in a professional and Christ-like manner, resolving issues with an attitude of courtesy and respect.
• Possess public communication skills that allow professional representation of Liberty University to a variety of business and community customers and associates.
• Display self-motivation and multi-tasking skills.
• Possess excellent listening and discerning skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Excellent computer skills.

Problem Solving

• Intuitively able to reason, analyze information and events, and apply judgment in order to solve problems of both a routine and complex nature.

Physical and Sensory Abilities

• Frequently required to sit for extended periods of time to perform deskwork or type on a keyboard.
• Regularly required to hear and speak in order to effectively communicate orally.
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, and climb stairs to move about the building.
• Occasionally required to handle materials, reach overhead, kneel or stoop in order to conduct business.
• Regularly lift 10 or fewer pounds.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work Environment

The working environment in which one will typically perform the essential functions of this position is a climate-controlled office setting. It is well lighted and the noise level is moderate.

Driving Requirements

Use of one’s personal vehicle is required for travel in the performance of the essential functions of this position. Proof of a valid driver’s license, an acceptable DMV record, and liability insurance is required.

Target Hire Date: 2025-09-22

Time Type: Full time

Location: Lynchburg - In Office

The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe it is our moral and legal obligation to meet the responsibility of ensuring that all management practices regarding employees are conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner. In compliance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other applicable federal and state statutes, all recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including state of employment protected classes. It is, therefore, our policy and intention to evaluate all employees and prospective employees strictly according to the requirements of the job. All personnel related activities such as compensation, benefits, transfers, job classification, assignments, working conditions, educational assistance, terminations, layoffs, and return from layoffs, and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including all applicable state of employment protected classes. The University is a Christian religious-affiliated organization; and as such, is not subject to religious discrimination requirements. The University’s hiring practices and EEO discrimination practices are in full compliance with both federal and state law. Federal law creates an exception to the “religion” component of the employment discrimination laws for religious organizations (including educational institutions), and permits them to give employment practice preference to members of their own religious beliefs.