Research Director

Citi, the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com Citi Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Citi") are equal opportunity employers M/F/D/V and do not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected status or characteristic.Job Title:  Research Director, Competitive Products    Financial Research Corporation (FRC) is a research and consulting firm that assists marketing, product development, and strategic planning professionals in the asset management industry by providing world-class market research and competitive intelligence. For more than 20 years, FRC has provided the world's top financial services institutions with continuous, timely and objective information and advice driven by their business needs. Our expertise in the areas of mutual funds, sub-advisory services, retirement products and services, variable annuities, college savings, managed accounts, and other alternative investment vehicles have helped our clients comprehend and respond to the rapid changes occurring in the manufacturing and distribution of investment products and services.  FRC is seeking an experienced financial services professional to lead the company’s Competitive Products research practice. This practice covers the trends behind the established and emerging investment products which compete with mutual funds for investor assets. These products include SMAs, UMAs, wrap accounts, hedge funds, ETFs, collectives, and others.FRC is looking for a research director who is intellectually curious and has the confidence to provide opinionated market research to industry leaders. The director will be a trusted resource to senior executives at top-tier financial institutions, and will help define and grow this practice by developing and delivering compelling research.  To qualify for this position, candidates must have a strong working knowledge of the mutual fund industry, and particularly of competing or “alternative” investment products. The candidate must be comfortable speaking to and advising senior-level clients within asset management firms and distribution companies about key trends. The director is expected to become visible in the industry by presenting research at industry conferences and client events, and also by appearing in the industry press as a recognized expert. Therefore, the candidate must be comfortable with public speaking situations. Job Specifications   The Research Director is responsible for managing the day-to-day research development for the practice. The director will report to the Senior Vice President, Retail Investment Markets, and will work alongside FRC’s diverse group of professionals to manage the research deliverables. This dynamic and entrepreneurial individual will interface with executives and decision makers at leading industry firms to identify strategic opportunities for new research initiatives, to ensure FRC’s coverage meets the changing needs of our client base, and to increase revenue associated with this research line. This role is challenging and fast-paced and lends itself to high profile industry exposure. Research deliverables within the research practice include: * Written research – research studies, quarterly trends reports, and shorter topic briefs * Consulting engagements - support FRC consulting engagements with primary research, and quantitative/qualitative analysis to deliver strategic planning, distribution and product marketing custom research * Presentations at industry and client conferences * Contribution of content as needed to other FRC publications   Position Qualifications   * Industry knowledge.  The candidate must be an experienced professional with three to five years of financial services experience, with at least two years of direct focus following one or more of the following investment products: managed accounts, wrap accounts, ETFs, and UMA. Candidate must have a strong working knowledge of key asset manager and distributor issues.   * Analyst abilities. Candidate needs to be able to work independently with minimal supervision, which is a key requirement for this self-starting position. Intellectual curiosity is a must as research topics change throughout the year and research topics may be peripheral to the candidate’s core areas of expertise. Must enjoy keeping current on the latest issues in the investment industry. Candidate must have a desire to research, analyze, write about, and consult with clients regarding business issues, processes, and solutions. Superior client relationship skills are needed, along with highly developed organization, planning, and project management skills.   *  Leadership & Communication skills. Excellent oral and written communication skills are a required core competency. Confidence to present informed opinions to senior industry leaders, and strong analytical skills and the vision to think “out of the box.” Entrepreneurial attitude is critical. Public speaking skills are important.    * Education. Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in business, marketing, finance, economics, or other Liberal Arts focus is required, with a preference for graduate education, industry certificates and securities licenses.