Portfolio Manager Diversified

Liberty is currently seeking a highly skilled Portfolio Manager to oversee their diversified offerings in Johannesburg. This position is designed for a seasoned investment professional who thrives in a high-touch environment, serving sophisticated clients who require bespoke financial solutions. The role acts as a critical link between deep market research and tangible investment outcomes, ensuring that portfolios remain resilient and aligned with long-term client goals.

About the role

This role requires a blend of rigorous analytical capability and strong interpersonal finesse. You will be responsible for the strategic direction of Melville Douglas Diversified portfolios, transforming complex market data, research insights, and macroeconomic signals into actionable multi-manager models. Success in this position is measured by your ability to navigate changing market conditions while maintaining a disciplined, governance-focused approach to risk-adjusted performance.

Collaboration is at the heart of this vacancy. You will not be working in a silo; instead, you will engage deeply with wealth managers and financial advisors to ensure that the investment strategy is clearly communicated and that the client experience remains world-class. You are expected to be a voice of authority in structured forums, where you will present your investment rationale, justify trade-offs, and defend your positioning against emerging market risks.

What you’ll do

As a Portfolio Manager, your daily responsibilities will revolve around the technical execution of investment mandates and the management of high-value client expectations. Key duties include:

• Translating high-level investment views and research into multi-manager model portfolios that are responsive to global and local market shifts.
• Conducting disciplined reviews of portfolio performance, ensuring that every asset allocation and implementation decision is backed by sound economic and financial analysis.
• Leading the dialogue with stakeholders to explain complex investment outcomes, ensuring that advisors and clients understand the "why" behind the strategy.
• Actively monitoring and challenging emerging risks, utilizing portfolio analytics to stress-test scenarios and adjust positioning as necessary.
• Fostering strong professional relationships with the broader Standard Bank Group and Liberty ecosystem, contributing to a collaborative culture of expertise.

What they’re looking for

Liberty is looking for a professional who possesses a rigorous academic background and significant industry experience. Candidates must demonstrate deep expertise in multi-asset or multi-manager construction.

• **Qualifications:** A relevant undergraduate degree in Business, Commerce, Finance, or Actuarial Science is essential, ideally supplemented by a postgraduate degree. Possession of a CA (SA) or CFA designation is highly advantageous for this level of responsibility.
• **Experience:** You should bring 8 to 10 years of specific experience in asset and portfolio management, particularly in constructing multi-manager portfolios and managing asset allocations.
• **Technical Proficiency:** A strong command of data analytics, economic forecasting, and financial modelling is non-negotiable. You must have a track record of interpreting complex research outputs into portfolio positioning.
• **Soft Skills:** You should be a convincing communicator who can articulate complex financial concepts to diverse stakeholders, coupled with the confidence to challenge conventional thinking in committee environments.

In the South African financial services sector, senior portfolio management roles of this calibre at major institutions like Liberty or Standard Bank typically command competitive total cost-to-company packages, often reflective of the level of accountability involved. These roles are essential stepping stones for professionals aiming for senior leadership paths within investment management, private wealth, or institutional consulting. Candidates who excel in this position often progress toward head-of-desk roles or broader strategic functions within the asset management industry.

Type of Qualification: First Degree
Field of Study: Business Commerce, Finance and Accounting, Actuarial Science
Type of Qualification: Post Graduate Degree
Field of Study: Business Commerce, Finance and Accounting, Actuarial Science
Licenses & Certifications: Chartered Accountant (CA), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Experience Required
Asset & Portfolio Management
Investment & Asset Management
8-10 years
Experience constructing and managing multi asset or multi manager portfolios, including asset allocation, manager selection, exposure management and rebalancing decisions within an investment management or asset management environment. 

7-8 years
Experience interpreting research outputs, market data and portfolio analytics to generate recommendations, evaluate scenarios and support portfolio positioning decisions under varying market conditions.

8-10 years
Experience engaging with investment, research and stakeholder groups to present portfolio rationale, influence decision-making and articulate performance, positioning and trade-offs in structured forums.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Articulating Information
• Challenging Ideas
• Checking Things
• Convincing People
• Developing Expertise

Technical Competencies:

• Active Investment Management
• Asset Management
• Data Analytics
• Economic Analysis
• Financial Analysis