Investment Stewardship Senior Analyst

Job Description

About the job

Vanguard’s Investment Stewardship program has a clear mandate: to safeguard and promote long-term investment returns on behalf of Vanguard’s passively managed equity funds and their investors. We carry out this mandate by promoting governance practices that are associated with long-term investment returns at the companies in which the funds invest. We do this by:

• Engaging with portfolio company directors and executives to learn about companies’ corporate governance practices and to share our perspectives on corporate governance practices associated with long-term investment returns.
• Voting proxies at portfolio company shareholder meetings based on each fund’s proxy voting policies and guidelines.
• Promoting corporate governance practices associated with long-term investment returns through our published materials and participation in industry events and initiatives.

An Investment Stewardship Senior Analyst serves as an experienced analyst leading portfolio company research and proxy voting activities and plays a key role in supporting direct portfolio company engagement. Analyzes proposals and develops proxy voting recommendations in alignment with the Vanguard funds’ proxy voting guidelines.

Candidates with legal, corporate governance, research, data, and finance backgrounds and who have an interest in risk oversight, corporate governance and environmental and social issues would be welcome.

Core Responsibilities

• Develops a thorough understanding of Vanguard’s Investment Stewardship philosophy and the funds’ proxy voting guidelines as well as an expertise in select corporate governance areas, such as board composition and effectiveness, oversight of strategy and risk, executive compensation, and shareholder rights.
• Assigns and monitors the completion of deliverables, including developing and reviewing proxy voting decisions for the Vanguard-advised funds’ portfolio companies and preparation of portfolio company engagement materials.
• Utilizes company disclosures, third-party research, and relevant market insights to analyze complex proposals against the Vanguard-advised funds’ proxy voting guidelines and present relevant recommendations to management.
• Reviews individual analysis and proxy voting recommendations produced by other crew members for proposals that are routine to moderately complex in nature.
• Establishes and maintains strong working relationships with business partners and vendors.
• Proactively communicates with stakeholders and business partners, including presentation of ideas and recommendations.
• Leads projects within the department and develops ideas for initiatives to improve outcomes, increase operational efficiency, and reduce risk.
• Mentors and provides feedback to less experienced crew members on application of Vanguard’s voting guidelines, engagement preparation materials or general governance topics.
• Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

What it takes:

• Undergraduate degree.
• Equivalent of minimum four years of business or investment experience.
• Strong work ethic. Demonstrated willingness to contribute to the overall success of the team and to Vanguard and its shareholders.
• Demonstrated ability to function in a fast paced, ambiguous environment, managing multiple priorities and diverse responsibilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication capabilities as demonstrated through prior work experience or education.
• Strong quantitative and analytical abilities.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively to achieve the best results.

Special Factors

• Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.
• This position is hybrid and would require you to work in the office location Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

About our Program

https://corporate.vanguard.com/content/dam/corp/advocate/investment-stewardship/pdf/perspectives-and-commentary/about_our_program_2023.pdf

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.