The portfolio management groups are responsible for managing client portfolios and trading across three disciplines: fixed income, derivatives and equities.

Portfolio Management Analysts provide support to senior personnel and decision-makers in the respective portfolio management group, including performing portfolio analysis, index comparisons, security level and product analysis, guideline compliance and other analytical tasks. Secondarily, they provide logistical and administrative support and frequently work on special projects. Over time, increasing levels of independence, decision-making responsibility and interaction with broker-dealers is common.

The Client Services Group is responsible for interactions with clients, prospects and consultants, as well as new business development. Our Client Services Group works closely with clients and consultants to assist with strategy design and analysis in order to achieve a client’s objective. 

The Investment Strategies Group is responsible for developing custom strategies designed to meet client objectives and developing and implementing proprietary financial modeling and engineering tools used throughout NISA.

Client Services Analysts provide support to senior members of the Client Services team, including assisting with client and consultant requests, routine reporting, preparing meeting materials and “request for proposal” responses. Client Services Analysts are also involved in projects such as risk management studies and hedge analyses. Over time, an increasing level of interaction with clients and prospects is likely, along with the opportunity to assume direct responsibility for the client relationship. 

Investment Strategies Analysts perform quantitative research and provide support to the Investment Strategies Group, including performing statistical analyses, evaluating portfolio strategies and building portfolio management models and tools. Over time, an increasing level of interaction with clients and prospects is likely.

The Operations Group is made up of nine individual teams responsible for performing all middle and back office functions in support of NISA’s portfolio management and trading process. The operational teams consist of Senior Managers, Managers, Group Leaders, Technical Analysts, Senior Operations Analysts and Operations Analysts functionally aligned to perform the responsibilities of each team as follows: 

Trade Support is responsible for confirming and entering fixed income, derivative and equity trades into NISA’s portfolio accounting systems. They interact with custodians and broker-dealers to facilitate all trade allocations and delivery instructions between parties. They are also responsible for the integrity of security master data to ensure downstream reporting is accurate. 

Trade Settlement works with custodians and broker-dealers to identify and resolve trade issues in an effort to facilitate timely trade settlement. They investigate failing trades to bring them to quick resolution and report progress to the respective portfolio management group. They are also responsible for processing confirmations and ensuring all swap payments, variation margin, initial margin and collateral moves settle. 

Special Projects works with NISA’s Client Services Group, custodians, broker-dealers and clearing houses to set up new accounts for our clients. They coordinate and execute all internal and external asset transfers as well as maintain accurate client delivery instructions. 

Operations Internal Consulting works closely with NISA’s Information Technology department to streamline operations processes and applications. They are leaders in implementing new applications, upgrading existing systems and testing process improvements. 

Collateral Valuation works with NISA’s derivative trading desk and broker-dealers to reconcile initial margin, variation margin, and derivative market value. In addition, they are responsible for determining and optimizing collateral moves for these accounts. Also, they monitor legal agreements, such as the Credit Support Annex (CSA), to make sure proper haircuts and security types are being applied and used. 

Account Administration closely interacts with custodial banks to reconcile NISA’s records with the custodian’s records and works to resolve discrepancies timely so client reporting is accurate and clean. They verify and enter all client flows into the portfolio accounting system, prepare and reconcile portfolio performance calculations and fulfill ad hoc requests from Client Services and the respective portfolio management group.

Pricing is responsible for valuing assets held in client accounts. The team interacts with pricing vendors and custodians to value securities and instruments according to NISA’s pricing source hierarchy. Additionally, they provide various reporting to NISA’s Pricing Committee. 

Corporate Actions processes all voluntary and mandatory corporate events across the firm. They work with custodians and the respective portfolio management group to elect voluntary actions, collect all entitlements and post actions into NISA’s portfolio accounting system. All members of the Operations Group are expected to rotate through the various teams in the department. The frequency of the rotation depends on a number of factors including the complexity of the team they are currently part of, as well as the individual’s position and experience.

The Legal Group handles legal affairs for NISA. 

The Compliance Group esablishes and maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of the applicable federal securities laws, rules and regulations, as well as detects any violations that may have occurred and promptly corrects these violations.

The Risk Management Group seeks to protect and sustain NISA by working with business partners to identify the firm’s enterprise risks, evaluates the likelihood and magnitude of those risks and communicates that information to senior management.

The Information Technology Group is responsible for overall technology strategy, including design, implementation and day-to-day operations of information systems. IT has several functional areas that support specific needs such as development, analysis, infrastructure and databases. Some key roles within IT include:

Analysts provide technology assistance and support to all business units within the firm. IT Analysts are also responsible for evaluating and implementing third-party software solutions, database administration, enterprise-wide infrastructure and network needs and enterprise-wide applications. The IT Support Center is responsible for end-user technology assistance. 

Developers are responsible for developing custom software, enhancing proprietary systems and building interfaces with internal and external systems. Developers work in a fast-paced environment within product teams utilizing Agile project management methods. 

The Data Management Group directs a concerted data and information management program involving all areas of NISA. The core focus on data includes both the strategy and deployment in order to leverage NISA’s data assets most effectively; ultimately providing intelligence, insights and information from data assets. This specialized group with specific expertise in data management is charged with designing data systems and providing leadership, authority and oversight of data assets, flows and lifecycles.

The Administration Group includes Internal Accounting and Tax, Human Resources, Recruiting, Facilities and other administrative functions. 

The Enterprise Project Management Office provides an adaptive enterprise-wide approach for delivering projects, defines standards applied to project management practices and facilitates the execution of projects.

Performance Calculation is responsible for the calculation and internal reporting of portfolio performance returns. The team also maintains the data required to claim compliance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS), as well as prepares external GIPS-compliant presentations for NISA’s performance composites. 

NISA’s internship program provides opportunities to learn about the investment management and securities industries. While interns typically work on individual projects within specific areas, they are exposed to the broader firm and relevant market topics through an intern seminar series hosted by senior employees at NISA. NISA’s internships are paid positions. While the summer is most popular for interns, we often have interns during the academic year assisting full-time personnel. A successful internship can lead to a full-time position after graduation.