Vice President, Middle Office Operations

Job description

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry. Job Description SUMMARY Ares Management is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Vice President to join the Middle Office team in New York . The Middle Office team serves as a critical link between multiple groups such as Deal Teams, Treasury, Data, Legal, Compliance, Accounting, and external counterparties, ensuring the efficient execution and support of private credit transactions across Ares' global investment platform. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in private credit operations, a strong control mindset, and proven ability to lead teams, drive operational enhancements, and support business growth in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. PRIMARY FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES Lead the end-to-end execution of private credit transactions across Ares’ global investment platform, overseeing deal closings, funding, agency coordination, settlement activities, and wire processing to ensure seamless and timely execution. Oversee trade and position booking, data integrity, and cash and position reconciliations to ensure accuracy throughout the investment lifecycle. Partner closely with Deal Teams during transaction structuring, closings, fundings, amendments, and restructurings to ensure operational readiness and successful execution. Develop and maintain strong partnerships across Investment Operations, Deal Teams, Legal, Compliance, Accounting, Treasury, and Investor Relations to facilitate effective execution and issue resolution. Drive process improvements, automation initiatives, and operating model enhancements that increase scalability and support growing transaction volumes and investment complexity. QUALIFICATIONS Core Competencies Proven people leadership skills, with experience managing, developing, and mentoring a team to deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced environment. Excellent communication and relationship management skills, with the ability to partner effectively across investment teams, internal functions, counterparties, and service providers. Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence outcomes, prioritize competing demands, and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment. High attention to detail combined with a hands-on, execution-oriented approach. Analytical and process-driven mindset with a demonstrated track record of delivering operational improvements and scalable solutions. Strong control mindset with the ability to identify risks, solve complex operational challenges, and drive effective outcomes Experience Required: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field. 7-10+ years of investment operations experience supporting credit, private markets, or alternative investment strategies Strong understanding of private credit and alternative investment products, including bank loans, direct lending, structured credit, and insurance-related investment strategies Knowledge of insurance-related investment platforms and capital structures, including experience supporting insurance-oriented investment strategies, is a plus. Proven ability to manage high transaction volumes, tight deadlines, and complex deal workflows in a dynamic environment. Experience leading teams, managing third-party service providers, and partnering with senior stakeholders across business functions. Reporting Relationships Principal, Middle Office Compensation The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role. $190,000 - $210,000 The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit. Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world-class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more. There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.