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 Ares Management Corporation is looking to hire a Head of Government Affairs to join its existing Legal & Compliance department. The position will be located in New York City and will be an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic self-starter to build and maintain Ares' Government Affairs function. The Head of Government Affairs will play a crucial role in establishing and maintaining relationships with government, legislative and regulatory bodies to advance the mission and objectives of Ares and our investors. In this role, the ideal candidate will be responsible for engaging with government entities, regulatory bodies and policymakers, advocating for Ares' business and our industry and staying ahead of and responding to regulatory developments. The individual will also be responsible for developing and executing strategies to effectively manage relationships with elected officials, government agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. To succeed in this role, you must have significant experience and deep relationships with various government and regulatory agencies, be a skilled relationship builder, effective communicator, and strategic thinker with a deep understanding of how the U.S., state and local governments function and how the industries within which Ares is active are regulated within the U.S. and globally. The Ares Legal & Compliance team is responsible for advising on a wide range of legal and regulatory matters and helps guide Ares' business through an evolving and complex financial, legal, and regulatory environment across the multiple jurisdictions in which we operate. Thus, familiarity and extensive experience with legal and regulatory matters relevant to the alternative investment management industry is highly preferable. Reporting relationships
Reports to: Partner, General Counsel Primary functions and essential responsibilities Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Partner with the General Counsel in creating a forward looking and strategic vision for Ares' Government Affairs function
- Develop and execute strategies to build and maintain relationships with government stakeholders at the national, state and local levels, both in the U.S. and globally, working closely with the regional General Counsels in Europe and APAC
- Engage with elected officials from all levels of government, state and local government agencies, and other relevant stakeholders to foster open communication and understanding of the financial services industry and Ares' business
- Build and maintain networks of contacts both within Ares and externally with elected officials from both major parties and other policy makers
- Communicate Ares' mission, objectives, and activities to government stakeholders
- Prepare briefing and presentation materials for engagements with policymakers, regulators, and clients
- Monitor and stay up-to-date on Federal government priorities, initiatives, and regulatory and other developments relevant to Ares and the financial services industry, as well as initiatives at the state or local level
- Anticipate and assess opportunity, change, and potential risks in the legislative, regulatory, public policy and political realms
- Coordinate, participate and manage Ares membership with trade groups where appropriate
- Provide strategic advice and guidance to Ares' leadership on government, legislative and regulatory affairs, as well as summaries of new legislation and regulations that could impact Ares business
- From time to time, assist with portfolio company matters involving government stakeholders
- Provide technical recommendations on legislative and regulatory proposals, collaborating closely with Legal & Compliance leadership and other teams to ensure alignment of views across the firm
- Represent Ares at meetings with government members or staff, related events, and other relevant forums
- Collaborate closely with the Communications and Public Investor Relations teams, as well as other internal teams to ensure alignment between government affairs strategies, external communication and Ares' overall objectives
- Effective hiring, management and oversight of outside government affairs resources, where appropriate
Qualifications Education: - 15+ years of relevant experience working in or with governmental bodies and agencies from both major parties on legislation and policy
- JD or MBA preferred
- Detailed understanding of and relationships with the U.S. government and other policy makers, particularly in the financial services industry and ideally in the alternative asset management industry
Experience Required: - Deep understanding of needs and workflows of Government Affairs function, particularly within the financial services industry
- Prior work experience within the U.S. Congress or an applicable regulatory agency relevant to the financial services industry
- Demonstrated experience in Government Affairs capacity, including oversight of programs and processes to achieve desired and scalable results
- Established bi-partisan relationships and access to key stakeholders in the U.S. and key state/local governments, including policymakers and regulatory bodies relevant to the financial services industry
- Extensive policy and analytical expertise with the ability to drive consensus among a diverse array of interests and priorities
- Ability to evaluate and distill critical issues and trends to formulate and mobilize strategies both within an organization and among government constituencies
- Prior involvement with government agencies
- Established network of contacts within government and with third party consultants and lobbyists, particularly in the financial services sector
- Thorough knowledge of U.S. and state legislative and regulatory processes, both formal and informal
- Experience with thinking strategically and adapting to changing political and policy environments
- Proven record of accomplishment in collaboration and relationship management with internal and external stakeholders, and ability to build consensus amongst multiple stakeholders
General Requirements: - Superior written and verbal communication skills and a demonstrated ability to create content to specified audience
- Political awareness and ability to maintain a neutral point of view on sensitive policy matters in line with Ares' business objectives
- Outstanding ethical sense
- Strong client service orientation
- Excellent time management skills and ability to collaborate with others
- Outstanding leadership and project management capabilities
- Outstanding organizational skills with attention to detail
- Ability to successfully manage multiple priorities and competing demands; result-oriented
- A solutions-oriented self-starter with the ability to see the big picture
- An analytical mind and a passion/interest in bringing new ideas to increase efficiency of existing processes
- A demonstrated ability to research and leverage available resources to accomplish the task at hand
- Good judgment in terms of escalating issues vs. solving problems independently
- Comfort in dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
- Energetic, self-motivated, and team-oriented approach; a zest for challenges in a fast-paced, dynamic environment - often under pressure to meet demanding deadlines
- Strong work ethic, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a desire to learn
- Dependable, great attitude, highly motivated and a team player
- Highest degree of integrity, motivation, and intellectual curiosity
Reporting Relationships Partner, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
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. $275,000-$325,000 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.