Position SummaryAs one of the firm's foundational hires, the Director, Investments will work closely with the Managing Director, Investments to build and execute VanEck Canada's investment management function - spanning portfolio implementation and oversight, fund operations, investment research, to build a world-class investment function.
The Director, Investments is a senior investment professional at VanEck Canada who works directly alongside the Managing Director, Investments to execute the firm's investment management and operational functions. This role combines hands-on portfolio management & oversight and investment operations with investment research and content development - requiring equal comfort in day-to-day portfolio management and implementation, as well as cross-functional business support through collaboration with product, operations, compliance, and distribution teams.
In the start-up phase of VanEck Canada, this individual must be a disciplined operator and a credible investment voice - able to move fluidly between monitoring portfolio compliance, managing fund administrator relationships, producing market commentary, and collaborating with global investment teams. The role is broad by design.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncludes the following, other duties may be assigned as needed
Portfolio Management & Investment Oversight- Support the MD, Investments in executing portfolio management responsibilities across VanEck Canada's Canadian-listed ETF suite
- Monitor and oversee the investment process and performance for all Canadian-registered investment products
- Assist in the implementation and execution of all investment strategies comprising equity, ETF, derivative, FX asset class rebalances, including trade instruction, settlement coordination, and post-event reconciliation
- Support oversight of derivative usage where applicable, ensuring adherence to fund documents and NI 81-102 requirements
- Review portfolio management decisions and documentation for compliance with NI 81-102, NI 81-106, and applicable fund governing documents
- Monitor investment restrictions, concentration limits, and portfolio drift; escalate exceptions as required
Investment Operations & Fund Administration- Serve as a primary operational contact with the fund administrator (State Street) on all NAV, portfolio reconciliation, distribution, and reporting matters
- Oversee trade settlement workflows, daily cash management, in-kind creation/redemption processes, and corporate actions handling
- Monitor and reconcile portfolio positions on a daily basis; investigate discrepancies in collaboration with the fund administrator, custodian, and portfolio management team
- Maintain operational controls documentation and contribute to the ongoing development of the firm's investment operations framework in partnership with the MD, Investments and CCO
Risk Monitoring & Reporting- Execute daily risk monitoring protocols, including NAV analysis, concentration limit checks, liquidity assessments, and investment restriction monitoring
- Prepare regular investment risk reports for review by the MD, Investments and CEO
- Support liquidity risk assessments in compliance with NI 81-102 requirements; assist in maintaining liquidity stress-testing processes
- Flag potential portfolio breaches or exceptions to investment restrictions; document and escalate as required
- Contribute to the development of risk reporting infrastructure and dashboards as VanEck Canada's fund platform scales
Investment Research, Content & Product Development- Contribute to VanEck Canada's product roadmap by identifying Canadian market opportunities aligned with VanEck's global strengths in gold, precious metals, emerging markets, digital assets, and thematic strategies
- Monitor macroeconomic, geopolitical, and market developments relevant to VanEck Canada's product suite; prepare structured research summaries for internal and external use
- Support the MD, Investments in preparation of investment committee materials, product regulatory filings, and advisor-facing investment documents
- Draft high-quality investment content - including market commentaries, fund performance updates, macroeconomic outlooks, and thematic research - for use by the distribution and marketing teams
- Collaborate with the digital distribution and marketing team to align content delivery with the editorial calendar, and fund launch sequencing
Global Team Integration- Work alongside the MD, Investments as a key point of contact with VanEck's U.S. and global portfolio management, operations, and product teams
- Support the adaptation and localization of global investment strategies, operational processes, and content for the Canadian regulatory and market environment
- Participate in cross-border investment discussions and contribute Canadian market perspective to global investment processes and product development conversations
Investment Governance & Regulatory Compliance- Assist in maintaining investment policies and procedures, including investment policy statements, trading policies, fair allocation policies, and proxy voting frameworks
- Support preparation of materials for the IRC (Independent Review Committee) under NI 81-107 and other governance bodies as required
Experience/QualificationsRequired- Registered or registerable as a Portfolio Manager (advising representative) with CIRO/OSC under NI 31-103
- Minimum 7-10 years of progressive experience in investment management, investment operations, or a closely related function in the Canadian market
- Working knowledge of NI 81-102, NI 81-106, and NI 81-107
- Hands-on experience with investment fund operations, including trade settlement, NAV oversight, and cross-functional working relationships with compliance, product, distribution teams
- Demonstrated ability to produce clear, institutional-quality written content - market commentary, investment research, or fund-related communications
- Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel and financial data platforms (Bloomberg, FactSet, or equivalent)
- Ability to operate effectively in a cross-functional, fast-moving environment with limited established infrastructure
Preferred- Prior experience at a Canadian ETF issuer, asset manager, or in an investment operations / portfolio management role with direct ETF exposure
- Familiarity with VanEck's core asset classes: gold, precious metals, emerging markets, digital assets, or thematic equity strategies
- Experience with fund administrators (State Street, CIBC Mellon, RBC IS) and/or index providers (MSCI, S&P, Bloomberg)
- Experience contributing to fund prospectus preparation, ETF Facts, or AIF drafting
- Existing relationships with Canadian institutional or wholesale advisor community
- Experience in a start-up or early-stage asset management environment
Competencies- Investment rigour: Applies disciplined analytical thinking; holds a high bar for accuracy in portfolio monitoring, risk reporting, and investment documentation.
- Initiative: Self-directed and resourceful; identifies issues proactively and acts without waiting to be asked.
- Communication: Translates complex investment concepts clearly for advisors, regulators, and peers through both written and verbal communication.
- Collaboration: Works effectively across functions and with global peers; builds strong working relationships within a small, cross-functional team.
- Regulatory fluency: Maintains awareness of compliance implications of investment decisions; engages proactively with the CCO and MD, Investments on regulatory matters.
- Adaptability: Thrives in an early-stage, start-up environment; manages competing priorities and adjusts course quickly as the business evolves.
