Senior Associate, Strategic Initiatives

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.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS Reports to: VP, Shared Business Services Supervises: 2–4 Analysts/Associates PRIMARY FUNCTIONS AND ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES We are seeking a highly analytical and detail-oriented professional to support the Real Estate Secondaries investment team across transaction underwriting, portfolio monitoring, asset management, diligence, and reporting activities. The role will provide exposure to LP-led and GP-led secondary transactions, real estate fund underwriting, property-level analysis, and ongoing investment monitoring. Primary Functions Lead underwriting and due diligence efforts for Real Estate Secondaries investment opportunities, including financial modeling, valuation analysis, market research, benchmarking, and investment performance assessment. Independently build, maintain, and review fund-level and asset-level underwriting models for LP-led transactions using manager reporting, financial statements, and other diligence materials. Review and analyze GP-led transaction materials, including sponsor, GP, and advisor models, and oversee the population of internal underwriting, valuation, and metrics templates. Evaluate property-level and fund-level performance across multiple sectors, including multifamily, industrial, office, retail, hospitality, self-storage, data centers, and other real estate asset classes. Support transaction execution and ongoing asset management activities by monitoring portfolio performance, tracking key operating and valuation metrics, and rolling forward underwriting models based on updated GP reporting. Oversee GIC SMA reporting, fund performance monitoring, and portfolio analytics processes, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and timely delivery of investment insights to stakeholders. Serve as a key point of coordination between SBS and the Real Estate Secondaries investment team, proactively managing timelines, stakeholder requests, deliverables, and issue resolution. Review analyst work products, provide coaching and technical guidance, and promote best practices across financial modeling, reporting, and diligence workflows. Another key responsibility is supporting SBS teams: Oversee day-to-day operations of the SBS team, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Mentor and coach team members, fostering skill development and succession planning. Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Lead and support cross-functional projects, ensuring timely execution and quality outcomes Identify opportunities for process improvement and innovation across functions.

Education: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, finance, or another pre-professional field, or a discipline with exposure to Real Estate/ Infrastructure and Secondaries. Strong academic background with demonstrated interest in Real Estate, Secondaries, private markets, or alternative investments.

Required:   6-10 years of experience in Real Estate Secondaries, Real Estate Private Equity, Investment Banking, Transaction Advisory, Valuation, Asset Management, or related investment roles. Strong experience in financial modeling, underwriting, valuation, due diligence, and portfolio analysis. Proven ability to independently manage complex workstreams and review junior team deliverables. Experience collaborating with investment professionals and managing stakeholder