INVESTMENT STEWARDSHIP ASSOCIATE

Executive Service

INVESTMENT STEWARDSHIP ASSOCIATE

Department of Treasury

Nashville, TN

Closing Date: 01/13/2025

Who we are and what we do:

The Tennessee Department of Treasury impacts the lives of Tennesseans every day. Treasury is responsible for many of the financial operations of state government, including managing more than $100 billion in assets through its various investment programs. We administer and invest the State’s Retirement Program, RetireReadyTN, which combines the state pension plan, Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System, and the State’s Defined Contribution plans. Treasury serves all Tennesseans by helping to educate and empower them to make smart financial choices, and by providing public-serving programs in the areas of college savings, financial literacy, unclaimed property, risk management, criminal injuries compensation, and more.

Job Overview:

The Investment Stewardship Associate will help implement Treasury’s proxy voting process and other stewardship activities. This is an exciting opportunity for a professional to support a program to mitigate economic, operational, headline and reputational risk for Treasury as it relates to proxy voting, investment oversight, and securities litigation and class action filings for the investments for which the Department is responsible. The successful candidate will help execute the proxy voting process, regularly interface with the proxy advisor and internal investment team, and work with the stewardship team on other department responsibilities. At the present time, this position is primarily remote, with occasional required in-person meetings. It is anticipated that the department will regularly utilize its downtown Nashville office on a hybrid schedule in the future. Job location is subject to change at the discretion of the Department. The successful candidate should live in Tennessee and provide sufficient internet connection.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supports the proxy voting process as part of Treasury’s proxy voting policies and procedures.
• Monitors proxy advisor reporting to identify non-routine agenda items, and to confirm votes follow governing policies and guidelines.
• For non-routine meeting agenda items, analyzes proxy proposals and forwards meeting information, proxy advisor research & recommendation to member of internal investment team for further review.
• For certain agenda items, including proxy contests, works with the stewardship team to identify issues and to escalate votes internally for further review and decision-making, including to a governing body or to the State Treasurer as necessary.
• Reviews and updates voting instructions on proxy advisor voting platform.
• Reviews prior month’s votes to ensure votes follow policy and all eligible ballots were voted and assists with preparing material for quarterly proxy voting committee meetings.
• Collaborates with investment operations and proxy advisor to ensure new accounts are set up to vote.
• Works with stewardship team to oversee proxy voting activity of external mangers.
• Helps with other stewardship responsibilities including securities litigation and class action filings.
• Assists with reviewing updates to proxy advisor voting policies and collaborates with the stewardship team and proxy advisor to address issues as necessary.
• Stays abreast of proxy voting and corporate governance issues and trends ‘ Assists with ad hoc department projects as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduation from a four (4)-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, finance or similar field of study.
• Minimum of three (3) years of relevant work experience
• Advanced Microsoft skills (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
• Strong financial analysis, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proven ability to multi-task and prioritize responsibilities
• Robust attention to detail and aptitude for discernment
• Self-motivated individual with the ambition to succeed and work collaboratively

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in proxy voting, corporate governance and engagement
• Familiarity with ESG-related shareholder proposals and proxy-related industry trends
• Completion of ESG-focused credential or certificate program

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee’s Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State’s policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person’s race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.

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