Vice President, Head of Alternatives – Sammons Financial Group Asset Management

What You Can Expect In This Role

Lead the strategy, sourcing, underwriting, and ongoing management of Sammons Financial Group Company's alternative investments portfolio, with a primary focus on equity alternatives and third‑party fund investments across private equity, private real estate equity, infrastructure equity, real assets, hedge funds, and other opportunistic strategies. Develop and execute strategies aligned with the company’s risk‑adjusted return objectives, capital and liquidity needs, National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and state regulatory frameworks, and Asset and Liability Management (ALM) requirements of the general account.

This role will be subject to an SEC compliance program, which can include monitoring personal securities transactions, restrictions on outside business activities, and other oversight and restrictions.

• Develop and oversee the equity alternatives and fund investment program, including long‑term strategic pacing plans, vintage‑year diversification, and sub‑asset class allocations within the Board‑approved strategic asset allocation.
• Oversee performance monitoring, valuation review, Limited Partner Advisory Committee (LPAC) representation, amendment voting, capital call and distribution cadence, and corrective actions on existing Limited Partner (LP) and co‑investment positions.
• Lead origination, evaluation, selection, and recommendation of third‑party managers and funds — buyout, growth equity, venture, secondaries, infrastructure equity, real‑estate equity, and diversifying hedge‑fund strategies — for inclusion in the portfolio.
• Direct investment, operational, legal, and tax diligence on primary fund commitments, secondaries, and co‑investments. Negotiate side letters, Most Favored Nation (MFN) elections, and fee/economics terms.
• Review Insurance‑Dedicated Fund and Insurance Company‑Owned Life Insurance allocations, including monitoring, investor control and diversification rule compliance, and integration of IDF/ICOLI exposures into overall alternatives portfolio construction and reporting.
• Recommend sub‑asset class allocations that balance expected return, volatility, J‑curve dynamics, liquidity profile, RBC charges, Schedule BA reporting treatment, and rating agency sensitivity (S&P, AM Best, Moody’s).
• Work with Corporate Accounting, Risk, Tax, Treasury, ALM, and Legal to ensure accurate treatment, capital and liquidity planning, and integrated forecasting of alternatives cash flows and Net Asset Value (NAV) progression.
• Contribute to the financial planning process by forecasting investment returns, cash flows, and NAVs; track and explain actual vs. forecast variances.
• Deliver regular reporting to the Chief Investment Officer (CIO), Investment Committee, Board, and rating agencies on strategy, performance, exposures, pacing, and commitments. Prepare materials for regulators and internal business partners.
• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of alternative investment professionals; establish scalable processes, underwriting templates, and monitor frameworks as the program grows.
• Build and maintain relationships with leading General Partners (GPs), placement agents, consultants, and peer LPs; represent Sammons at industry events and investor conferences.
• Commit to embracing the company’s shared values (Accountability, Connection, Openness, Respect, and Integrity).
• As stated within the Company Attendance and Punctuality policy, regular attendance is required and expected in order to meet the business service levels and workflow demands.
• Participate in other initiatives and/or projects as necessary.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Mathematics, Actuarial Science or related field (Preferred).
• Minimum 15 years of relevant investment experience, with meaningful time spent in alternatives at an insurance general account, pension fund, endowment, OCIO, fund of funds, or alternative asset manager serving insurance clients (Required).
• Experience and expertise in private equity, real assets/infrastructure equity, real‑estate equity, and hedge‑fund strategies, and the drivers of manager selection, persistence, and…