Head of Alternative Investments

Head of Alternative Investments | Barclays | Switzerland

We are seeking an experienced alternative investment specialist to act as the key link between product teams and clients, providing expert knowledge, support, and commercial insight across a range of alternative investment solutions. This role focuses on private markets, private equity, hedge funds, and related alternative investment products, supporting both internal stakeholders and external clients, and will offer significant visibility to the successful candidate.

Working closely with Investment Advisory (IA), Private Banking (PB), and Hedge Fund teams, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in driving the distribution and adoption of alternative investment products within the Swiss market.

• Minimum 5 years’ relevant experience within alternative investments, private equity, hedge funds, or private markets gained at a leading investment firm, asset manager, private bank, or financial institution.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business, or a related discipline from a reputable university.
• Strong client-facing, relationship management, business development, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities, with the confidence to engage senior bankers, advisors, and clients.
• Proven problem‑solving skills and the ability to explain complex investment concepts to a broad range of stakeholders.
• Fluent English is essential, with German required and French considered a strong advantage.

• Progress towards or completion of recognised professional qualifications such as CAIA, CFA, IMC, or equivalent.
• Strong analytical skills with experience evaluating, underwriting, and selecting alternative investment opportunities.
• Previous experience supporting the distribution of alternative investment products within a private banking, wealth management, or institutional environment.
• Experience accompanying relationship management teams on client meetings and business development activities.
• Good understanding of the Swiss private banking and alternative investments market.

This role is based in Geneva.

Assessment Criteria:
You may be assessed on the key critical skills relevant for success in this role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen, strategic thinking, digital and technology, as well as job‑specific technical skills.

To act as a bridge between Product teams and clients, providing in‑depth knowledge and support for a specific range of products.

• Provision of SME expertise on specific products and services to customers and colleagues, including features, functionalities, benefits, limitations, risks and compliance.
• Understanding of market trends, new features, regulatory requirements and potential risks, and analysis of data obtained from sales figures and customer feedback to support the product development process, and communicate key findings to relevant stakeholders to improve product offerings.
• Response to customer inquiries and obtain a detailed understanding of complex personal / corporate financial circumstances in order to provide options for suitable product solutions. Support with resolution of issues, and provision of guidance on product usage.
• Assistance with the development and execution of marketing materials for the product, such as pitch materials and client presentations.
• Participation in training sessions and workshops to share product knowledge and expertise with colleagues and other stakeholders.

• To contribute or set strategy, drive requirements and make recommendations for change. Plan resources, budgets, and policies; manage and maintain policies/processes; deliver continuous improvements and elevate breaches of policies/procedures.
• If managing a team, define jobs and responsibilities, planning for the department’s future needs and operations, counselling employees on performance and contributing to employee pay decisions/changes. May lead a number of specialists to influence the operations of a department, in alignment with strategic and…