Manager of Equity & Fixed Income Research

Manager of Equity & Fixed Income Research

Baird is seeking an experienced investment professional to serve as Manager of Equity & Fixed Income Research within our Private Wealth Management (PWM) Research team. The PWM Equity & Fixed Income Research team is responsible for consulting on over $125B in individual stocks across Baird's PWM system and providing investment guidance and support to Baird's Financial Advisors. This role plays a central part in leading equity research and portfolio management efforts, with additional oversight of fixed income activities within the PWM research platform.

This role is designed as a player-coach position, combining hands-on investment responsibility with team leadership, research prioritization, and advisor engagement. The Manager will directly act as co-manager for two PWM Home Office Portfolios, collectively managing over $9B in client assets, and will also be responsible for overseeing two additional PWM Home Office Portfolios with nearly $2B in client assets. The role serves as a primary driver of day-to-day research execution and portfolio decision-making, with significant accountability for research quality, portfolio positioning, and advisor-facing outputs.

Hybrid flexibility is offered, though business needs may require managers to maintain a greater in-office presence than analysts.

The Impact You'll Make

• Play a lead role in the portfolio management of two PWM equity portfolios, including security selection, monitoring, and positioning
• Lead, coach, and develop Associate through Senior Analyst-level talent, providing day-to-day direction, feedback, and mentorship
• Drive equity research execution, with an emphasis on bottom-up stock selection
• Partner with PWM Investment Strategist for portfolio-level insights, including macroeconomic views, sector views, and thematic insights
• Formulate and clearly communicate investment views, risks, and portfolio implications
• Provide oversight and guidance to fixed income research to ensure balanced, high-quality coverage
• Help to shape research priorities and allocate team resources based on market conditions and advisor needs
• Own the quality, accuracy, and integrity of research output and portfolio positioning
• Partner with analysts and PWM Market Strategy to deliver timely, insightful thought pieces across equities and fixed income
• Actively engage with Baird Financial Advisors through calls, presentations, written insights, and branch interactions to deliver research insights, portfolio guidance, and market perspective
• Drive awareness and adoption of four PWM Home Office Portfolios across the Baird branch network
• Serve as a key research contact and thought partner to advisors and internal stakeholders
• Contribute to platform innovation and operational efficiencies through the use of technology, including AI
• Establish clear expectations for research quality, communication, execution, and client service
• Manage hiring, onboarding, development, and performance management, with clear accountability for team execution and day-to-day leadership
• Foster a collaborative, high performance team culture

What You'll Bring To Baird

• Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, or related field; MBA or advanced degree a plus
• 10+ years of investment experience, with strong equity research and portfolio management background, including direct security selection experience
• CFA designation strongly preferred (or meaningful progress toward completion)
• SIE, Series 7, and Series 63 licenses (or ability to obtain within six months)
• Working knowledge of fixed income markets and portfolio implications
• Strong investment judgment, analytical rigor, and high attention to detail
• Experience mentoring or developing junior talent; formal people management experience preferred but not required
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex investment views for advisors; ability to interact with and influence all levels of the organization