Job Description

About The Role

The Mutual Fund Operations Analyst supports mutual fund, unit investment trust (UIT), and 529 plan activities across Baird. The role resolves complex operational matters, serves as a resource for assigned processes or platforms, and applies product, process, regulatory, and systems knowledge to strengthen quality, efficiency, and controls. In partnership with Operations, Compliance, Wealth Solutions, Technology, branch stakeholders, and external vendors, the Analyst uses data and end-to-end process knowledge to identify root causes, evaluate solutions, coordinate implementation activities, and improve the client and advisor experience.

The Impact You'll Make

• Serve as the process owner for mutual fund, UIT, and 529 activities, owning and coordinating operational issues and escalations through to resolution while maintaining an end-to-end view of the branch and client experience
• Deliver best-in-class service to partners and clients by being responsive, attentive, solution-oriented, and personally accountable for ensuring questions and issues are resolved, while providing accurate, professional, and consistent support and coordinating effective handoffs when needed
• Provide training, guidance, and subject matter support to Financial Advisors, Client Specialists, and Operations associates, help make knowledge reusable across the team
• Analyze operational data, recurring exceptions, and process performance to identify root causes, assess risk, and recommend practical solutions
• Identify and recommend process improvement opportunities supporting implementation efforts that reduce rework, strengthen controls, improve efficiency, and create consistent service experience
• Leverage expertise to evaluate proposed process, project, system, product, or platform changes to determine operational impacts and communicate findings
• Serve as a subject matter expert for projects and support broader implementation efforts by partnering with stakeholders on key decisions, dependencies, testing scenarios, communication plans, and control enhancements
• Partner with internal stakeholders and external vendors to resolve issues, identify functionality or process enhancements, and support release testing and implementation
• Manage competing priorities independently, communicate progress and challenges proactively, and follow through on commitments in a deadline-driven environment

What You'll Bring to Baird

• Bachelor's degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• Three or more years of experience in financial services is preferred
• FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) and Series 99 required within 12 months of hire
• Strong knowledge of financial markets, mutual fund, UIT, and 529 products; operational processes, regulations, controls, and supporting systems
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, root cause analysis, process improvement, requirements development, testing support, project coordination, communication, facilitation, stakeholder collaboration, and Microsoft Office proficiency, especially Excel. SQL, Power Query, and Power BI skills are preferred or may be developed in the role
• Ability to understand processes end to end; connect issues to risk, control, service, efficiency, and client or advisor impacts; demonstrate curiosity, a continuous learning and improvement mindset, and a collaborative approach; exercise sound judgment, work independently, know when to involve others, prioritize competing responsibilities, explain complex topics clearly, and drive work to completion
• Hybrid work arrangement supporting a Milwaukee-based team
• Deadline-driven work may arise in connection with operational, regulatory, project, release, and implementation activities

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Baird is committed to diversity and provides employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, military service, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other status protected by law.