AVP, Business Liaison

Job Description

Job Description

Harrison Street Asset Management ("HSAM") is a leading global alternative investment management firm focused on real estate, infrastructure, and credit strategies across North America and Europe. Headquartered in Chicago, Toronto, and London with offices across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, the firm has over $108 billion in assets under management on behalf of institutional investors and registered investment advisors globally.

Founded on a culture of innovation, HSAM is an early mover in alternative real estate and mid-market infrastructure. Today, the firm’s global team, consisting of more than 520 professionals, is committed to creating long-term value through deep sector expertise and forward-thinking strategies.

Under direction of the Head of Technology Enablement, BTG, the successful Business Liaison candidate will serve as the subject matter expert (SME) for ongoing business application management and project management related to the technology portfolio(s) of Line of Business (LOB) stakeholders and the BTG. Primary responsibilities include providing business domain and process knowledge; supporting the prioritization of business and technology requests based on time, budget, and scope; managing vendor relationships and related business expectations; ensuring business applications remain operational and secure based on firmwide technology policies and procedures; and project managing key technology initiatives overseen by senior-level Business Liaisons.

Supporting our senior-level Business Liaisons, this Business Liaison candidate proactively serves as a “trusted expert” as it relates to technology services and capabilities for business applications in our environment, including how LOB stakeholders use the technology to support their business operations. Organized, proactive and anticipatory in their thinking, they drive and provide significant value to senior-level Business Liaisons and business stakeholders they partner with.

45% Technology Operations and Vendor Management

• Manages application-level access and overall governance and oversight to designated LOB applications, including regular application-level user audits, outage notifications and escalations, etc.
• Provides status for application upgrades and maintenance to key stakeholders within and outside LOB(s).
• Manages key technology vendors, including contracting, onboarding, and ongoing partnerships.
• Oversees the work performed by Service Providers relevant to LOB(s).
• In partnership with BTG team members, supports migration of technology support of new applications to Service Desk and Providers as applications and services are implemented.
• Conducts advanced ongoing analysis to identify trends, variances, and issues.
• Proactively seeks to prevent problems or issues from arising by analyzing metrics and feedback and implementing the necessary changes.
• Drives solutions and successfully engages in difficult conversations with all stakeholders.
• Documents specific duties, activities, problems solved, and issues resolved.
• Frequently updates FAQ’s and SOP’s.
• Continuously improves and documents processes and procedures to follow best practices and minimize resource waste.
• Utilizes the appropriate technologies and ensures that LOB stakeholders have the solutions they need, when they need them, and in the media best suited to their requirements.

40% Technology Planning and Project Management

• Supports senior-level Business Liaisons in developing and managing the project plan, timeline, and budget for assigned projects.
• Produces executive-level documentation, reports, analysis, technical writings, and communication.
• Communicates program status to key business stakeholders and management.
• Effectively leads and facilitates project meetings, as needed.
• Proactively resolves problems and highlights key risk areas within and between project teams.
• Creates, manages, and supports complex programs with multiple departmental stakeholders, vendors, and LOBs with high risk.
• Develops and enhances key business and vendor relationships.
• Possesses a broad knowledge of most technical and business resources and uses them to effectively coordinate team members and external resources.
• Builds trust among stakeholders, team members, and partners through relationship building and transparent communication.
• Collaborates with senior-level Business Liaisons to develop annual budgets for Line of Business partner areas.
• Supports senior-level Business Liaison in business analysis and prepares recommendations and business plans, as needed.
• Provides subject matter expertise on business user needs, requirements, and preferences (individually or through looping in other contacts).
• Creates and analyzes relevant data and data visualizations; develops recommendations to present to management on LOB technology investment areas.
• Documents, summarizes, and presents portfolio financial updates surrounding investment in BTG areas related to LOB(s).
• Possesses strong analytical skills, including an understanding of business economics and financial resources.

5% Cybersecurity Program Management

• Mitigates technology-based risks in partnership with Managing Director of BTG, CISO, and other BTG Team Members
• Embeds with CISO to provide adequate oversight of CISO’s security platform

5% Technology R&D & Proof of Concept

• Research multiple new or existing technologies to satisfy business requirements.
• Manage initiatives to document and test these technologies.
• Create presentations for senior leadership that document research conducted, outline top options, and provide an opinion on which solution should be implemented.

5% Miscellaneous

• Attend meetings and serve on committees, as requested.
• Maintain and increase knowledge and skills through attendance at meetings, conferences, training seminars and in-service training sessions.
• Support ad hoc initiatives, as requested.

• Bachelor's Degree in a discipline such as Computer Science, Information Services, Real Estate, Finance, or related field.
• 3 - 5 Years experience in a mid-market technology environment supporting a variety of systems and overseeing with a portfolio of third-party vendors.
• Knowledge of hardware and software installation, testing, and operation; knowledge of application of computer software for automating highly diverse agency/organization activities.
• Experience with Zendesk or comparable service desk IT Help Desk platform.
• Experience with Monday.com or comparable work management tools.
• Knowledge of database fundamentals.
• Knowledge of platform and system integrations.
• Experience with Program and Project Management.
• Familiar with Enterprise Architecture design.
• Must be able to maintain professional and effective working relations with supervisors, co-workers.
• Must be able to work flexible hours, including weekends and evenings.
• Must be able to manage support issues remotely during off hours.
• Must be solutions-oriented and able to learn new skills and technologies.

For Illinois Only: The expected base salary range for this position is $125,000 to $200,000. Actual salaries may vary based on a number of factors, including skills, experience, and qualifications.

In addition to base salary, total compensation at Harrison Street includes a generous discretionary bonus, along with a comprehensive range of benefits — including medical, financial, and wellness programs — designed to support our employees both professionally and personally.

Harrison Street is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to veteran status, uniform service member status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law.

If you require accessibility assistance applying for open positions, please contact our ADA Accessible Line at (312) 920-0500 or [email protected]. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.

Harrison Street does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency resumes. Harrison Street will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company that does not have a signed agreement with Harrison Street.