Head of Research

ABOUT THE ROLE

KIM Vietnam is seeking a Head of Research to lead and oversee the firm's entire research function, encompassing sector-specific equity and credit research, macroeconomic analysis, and investment strategy. This senior leadership role carries direct responsibility for shaping the research platform's direction, driving high-conviction investment ideas across asset classes, and playing a prominent role in fundraising and investor engagement activities. The Head of Research will serve as a key voice representing the firm's investment views to institutional clients and prospective investors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Research Leadership & Investment Strategy

• Set the strategic direction of the research department, defining coverage priorities, thematic focus areas, and resource allocation across sectors and asset classes

• Lead the development of the firm's top-down macro and market strategy views — covering Vietnam's GDP growth outlook, monetary policy, FX dynamics, fiscal policy, and capital market trends — and integrate these into actionable portfolio-level recommendations

• Maintain direct coverage of key sectors (e.g., banking, real estate) while ensuring comprehensive research output across the full coverage universe through team coordination

• Synthesize bottom-up sector research with macro and thematic insights to produce firm-wide investment strategy notes, quarterly outlooks, and annual market forecasts

• Identify cross-sector investment themes and structural trends in the Vietnamese economy (urbanization, FDI diversification, infrastructure spending, digital transformation) and translate them into investable ideas

Fundraising & Investor Relations

• Serve as the primary research representative in fundraising activities — presenting investment strategy, market outlook, and portfolio rationale to prospective and existing institutional investors

• Lead the preparation of investor materials including fund pitch books, quarterly investor letters, market commentary, and due diligence responses

• Participate in investor roadshows, conferences, and one-on-one meetings alongside senior management and the sales/IR team

• Build and maintain relationships with institutional investors (Korean, regional, and global) through regular communication of research insights and market updates

• Collaborate with the fund management team to ensure research narratives are aligned with portfolio positioning and fund strategy for external communication

Macroeconomic & Market Strategy

• Develop and maintain a proprietary macro framework for Vietnam — tracking key indicators such as credit growth, real estate lending policy, public investment disbursement, trade balance, and inflation dynamics

• Monitor and interpret regulatory and policy developments (land law reforms, securities market regulations, banking sector directives) and assess their impact on investment thesis and portfolio positioning

• Produce regular macro strategy publications: monthly macro monitors, quarterly strategy updates, and ad-hoc policy impact assessments

• Benchmark Vietnam's macro positioning against ASEAN peers and communicate relative value arguments to support fundraising and allocation decisions

Corporate Bond & Credit Oversight

• Oversee credit research across the team, ensuring consistent frameworks for evaluating corporate bond issuances — credit quality, covenant analysis, yield-to-maturity, and refinancing risk

• Provide senior-level sign-off on credit recommendations and flag systemic credit risks emerging from macro or sector-level stress

• Coordinate with Portfolio Managers on fixed income positioning, particularly in real estate and banking-sector bonds

Portfolio & Investment Committee

• Serve as a senior member of the investment committee, presenting macro views, sector strategy, and high-conviction ideas with clear actionable recommendations

• Challenge and stress-test investment theses from the research team, ensuring intellectual rigor and risk awareness in all recommendations

• Provide strategic input on portfolio construction, sector allocation, and risk management at the fund level

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Research Managers and junior analysts — setting performance standards, conducting reviews, and building a culture of analytical excellence

• Drive research process improvements: model standardization, data infrastructure, coverage framework, and quality assurance protocols

• Recruit and retain top research talent; design career development paths within the research function

• Foster collaboration between research, portfolio management, and investor relations to ensure seamless information flow

Essential

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Yêu cầu công việc

Essential

• 10+ years of investment research experience in a buy-side or sell-side institution, with at least 3 years in a senior or leadership capacity

• Demonstrated expertise in both sector-level equity research and top-down macro / market strategy, ideally with coverage of Vietnamese equities

• Strong track record of producing high-impact research that has directly influenced investment decisions and portfolio outcomes

• Proven experience in investor-facing activities: presenting at roadshows, preparing fund marketing materials, and engaging with institutional LPs

• Advanced financial modeling skills: DCF, NAV, sum-of-parts, scenario analysis, and macro modeling frameworks

• Deep understanding of Vietnam's capital markets, regulatory environment, real estate dynamics, and credit market structure

• Excellent written and verbal communication in both English and Vietnamese; ability to produce publication-quality strategy research in English

• Strong leadership and people management skills with experience building and developing research teams

Preferred

• CFA charterholder

• Prior experience at a regional or global asset management firm.

• Coverage experience across multiple sectors (real estate, banking, industrials, consumer) providing a holistic market perspective

• Familiarity with Bloomberg, FiinPro, VietstockFinance, or equivalent macro/data platforms

WHAT WE OFFER

• Highly competitive compensation package including base salary and performance-based bonus commensurate with the seniority of the role

• Senior leadership position with direct influence on the firm's investment strategy and business development at a leading Korean-backed asset manager in Vietnam

• Professional development support including CFA sponsorship, international conference attendance, and access to institutional research platforms

• Comprehensive benefits package: premium private health insurance, annual health check-up, meal allowance, and executive perks

Quyền lợi

• Thưởng: KPI bonus
• Chăm sóc sức khoẻ: Personal health care
  Annual health checkup
• Nghỉ phép có lương: Tet and other holidays
• Đào tạo: Training opportunities
• Căn-tin: Lunch allowance
• Khác: Professional working environment