Associate Director, Client Service

Bridgewater Associates • Westport, CT

3d • $350,000 - $650,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director plays a pivotal role within the Client Service organization, advancing the firm’s mission to build enduring partnerships with the world’s largest and most sophisticated pools of capital. Sitting at the center of client relationships, this role combines strategic thought partnership, investment fluency, and operational excellence to help clients achieve their objectives through high-quality returns and differentiated insights. In close partnership with Client Advisors, the Associate Director develops a deep understanding of each client’s goals, constraints, and governance structures, translating that insight into engagement strategies that strengthen relationships and drive commercial outcomes. External Impact In partnership with the Client Advisor, the Associate Director plays a critical role in advancing and executing client strategy. They build and deepen relationships with key client counterparts, serve as a trusted day-to-day thought partner, and help reinforce the firm’s brand through clear and compelling communication of complex investment strategies. By cultivating strong working relationships and second-level advocacy across client organizations, Associate Directors help sustain and grow mandates while identifying opportunities to expand partnerships in alignment with broader team objectives. Internal Leadership Internally, the Associate Director acts as a critical nexus between clients and the broader organization. They lead day-to-day management of a client book, quarterback complex portfolio initiatives, and drive cross-functional collaboration to execute against strategic goals. Success in the role requires rigorous investment fluency, strong commercial judgment, and the ability to translate sophisticated portfolio concepts into actionable client solutions. Through disciplined execution and strategic insight, Associate Directors contribute meaningfully to both client outcomes and the long-term growth of the business. They also join a cohort responsible for driving internal improvements and initiatives in areas of content, training, and operations. Investment Fluency and Development Success in this role requires a rigorous understanding of the firm’s investment approach, strategies, and portfolio construction philosophy. Associate Directors undergo extensive training to develop deep fluency in core investment concepts, enabling them to accurately represent the firm externally and engage clients at a sophisticated level. What Defines Excellence in This Role The strongest Associate Directors have: Strategic relationship understanding and judgment Marrying of client needs with Bridgewater strategy and offerings Intellectual rigor and investment fluency Commercial instinct aligned with long-term partnership building Effective key stakeholder management Clear, compelling communication of complex ideas Strong project leadership and collaboration with cross-functional teams Managing a high volume of tasks with varying complexity and timelines

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years professional or equivalent experience
• Experience working with institutional clients
• Bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record
• Effective written and oral communication skills, with strong detail orientation
• A high degree of proficiency in Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, and Excel; general comfort with learning and using new software tools

Responsibilities

• Represent Bridgewater and our investment strategies directly to clients, in partnership with the Client Advisor, with increasing ownership as investment fluency and content depth grow.
• Serve as a conduit of information between clients and the broader organization by developing a deep understanding of Bridgewater’s research process, investment strategies, business infrastructure, and strategic priorities.
• Partner cross-functionally (Investment Research, Legal, Finance, Operations, etc.) to drive client-focused projects and requests through to completion with high quality deliverables.
• Maintain a rigorous and accurate synthesis of current and historical client relationship dynamics, objectives, constraints, and governance considerations to inform engagement strategy.
• Act as a primary day-to-day point of contact for client inquiries, requests, and portfolio discussions, supporting client retention, mandate stability, and growth.
• Identify and solve problems efficiently and independently — both proactively and in response to evolving client needs — escalating appropriately when strategic input from the Client Advisor is required.
• Partner closely with Client Advisors, Analysts, and Associate Coordinators to manage the internal operations, priorities, and execution tempo of the coverage team, ensuring disciplined follow-through and alignment with broader relationship objectives.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level