Private Markets Program & Operations Lead

The Opportunity

As investor interest in private markets accelerates, the Private Markets team within Advice & Wealth Solutions is helping drive future growth and expansion of our offer. Our role is to design, deliver, and scale private markets solutions that can meaningfully enhance long‑term outcomes for the right investors, while staying true to Vanguard’s principles of trust, discipline, and rigor.

The Role

The Private Markets Program & Operations Lead is accountable for the end‑to‑end operating model and scalable delivery of Vanguard’s private markets program in Advice & Wealth Solutions. This leader drives repeatable, well‑controlled execution that supports the current private equity offering while positioning the platform to scale as additional private markets products are introduced. The role leads specialist operations and partners closely across product, legal, compliance, and business teams to ensure reliable and well‑governed outcomes.

Responsibilities:

• Own end‑to‑end operational delivery of the private markets program, ensuring processes are designed to support the current private equity offer and scale efficiently as additional private markets products are introduced.
• Directly manage onboarding specialists and the Private Equity Program Manager, aligning team capabilities to a growing, multi‑product private markets platform.
• Lead execution of recurring program cycles (e.g., commitment windows, enrollment, legal closing activities) with an emphasis on repeatability, standardization, and capacity planning to support program growth.
• Establish and maintain common operational frameworks and playbooks that can be leveraged across future private markets offerings.
• Anticipate operational scaling needs and proactively partner with stakeholders to address people, process, and technology implications of program expansion.
• Proactively identify, manage, and mitigate operational, regulatory, and execution risks across the program. Ensure that as the offering expands, risk management, regulatory alignment, and control disciplines scale in lockstep.
• Embed governance structures that enable oversight of the program, with clear decision rights and escalation paths. Communicate program health, risks, and progress clearly to senior leaders, ensuring transparency and timely decision‑making.

Qualifications:

• 8+ years of relevant business experience in financial services, investment operations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross‑functional programs or operating models, with accountability for ongoing execution and outcomes.
• People leadership experience with responsibility for performance, development, and prioritization.
• Proven ability to design and run scalable, well‑controlled operational processes that support growth while managing risk.
• Strong risk management and control mindset, with experience partnering closely with legal, compliance, and risk stakeholders.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills, including the ability to provide clear, concise updates to senior leaders and drive alignment across diverse teams.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• This job requires a regulatory license and/or registration (e.g. FINRA, state, SFC). In particular, the Series 24, 66, 63, and 7. These will be determined by Compliance, based on role-specific duties.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting investment products, especially private markets, alternative investments, or other complex investment products.
• Experience building or evolving operating models designed to scale across multiple products or offerings.
• Familiarity with regulatory and operational requirements related to investor onboarding, eligibility, or product delivery in a highly governed environment.
• Graduate degree (MBA or similar).

Special Factors

Sponsorship

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.