1. What is a Operations Manager at Ares Management?

As a leading global alternative investment manager, Ares Management relies on flawless operational execution to support its complex, multi-asset class portfolios. The Operations Manager role is the critical bridge between our investment teams, third-party administrators, and internal corporate functions. In this position, you ensure that the middle and back-office engines run smoothly, allowing our front-office teams to focus on generating alpha and driving growth.

The impact of this position is substantial. You will oversee trade settlements, fund operations, cash management, and compliance workflows for various alternative investment vehicles, including credit, private equity, and real estate. Because of the scale and complexity of our assets under management, even minor operational inefficiencies can have significant downstream effects. Therefore, this role requires a candidate who can simultaneously execute daily operational deliverables while strategically identifying areas for process automation and risk mitigation.

Stepping into the Operations Manager role at Ares Management means joining a fast-paced, high-stakes environment. You will be expected to navigate ambiguity, manage relationships with diverse stakeholders, and lead initiatives that scale our operational infrastructure. The work is demanding, but it offers a unique vantage point into the mechanics of top-tier alternative asset management and the opportunity to drive tangible business improvements.

2. Common Interview Questions

3. Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Thorough preparation is the key to navigating our comprehensive interview process. We assess candidates holistically, looking for a blend of deep domain expertise and the interpersonal skills necessary to thrive in our collaborative culture. Keep the following evaluation criteria in mind as you prepare your narratives.

Operational Excellence & Domain Knowledge – You must demonstrate a deep understanding of asset management operations, trade lifecycles, and fund administration. Interviewers will evaluate your familiarity with financial instruments, reconciliation processes, and regulatory requirements. You can show strength here by discussing specific operational bottlenecks you have resolved in the past and the frameworks you use to ensure accuracy at scale.

Problem-Solving & Process Improvement – We look for managers who do not just maintain the status quo but actively seek to optimize it. You will be evaluated on your ability to identify inefficiencies, leverage technology or data, and implement scalable solutions. Strong candidates will come prepared with examples of how they have streamlined workflows, reduced operational risk, or led cross-functional system implementations.

Stakeholder Management & Leadership – As an Operations Manager, you will constantly interact with portfolio managers, legal/compliance teams, and external vendors. Interviewers will assess your ability to communicate complex operational issues clearly and influence outcomes without formal authority. Highlight your experience building consensus and managing expectations during high-pressure situations.

Cultural Fit & Collaboration – Ares Management values a highly collaborative, low-ego environment. Because you will be working closely with a large peer group, your ability to build rapport and work seamlessly within a team is critical. You can demonstrate this by showing how you support your colleagues, handle disagreements constructively, and maintain a positive, solutions-oriented attitude.

4. Interview Process Overview

The interview process for the Operations Manager role at Ares Management is thorough and designed to ensure a mutual fit. You should expect an intensive, multi-round process that leans heavily on a conversational yet highly informative style. Rather than relying solely on high-pressure technical grilling, our interviewers aim to understand your practical experience, your thought process, and how you naturally interact with colleagues.

Expect to meet with a relatively large number of individuals—often six or more people throughout the entire loop. Your journey will typically begin with an initial screening call with a recruiter or HR representative to align on background, expectations, and logistics. This is usually followed by a deeper dive with the hiring manager, focusing on your specific operational experience and strategic mindset.

The most distinctive part of our process is the extensive peer evaluation. You will likely interview with a panel of 4 to 5 peers who are currently in or adjacent to the role. This broad exposure is intentional; it ensures that anyone you will work closely with has a voice in the hiring decision. Because so many individuals are involved, consensus is critical. A conversational approach is key here—you must be able to build rapport quickly and prove that you are a reliable, collaborative addition to the team.

This visual timeline outlines the progression from your initial HR screen through the hiring manager interview and the extensive peer panel rounds. Use this to pace your preparation, ensuring you have enough varied examples to share across multiple conversations without repeating yourself, while maintaining high energy for the peer interviews.

5. Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

To succeed, you must be prepared to speak deeply about your operational background while demonstrating your ability to thrive in our specific environment. Below are the primary areas where you will be evaluated.

Process Optimization & Risk Management

Operational risk is a constant focus at Ares Management. We need managers who can design bulletproof processes that prevent errors before they occur. You will be evaluated on your methodology for auditing workflows, identifying vulnerabilities, and implementing controls. Strong performance here means demonstrating a proactive approach to risk, rather than a reactive one.

Be ready to go over:

• Trade Lifecycle Controls – How you ensure accuracy from trade capture through settlement and reconciliation.
• Exception Management – Your framework for handling trade breaks, failed settlements, or data discrepancies quickly and effectively.
• Process Automation – How you have leveraged tools (such as Excel macros, SQL, or specialized OMS/EMS platforms) to reduce manual touchpoints.
• Advanced concepts (less common) –
  • Designing operational workflows for complex, non-standard alternative asset classes.
  • Leading vendor selection and onboarding for new middle-office systems.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through a time when a significant operational error occurred under your watch. How did you resolve it, and what controls did you implement to prevent it from happening again?"
• "Describe a manual process you identified as inefficient. How did you go about automating or streamlining it?"
• "How do you prioritize exception handling on a day with unusually high trade volume and multiple critical breaks?"

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Peer Fit

Because operations touches almost every part of the firm, your ability to collaborate is just as important as your technical skills. Interviewers, especially the peer panel, will evaluate how you handle friction, communicate complex issues to non-operational teams, and contribute to team morale. A strong candidate comes across as approachable, accountable, and communicative.

Be ready to go over:

• Front-to-Back Office Communication – How you relay operational constraints or issues to portfolio managers and traders without causing friction.
• Vendor & Administrator Management – Your strategies for holding third-party fund administrators accountable for SLAs.
• Conflict Resolution – How you navigate disagreements regarding process changes or resource allocation.
• Advanced concepts (less common) –
  • Managing operations through a major firm acquisition or fund restructuring.
  • Training and mentoring junior operations analysts.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you had to push back on a request from a portfolio manager because it posed an operational risk. How did you handle the conversation?"
• "Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult third-party vendor. How did you ensure they met their deliverables?"
• "How do you build trust with a new team of peers when stepping into a management role?"

Asset Management Domain Knowledge

While specific asset class experience can sometimes be taught, a foundational understanding of alternative investments is highly evaluated. We assess your fluency in the terminology, mechanics, and regulatory environment of the funds we manage. Strong candidates can comfortably discuss the operational nuances of credit, private equity, or real estate vehicles.

Be ready to go over:

• Fund Structures – Understanding of closed-end vs. open-end funds, capital calls, and distributions.
• Corporate Actions & Cash Management – How you monitor liquidity, process corporate actions, and ensure funding for complex transactions.
• Regulatory Reporting – Familiarity with compliance requirements and reporting standards relevant to alternative assets.
• Advanced concepts (less common) –
  • Navigating the operational complexities of distressed debt or direct lending portfolios.
  • Cross-border settlement nuances and FX hedging operations.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Explain the operational differences between processing a standard equity trade versus a syndicated loan."
• "Walk me through the lifecycle of a capital call from an operational perspective."
• "How do you ensure accurate cash forecasting across multiple funds with varying liquidity profiles?"