Associate Director - Quantitative Research and Index Management

Associate Director of Quantitative Research, Index Management

The Group: 

Morningstar Indexes is one of the fastest-growing business units at Morningstar, delivering innovative indexing solutions that measure and benchmark global markets and asset classes. Our comprehensive suite spans equities, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies, supporting investors across the full investment lifecycle—from market monitoring and benchmarking to asset allocation and portfolio construction.

Our indexes underpin a wide range of investment products, including strategic beta solutions built on proprietary research, as well as broad market benchmarks widely used by global asset managers and product providers.

The Role:

The Morningstar Indexes Global Operations team seeks a dynamic, results-driven, analytical and experienced leader for our Index Management & Analytics (IMA) team.

The team is responsible to maintain the integrity and accuracy of our indexes, through index reconstitution, rebalance and ongoing maintenance across all asset classes and business lines. The team also plays a critical role in methodology evolution, analytics development, and market classification frameworks.

This is a player-coach role combining hands-on quantitative expertise with team leadership. You will help shape the strategic roadmap, enhance operational infrastructure, and drive automation and AI adoption to support future scale. You will work cross-functionally with Product, Technology, New Product Development, and global Operations teams, while engaging directly with clients and stakeholders.

A successful Associate Director of Quant Research, Index Management & Analytics will have strong leadership and quantitative finance skills, a focus on operational excellence, a general understanding of financial markets and indexing. As part of this role, you will join a global team and will work with colleagues based in the US, Europe and Asia. The position is based in Vashi, Navi Mumbai (India)

Key Responsibilities

• Index Management & Methodology Ownership

·       Lead end-to-end execution of index reconstitution and rebalancing across asset classes

·       Ensure methodologies are implemented consistently, accurately, and at scale

·       Provide subject matter expertise on index maintenance

• Innovation & Strategy

·       Proactively identify and drive methodology enhancements aligned with market evolution

·       Contribute to the IMA strategic roadmap, including infrastructure modernization and AI-enabled capabilities

• Team Leadership

·       Manage and mentor a team of quantitative managers and analysts

·       Foster a high-performance, collaborative culture with strong accountability and continuous learning

• Data Governance & Index Quality

·       Oversee quality checks for data inputs critical to index construction (e.g., fundamentals, shares outstanding, float, classifications)

·       Strengthen data quality frameworks and controls to minimize operational risk

·       Oversee validation of index levels, portfolios, and restatement activities when required

• Client & Stakeholder Engagement

·       Serve as a key point of contact for internal and external stakeholders

·       Communicate index methodology, analytics, and reconstitution outcomes to clients and partners

·       Support commercial and client engagement efforts with data-driven insights

• Operational Excellence & Automation

·       Drive process improvements and automation to enhance efficiency and reduce manual dependencies

·       Improve scalability and resilience of index operations

Qualifications & Experience

·       Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Engineering, Economics, or a related field

·       CFA (completed or in progress) strongly preferred

·       12–15 years of relevant experience in index management, quantitative research, or financial data operations

·       Proven experience leading teams and managing global stakeholders

Skills & Competencies

·       Strong understanding of financial markets, index construction, and portfolio analytics

·       Advanced proficiency in Python, SQL, and data analytics; experience with financial modeling preferred

·       General proficiency and practical experience in applying AI/ML to financial data, operations or analytics workflows; and familiarity with generative AI tools

·       Excellent problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail and control mindset

·       Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under tight timelines

·       Strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex concepts for diverse audiences

·       Passion for innovation, automation, and continuous improvement

Morningstar is an equal opportunity employer.

Morningstar's hybrid work environment gives you the opportunity to collaborate in-person each week as we've found that we're at our best when we're purposely together on a regular basis. In most of our locations, our hybrid work model is four days in-office each week. A range of other benefits are also available to enhance flexibility as needs change. No matter where you are, you'll have tools and resources to engage meaningfully with your global colleagues.

Experience Level