Assistant Vice President - Operations Specialist

Proxy Voting – Operations Specialist, AVP

Job Description:

Job Title: Proxy Voting – Operations Specialist

Corporate Title: AVP

Location: Bangalore, India

About DWS

• At DWS, we are focused on capturing the opportunities of tomorrow. As a leading, client‑committed global asset manager, we create meaningful impact for individuals, communities, and the world.
• Joining us means becoming part of a forward‑looking organisation where you will work alongside industry thought‑leaders, gain diverse perspectives, and contribute to innovative and sustainable solutions that influence markets and shape behaviours for the better.
• Every day at DWS offers an opportunity to discover a "new now." You’ll be supported as you overcome challenges, pursue your ambitions, and build an extraordinary career — one that not only advances your professional journey but also invests in your future.

Team / Division Overview

As part of DWS COO function, the Portfolio Services department is responsible for Corporate Actions, Collateral Management and Securities Finance, Class Actions and Proxy Voting, Trailer -, Management Fees and Billing.

About Our Proxy Voting Function

The Proxy Voting function ensures that DWS, as fiduciary and asset manager, executes voting rights in the best economic interest of its clients and in compliance with global regulations and internal Proxy Voting Policies & Guidelines.

Given the significant regulatory and governance environment around Proxy Voting (including SEC rules, ESG‑driven transparency requirements) the team manages:

• Global meeting activity across jurisdictions
• Proxy account on boarding
• Voting activity monitoring with proxy vendors
• Appeal and escalation processes
• Oversight of global vendors
• Reporting

The team works closely with stakeholders such as Portfolio Management, the Corporate Governance Center, Custodians and external service providers.

Role Description

Role Details – Proxy Voting Operations Specialist

• As a Proxy Voting Operations Specialist, you will manage the end‑to‑end process of meeting preparation, voting activity monitoring, vote execution, and oversight activities across global markets. You will ensure that all ballots are voted accurately, on time, and in alignment with DWS Proxy Voting Policy and Guidelines. The role requires strong operational discipline, stakeholder coordination, and the ability to navigate complex voting scenarios, refer items, and appeals.
• You will operate in a high‑visibility topic area with increasing regulatory expectations, particularly around ESG and governance transparency.

What we’ll offer you

As part of our flexible scheme, here are just some of the benefits that you’ll enjoy,

• Best in class leave policy.
• Gender neutral parental leaves
• 100% reimbursement under childcare assistance benefit (gender neutral)
• Sponsorship for Industry relevant certifications and education
• Employee Assistance Program for you and your family members
• Comprehensive Hospitalization Insurance for you and your dependents
• Accident and Term life Insurance
• Complementary Health screening for 35 yrs. and above

Your key responsibilities

Meeting Preparation & Setup

• Monitor and identify upcoming general and special meetings across global markets.
• Set up meetings with proxy vendors.
• Validate fund/account setup for proper vote eligibility (share blocking, PoA requirements, domicile rules).

Research, Voting & Instruction Oversight

• Retrieve, validate, and compare vendor research and internal DWS policy recommendations.
• Prepare and quality‑check voting recommendation reports for Portfolio Managers.
• Monitor voting activities in proxy vendor systems and address discrepancies.
• Manage uninstructed ballots, missing approvals, and missing instructions.
• Reconcile ballots across ISS, DWS, and custodians.
• Ensure timely submission of vote instructions before market deadlines.

Appeals, Refer Items & Governance

• Identify refer items requiring case‑by‑case governance review.
• Support Portfolio Management in raising policy appeals.
• Prepare documentation and coordinate escalation to the Proxy Voting Committee
• Ensure proper conflict‑of‑interest checks with Compliance.
• Update ballots based on internal Committee decisions.

Reporting & Regulatory Compliance

• Support global reporting requirements such as regulatory filings, management board reporting, and voting activity reporting

Your skills and experience

Experience & Technical Knowledge

• Experience in Proxy Voting, Asset Servicing, Corporate Governance, or Investment Operations.
• Strong understanding of proxy processes, market rules, share blocking, PoA requirements
• Familiarity with governance frameworks

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical capabilities to interpret meeting agendas, research documents, and policy guidelines.
• High attention to detail and a strong control mindset.
• Ability to handle complex operational workflows with many stakeholders and system touchpoints.
• Effective communication skills to work with Portfolio Management, custodians, Corporate Governance Center, Legal, and proxy vendors.
• Strong organizational skills for managing high‑volume meeting seasons.
• Proactive, solution‑oriented mindset with ownership of issues and escalations.

Tools & Systems

• Experience with proxy vendor platforms is a plus
• Proficiency in MS Office; experience with automation or workflow tools is a plus

How we’ll support you

• Training and development to help you excel in your career.
• Coaching and support from experts in your team.
• A culture of continuous learning to aid progression.
• A range of flexible benefits that you can tailor to suit your needs.

About us and our teams

Please visit our company website for further information:

https://www.db.com/company/company.html

We at DWS are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, one that embraces dialogue and diverse views, and treats everyone fairly to drive a high-performance culture. The value we create for our clients and investors is based on our ability to bring together various perspectives from all over the world and from different backgrounds. It is our experience that teams perform better and deliver improved outcomes when they are able to incorporate a wide range of perspectives. We call this #ConnectingTheDots.

Experience Level

Executive Level