Career opportunities Archives

The surprising life of a Vanguard software developer

November 16, 2022/in Career opportunities, Day in the Life Technology /by jortega

The surprising life of a Vanguard software developer

Before starting my career at Vanguard as an application engineer, I had some preconceived notions that I would be siloed at a desk, head down, and coding. Much to my surprise, I could not have been more wrong about my typical day of work. While a career in software development does inherently entail screen time, it is complemented by collaboration within and across teams, which fosters an environment of endless learning, as well as interpersonal and professional growth. Despite what most people think, software development is an extremely team-oriented career. We work with a variety of mission-driven teams – gaining and sharing knowledge all along the way.

Vanguard encourages a cooperative culture by building teams of people with different backgrounds and experiences in technology and business. This diversity truly expands your knowledge base by encouraging multidimensional thinking and idea sharing – so we’re always learning from each other. The people who come from non-technical roles often lend creative solutions to the problems that had our technical team blocked. Sharing my technical knowledge with others is energizing and very fulfilling. For example, enabling business partners on the team to perform their own testing not only helps our efficiency, but lends to great comradery.

Making an Impact

As part of a product team, crew in technical roles can participate in all client-facing discussions. Offering ideas and hearing directly from our clients is rewarding as a developer. We get to see how the work we do makes a genuine impact on the clients we serve.

While developing a new feature, I sometimes find myself getting excited about an idea to improve the current design, so I will typically reach out via chat or even stop by our product owner’s desk for real-time feedback. I’ve gotten to build close relationships across Vanguard, that would not have been possible if I had been isolated from that part of the process.

I genuinely love coming to work and cannot imagine myself anywhere else. That’s due to the incredible teams I have been a part of, and Vanguard’s commitment to creating a collaborative environment for all crew – especially in the technology space!

— Laurel A.

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Why I’ve spent 27 years in tech at Vanguard

October 19, 2022/in Career opportunities, Day in the Life /by jortega

Why I’ve spent 27 years in tech at Vanguard

Fresh out of college with a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science, I was ready to embark on a Vanguard career — though I would not have thought it would last 27 years. It was my first time on campus, hurrying to get to my first interview, when I realized Vanguard was the place for me. The greetings from the crew walking on campus, the welcoming atmosphere, and the authenticity of the recruiter and interviewer just felt right.

Mission Oriented

But most of all, it was Vanguard’s mission: to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success. That mission has been the same and has not changed my entire career.

It’s a mission you can feel. Vanguard is investor-owned, meaning the fund shareholders own the funds, which in turn own Vanguard. We strive to ensure our efforts will lead to better outcomes for our investors. We’re helping over 30 million investors around the world save for retirement, pursue education goals, and build a future for themselves and their families.

My Vanguard Why

Along the way, family and friends have asked why I’ve stayed at Vanguard for so long. My answer has been consistent: Vanguard’s commitment to our clients, crew, and community aligns to my values – which makes it easy to stay. It is only when our clients win that we win.

I currently lead one of the client experience and digital departments focused on helping clients manage their accounts. I’ve completed many rotations in IT, including as a frontend developer, technical lead, project manager, and systems manager, spanning multiple subdivisions within our IT division. Across all of these roles and departments, one truism is clear: Vanguard is focused on clients first. My current role serving our individual investors and advice clients through technology has helped me contribute to making the mission a reality.

Vanguard has always been the best place to work for me. The way in which Vanguard cares for their crew is clear – I’ve completed my master’s degree here, raised a family here, found opportunities to pursue growth here, and much more. And for every day of my 27 years, Vanguard’s mission has inspired me to continue learning, growing, and giving investors the best chance for investment success.

– Sonya D.

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Not your typical career path

October 12, 2022/in Career opportunities, Voyage to Vanguard /by jortega

Not your typical career path

From leading scrum teams that develop digital client experience technologies to overseeing the pricing and economics for all our enterprise mutual funds and ETFs. That’s not your typical career trajectory but is emblematic of Vanguard’s culture to provide unique experiences to leaders in unorthodox ways. Although many of my career experiences have seemingly little in common, each role offered learnings, insights, and perspectives that can shape how I approach decision-making in subsequent roles. Within Finance, I’ve quickly realized both the opportunity that this division provides in being able to drive significant enterprise impact as well as the unique and indirect preparedness that prior experiences have provided to help me contribute to that impact.

One part of my unique journey is that I left Vanguard for about five years. I first departed to pursue business school for two years, and then upon graduation, spent a few years as a management consultant. The consulting experience had three primary benefits for me: 1) the pace of work and the approach to problem solving developed my managerial abilities; 2) rotating to a different engagement every few months with a new client, team, and project, taught me to quickly synthesize the complex; and, 3) being away from Vanguard allowed me to fully appreciate the power of this company’s mission, purpose, and culture.

Although the first and second benefits have been instrumental in helping me add value across various parts of the organization, the last benefit is the most important. It’s easy to take for granted what this company stands for and why it is different. We hear the buzzwords often (e.g., investor-owned), but those words’ meanings resonated most powerfully for me while having the opportunity to work at and with other companies in the industry. I was able to experience first-hand how ownership conflicts can trickle down into impacting all facets of an organization – from culture to decision-making. Counterintuitively, being away from Vanguard made it apparent how special Vanguard is – the people that comprise this organization and the purpose on which it rests. As Vanguard CEO Tim Buckley has said, “helping people achieve a better financial future is not a secondary goal for us. It is the only goal.”

In my current role within Finance, I am able to directly witness how our unique ownership structure mechanically works from a fund expense and price standpoint, and in turn understand how we are able to return so much value to investors. The “Vanguard effect” did not happen by accident, and I now own this process for all of our funds. These decisions have wide-spanning implications on our enterprise revenue, investor savings, brand, competitive positioning, among other factors – it’s both an awesome and humbling responsibility. I’m excited about the opportunity that I have to help investors as a crew member within Finance, and I encourage you to reflect on how your own diverse experiences knit together in a way that makes you a more capable agent in delivering Vanguard’s mission to our investors.

– Brian D.

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A look at Vanguard’s Advance to Financial Planning Associate Program

September 28, 2022/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Day in the Life /by jortega

Colleague talking at meeting in company office

A look at Vanguard’s Advance to Financial Planning Associate Program

Starting your first job after college can seem intimidating. Jesus L. and Drew E. share their experiences joining Vanguard as part of the Advance to Financial Planning Associate (AFPA) Program. Through AFPA, they worked in Vanguard’s Advisor Support Group in a client-facing position and had opportunities to develop their financial planning acumen and relationship building skills, while networking and receiving mentorship from advisors and advisor managers over the course of roughly one year. The two detail how the program and Vanguard helped make their transition to the corporate world, and ultimately a role as a financial advisor, easier.

Why Vanguard?

Provide a brief introduction about yourself and why you chose Vanguard.

Jesus: I joined Vanguard in June of 2021 through the Advance to Financial Planning Associate Program (AFPA), after graduating from Grand Canyon University with a degree in Finance and Economics. I chose to work for Vanguard because of the investment philosophy that the company holds. Vanguard’s four principals for investment success: Goals, Balance, Cost and Discipline, represent a recipe for success that is realistic, replicable, and achievable for the broad population. As a Mexican American and first-generation college graduate, I feel compelled to share those principals with my community and begin to address financial illiteracy nationwide.

Drew: I joined Vanguard’s AFPA program in 2021 after graduating from Davidson College with an Economics degree. I chose Vanguard because their low-cost, long-term, indexing investment philosophy aligns with my core thoughts on financial markets, saving, and investing. I am grateful to work for an employer where honesty is valued, and to work with people who I know will do the right thing for all investors.

What initially interested you in the AFPA program, and an eventual career in advice?

Jesus: I’ve always been passionate about my personal financial journey, and a career in advice seemed like a logical next step. Throughout college I knew I wanted to be involved in other people’s financial journeys, but I lacked confidence and industry knowledge to begin working as an advisor at a local Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firm. The AFPA program provided me with a steppingstone to become a successful planner. I was able to spend a year getting exposure to the industry and the various financial planning challenges that every day Americans face. This experience didn’t just prepare me for a career as a financial advisor, but it gave me immense confidence to use the skills I already had.

Drew: Vanguard was a company that I trusted with my own investments; therefore, a company I was eager to work for. My time in the program convinced me that a career in financial advice was an excellent path. I was grateful to learn how to be an advisor in a development program rather than jumping into selling products on commission.

Transition Period

What did it feel like to transition from college to corporate life?

Jesus: Transitioning into the corporate lifestyle was quite difficult for me at first. Especially as a first-generation student, I had negative preconceptions about American corporate life. During my time as a college student, I considered entrepreneurship as the only optimal path for success. Yet when I joined Vanguard’s community, I quickly realized that I was surrounded with like-minded individuals who shared similar aspirations. At Vanguard, I have access to half a century’s worth of information and real-life experiences that shaped the industry into what it is today. I network with professionals who have decades of financial planning experience. Most importantly I’m not alone, I have a clear leadership structure that aids and supports my development.

Drew: In college, you are handed opportunities to shine in the form of exams and papers. In the corporate world, those opportunities aren’t highlighted, but finding them and capitalizing on them will help you stand out. Finding success in corporate life requires discipline and self-motivation. There are opportunities to learn and make an impact, but you must seek them out. Don’t be afraid to ask your leader for time to work on projects you are passionate about.

What was your favorite part of the AFPA program?

Jesus: My favorite part of the AFPA program was being surrounded by like-minded peers. Having peers who are on the same professional track adds a unique level of collaboration that I found to be very constructive. I’ve made a lot of memories and friendships that I will be carrying with me for years to come.

Financial Advice

What did you learn throughout the development period – both in the Advisor Support Group (ASG) role and through development activities?

Drew: In the ASG role, I learned that a well-thought question is far more persuasive and valuable than a definitive statement. You’ll often work with clients who know very little about markets, but what they value more than your knowledge is your listening ear. Through the development activities, I learned the full depth of what an advisor provides clients. I learned that advice encompasses not only investments and goals, but long-term care planning, charitable giving, disciplined coaching, and an emotional connection.

Vanguard Careers

What advice do you have for candidates interested in AFPA?

Jesus: My biggest piece of advice to any AFPA candidate is to use your time in this program wisely. Begin visualizing the financial planning process. Understand the thought process and methodology that goes behind every transaction. By the time it’s your turn to put on the advisor hat, you’ll already have the confidence and base knowledge to work from.

Drew: Ask questions. Early in the program, I was too worried to admit I didn’t know something; however, the questions you have will likely be questions your peers and eventual clients have, too. If you ask questions early and often, you’ll quickly find success in the role.

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Vanguard Dallas: Hear from a Financial Advisor Manager

September 7, 2022/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Our mission /by jblackwell

Vanguard Dallas: Hear from a Financial Advisor Manager

Vanguard has opened a new office in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area in Texas. In alignment with the firm’s commitment to making advice more accessible and affordable for investors, the new location will be dedicated to supporting all aspects of its growing advice businesses. Recently, we spoke with some of the crew members at the new site and had a chance to ask them questions about what they are most excited about. In this final installment of a three-part series, we hear from Javier H.

What makes Vanguard stand out in the financial services industry?

What makes Vanguard unique is its ownership structure, which removes the friction caused by competing elements in serving owners versus investors. At Vanguard, they are truly one and the same and this results in all decisions being grounded in doing the right thing for our clients. Vanguard’s client-first mission is embedded in our approach to investing, decision-making, and company culture. I have peace of mind knowing that the work I do every day is creating value ethically and with integrity for our clients.

What are you looking forward to most with Vanguard’s new footprint in Dallas?

I am looking forward to building a team of advisors from all walks of life who are dedicated to helping investors achieve their best financial futures. Texas has such a rich and diverse culture that is full of pride. I believe these elements will be a great addition to Vanguard. I’m also excited to hold team gatherings at BBQ and Tex-Mex joints, where we can connect outside of the workplace and enjoy local cuisine, too!

What skills and competencies make a financial advisor at Vanguard successful?

The best financial advisors that I have seen demonstrate a high degree of emotional intelligence with clients. They are able to build authentic connections and establish trust with clients quickly. As a financial advisor, trust is critical to uncovering sensitive financial situations in a client’s life that they may be hesitant to share. I would also say that great financial advisors are also great teachers; they effectively communicate complex financial subjects in a way that is easier for a client to understand.

How will Vanguard support a financial advisor’s career growth?

Financial advisors are encouraged to pursue the CFP® exam with Vanguard’s support if they do not already hold the certification. The CFP certification is one of the most widely recognized and respected certifications within the financial services industry. There are also many opportunities to learn, shadow, and receive mentorship from senior financial advisors to help advisors grow and develop within the craft.

More about Javier: After completing his undergraduate degree in Finance, Javier joined Vanguard through an accelerated leadership training program. Javier has been a leader in several business departments and is currently a manager in Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Services, leading a team of financial advisors. Javier holds the CFP certification and is passionate about coaching advisors to meet the wide range of client needs.

Are you interested in joining our team in Dallas, Texas? View our Advice opportunities today!

Please check out our first and second installments of this series to learn more about Financial Advisor opportunities and our new Dallas site from Luke and McKenna.

¹Vanguard is investor-owned, meaning the fund shareholders own the funds, which in turn own Vanguard.

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