Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, moving can be one of the most stressful experiences a person can undertake. So, how do you know when a job offer in a different geography is worth the move? Relocating for a job has its own set of factors when determining the next right step, especially if it involves moving your entire family to a new state. With the numerous possible risks, what motivates (and convinces) someone to relocate?

Sohel Hussain faced this dilemma when Motus Recruiting approached him about taking a new opportunity in Portland, Oregon. Hussain was happily working in a competitive, high-profile leadership position at PIMCO in sunny California, while Motus was looking for the perfect person to be Meyer Memorial Trust’s first Director of Investment Operations.

Meyer Memorial Trust, established from the estate of Fred G. Meyer in 1982, is one of the largest private foundations in Oregon, with current assets of roughly $1 billion. The organization’s mission is to dismantle barriers to equity in education, housing and the environment, and to improve community conditions so that all Oregonians can reach their full potential.

As one of the top investment professionals in the industry who is constantly motivated by working toward the greater good and moving the needle for people in all walks of life, Hussain was the exact fit for what the Meyer team needed.

Over the past four to five years, Hussain had been actively examining how he could make an impact and tackle some of the issues we currently face as a nation – making the opportunity at Meyer difficult to ignore.

“It was a very tough decision given I was already in a very good situation and happy at my previous firm (PIMCO),” said Hussain. “However, the opportunity to continue my work directly for the purpose of making an impact on the community while also doing incredibly interesting work was something I couldn’t pass on. Here was my chance and I took it, and I’m grateful and humbled for the opportunity.”

After making a trip in October of last year, and Hussain says he was enamored by the beauty and potential of the greater Portland area.

“As someone who grew up in New York and most recently lived in Southern California, it was clear that Portland was in the middle of ongoing rapid change and closing the gap on other major metropolitan cities as far as its capability. Based on this intriguing shift and the character and beauty of the City of Portland, my family and I decided we wanted to be a part of that change.”

Once Hussain made the decision to move forward with this exciting opportunity, Motus CEO Orlando Williams made the ease of transition his top priority.

“As someone who has dealt with many recruiters within the Financial Services sector over the past decade, both on the East and West Coast, I can say unequivocally Orlando Williams was the best recruiter I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” said Hussain. “During the whole process, his interactions with me have always been with pure class and dignity. He was always transparent, responsive, and understanding of my needs and balancing that with needs of Meyer.”

“Sohel is a wonderful addition to our team,” said Meyer Memorial Trust Chief Investment Officer Rukaiyah Adams. “He brings depth, maturity, and vision to our middle office. Having him on the team is already boosting morale and elevating performance.”

Prior to PIMCO, Hussain worked at a number of hedge funds in N.Y., including SECOR Asset Management supporting its quantitative-based hedge fund and portfolio solutions business as the operations team lead. Hussain graduated from Hofstra University in 2011 with a BBA in Accounting and is due to complete his Masters of Liberal Arts in Finance from Harvard University, Extension School in May 2021.

“I’m looking forward to helping drive change within the investment function at Meyer by helping professionalize and scale our operational infrastructure,” said Hussain. “My hope is that this will provide our investment team with more ability and resources to make enhanced investment decisions to generate higher returns for our endowment, which will then be distributed to our community via our grant-making side of the business. There is a lot of work to be done, but I’m incredibly excited to take on the tasks at hand!”

Choosing to relocate can be an incredibly difficult decision, both professionally and personally. Your motivation to move might be a fresh start, maybe a bigger paycheck, or possibly being closer to family. And sometimes it’s something much deeper – the opportunity to use your unique set of skills to drive real change with a team committed and willing to do the same.