Analyst, Investment
About the position The University of Illinois Foundation (UIF) is seeking an Investment Analyst to join its Investment Office. This role is integral to managing a multibillion-dollar endowment, working closely with senior team members. The analyst will be a generalist, involved in global investments across various asset classes through investment managers, co-investments, and direct investments. Key responsibilities include monitoring existing relationships, evaluating new opportunities, performing ad-hoc analysis, and supporting operational needs. This is typically a three-year program with potential career paths in institutional investing, buy-side firms, or graduate business school. Analysts will be supported in pursuing the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Responsibilities
- Support senior team members in all aspects of managing the endowment across investment responsibilities.
- Prepare written and analytic materials that present and support investment recommendations or actions.
- Assist in researching and analyzing both existing and prospective investment opportunities.
- Attend and participate in meetings with existing and prospective investment managers.
- Monitor, update, and create reports on investment performance, exposures, individual positions, and other portfolio analytics.
- Prepare analysis and assist in writing investment memos.
- Assist in the preparation of materials for UIF’s Investment Policy Committee meetings.
- Maintain database integrity across the various systems used to analyze the portfolio and support in diligence process.
- Engage in discussions regarding asset allocation, risk management, and other elements of portfolio construction.
- Stay current and have views on capital markets and financial news.
- Travel to manager meetings on an ad hoc basis as needed.
- Other duties as assigned, which may include ad hoc projects (e.g. deep dive research on a specific geography or sector) as directed by the Investment Team.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree with track record of strong academic achievement.
- Demonstrated interest in researching, following, and investing in individual equities.
- Demonstrated interest in finance and investing and intellectually curious about capital markets, asset management, and business models.
- Excellent communication and listening skills, with ability to function well as part of a small team.
- Strong work ethic, analytical, and quantitative skills with a keen attention to detail.
- Ability to assess information and present observations and conclusions in understandable language and format - both verbally and in writing.
- Strong ethics and integrity.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Nice-to-haves
- One-to-two years work experience.
- Progress towards CFA designation is a plus.
- Proficiency with Python or comparable statistical program is a plus.
Benefits
- Medical coverage
- Vision coverage
- Dental coverage
- Company paid life insurance
- Generous vacation time including 24 days annually
- Generous pension benefits