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Investment Fund Managers

The occupation Investment Fund Managers covers people who plan, direct, or coordinate investment strategy or operations for a large pool of liquid assets supplied by institutional investors or individual investors. O*NET rates it as extensive preparation, which usually means graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. It leans on reading comprehension, critical thinking, and active listening. Expect to manage investment funds to maximize return on client investments. Its interest code is ECI. Enterprising leads at 7.0 out of 7, so expect leading, persuading and making business decisions, with Conventional next at 5.2. People who want leading, persuading and making business decisions usually fit better here than those who need hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.

What they do

Plan, direct, or coordinate investment strategy or operations for a large pool of liquid assets supplied by institutional investors or individual investors.

Main tasks

  • Manage investment funds to maximize return on client investments.
  • Select specific investments or investment mixes for purchase by an investment fund.
  • Monitor financial or operational performance of individual investments to ensure portfolios meet risk goals.
  • Select or direct the execution of trades.
  • Develop or implement fund investment policies or strategies.
  • Perform or evaluate research, such as detailed company or industry analyses, to inform financial forecasting, decision making, or valuation.

Skills

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Complex Problem Solving

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
  • You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and critical thinking.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 1.5 out of 7 here.
  • You want to be working in the field within the next few years.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECI takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.

Preparation

Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Master's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Fixed Income Portfolio Manager
  • Fixed Income Vice President (Fixed Income VP)
  • Investment Analysis Vice President (Investment Analysis VP)
  • Portfolio Manager

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.