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