Investment Analyst - Private Equity

Established in 1922, the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System (“SFERS”) is dedicated to securing, protecting and prudently investing pension trust (the “Trust”) assets and administering a defined benefit pension fund for eligible members of the City and County of San Francisco (the “City”), San Francisco Unified School District, City College of San Francisco, and the Superior Court for the County of San Francisco. 

Our Mission

The San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System is dedicated to securing, protecting and prudently investing the pension trust assets, administering mandated benefits programs, and providing promised benefits to the active and retired members of the City and County of San Francisco.

The SFERS Retirement Board (the "Retirement Board") and investment team oversee the management of over $27 billion in Trust assets in public equity, public fixed income, private equity, venture capital, real assets, private credit and absolute return investments. The SFERS investment team has distinguished experience and educational backgrounds.  Our investment strategy is unique, we have an exceptional research platform and our returns consistently rank near the top compared to other defined benefit plans.

SFERS is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Investment Analyst for its large and growing private markets portfolio, which currently includes over $8 billion in investments in venture capital, private equity, and real assets. Under direction and working closely with the Senior Portfolio Managers (“SPMs”), the Investment Analyst will perform complex research work in helping construct and manage a global private markets portfolio through the sourcing, underwriting, execution and active management of investment partnerships, co-investments and direct investments in accordance with SFERS’ private markets strategy and risk-adjusted return objectives for the underlying asset classes. While the Investment Analyst will be exposed to a variety of private markets strategies within the portfolio, it is expected that the majority of time will be allocated to private equity investment opportunities, particularly venture capital and growth.

The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to:

1. Assist in the evaluation of investment opportunities, including meeting with investment managers, conducting reference checks, investment modeling, and performing other qualitative and quantitative analyses.
2. Manage the internal process for monitoring existing and potential investments, including reviewing marketing materials, taking meeting notes, reviewing quarterly reports, and administering capital calls and distributions.
3. Prepare screening memos and detailed investment memoranda that discuss the merits and considerations of the most compelling investment opportunities.
4. Present investment recommendations (both written and oral) to the SPMs, Managing Director, CIO and Retirement Board for review and approval as assigned.
5. Conduct ongoing active portfolio management, including direct interactions with SFERS’ investment managers globally; monitoring of specific portfolio exposures, including geographic, subsector and/or other factors; reviewing relevant benchmarks; and monitoring of investment cash flows, including fees and expenses.
6. Monitor the competitive landscape and maintain a forward calendar of new and upcoming investment opportunities, including management of the private market databases.
7. Conduct thematic research by analyzing and monitoring primary source data to identify investment trends, risks and investable opportunities.
8. Assist in development of requests for proposals, vendor evaluation, and recommendations regarding tools and/or systems.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:
Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND

Experience: Two (2) years of relevant investment experience with a major financial institution, consulting organization, pension fund, endowment, foundation, family office, or sovereign wealth fund, including experience monitoring and measuring performance within institutional portfolios and the capital markets; developing quantitative applications to analyze and monitor public and/or private investments including qualitative skills for assessment and recommendations

Substitution:

• Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a major coursework in economics, business, finance, accounting, mathematics, statistics, banking may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.
• Possession of a master’s degree in economics, business, finance, accounting, mathematics, statistics, banking, or similar field may substitute for the required education and experience.
• Possession of a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation may substitute for the required education and experience. 

Desirable Qualifications:

• Possession of a Graduate Degree in Business Administration, Economics or related field.
• Possession or in the process of completing the Chartered Financial Analyst program and/or a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst program.
• Experience with investment analysis and financial modeling in Private Markets.

Please use the link below to view the full announcement and submit an online application:

https://www.jobapscloud.com/SF/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1=PBT&R2=4331&R3=105991