The professional life of an investment fund manager might sound quite simple. Essentially, these talented people help their clients to invest money in the right places. However, this is a role which comes with bags of pressure and oodles of responsibility.
Investment fund managers don’t tend to deal with small-time clients who are interested in investing £50 here or there; they manage the investment funds of major companies that have millions of pounds at their disposal.
Typically working for large investment management and asset management companies, these finance professionals make the big decisions on how their clients’ assets should be used. They buy shares and bonds on behalf of their clients, and invest in property and other things, in an attempt to make as much money for their client as possible.
Investment fund management is primarily a client-facing role. Indeed, the majority of your time will be spent liaising with clients and attending meetings. Before making informed decisions for your clients, you will also analyse financial data and liaise directly with investment analysts.
While the majority of research and analysis legwork will be done by investment analysts, you will also do your fair share of research by reading financial newspapers, examining the markets and using web resources to make sure that you keep on top of everything.
You can find current vacancies on our Jobs page in the Banking, Finance and Accountancy sector.
Salary & benefits
Investment fund managers can earn anywhere between £60,000 and £150,000; some professionals may even earn more!
This is a job with tonnes of responsibility and you’ll be working in a high-pressure environment. Consequently, if you perform well, you are likely to earn additional bonuses, which can sometimes be worth up to 200% of your salary. Not bad, eh?
Working hours
With great power comes great responsibility. Consequently, an investment fund manager does not work a typical nine-to-five. Expect early starts and late finishes.
Entry
Investment and asset management companies only tend to recruit the very best graduates. Candidates with a degree in any subject can enter this line of work. However, a 2:1 classification is usually the minimum requirement.
If you study a relevant subject, such as business studies, economics, maths, statistics, operational research or accounting, you may stand a better chance of securing an entry-level position.
Training & progression
The majority of investment fund managers start their careers as investment analysts. Check out our investment analyst job description for more details.
However, as part of your training for an investment management role, you may be required to complete a relevant professional qualification, such as the Investment Management Certificate of the Chartered Financial Analyst Society of the United Kingdom (CFA UK).