Management
Investment Fund Managers
Also called: Fixed Income Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income Vice President (Fixed Income VP), Investment Analysis Vice President (Investment Analysis VP), Portfolio Manager
US median pay
$166,570
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+9.7%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
65,600
879,700 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
Plan, direct, or coordinate investment strategy or operations for a large pool of liquid assets supplied by institutional investors or individual investors.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Present investment information, such as product risks, fees, or fund performance statistics.
- Develop, implement, or monitor security valuation policies.
- Meet with investors to determine investment goals or to discuss investment strategies.
- Attend investment briefings or consult financial media to stay abreast of relevant investment markets.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.8/5
- Systems Analysis3.4/5
- Time Management3.2/5
- Systems Evaluation3.2/5
- Persuasion3.1/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
Knowledge
- Economics and Accounting4.7/5
- English Language4.4/5
- Mathematics4.3/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.7/5
- Administration and Management3.2/5
- Law and Government3.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree, plus 5 years or more of related work experience.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Master's degree63%
- Bachelor's degree33%
Who this job suits
Mostly Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.