Investor relations jobs usually involve communicating with a company’s investors. These positions may also work with a financial institution and clients who have made investments in the institution’s products. Investor relations sales, administrative or assistant positions, investor relations analysts, and executive level investor relations positions are the four main types of investor relations jobs.
Jobs in investor relations that seek out potential investors are commonly referred to as sales positions. Investor relations associates and investor relations specialists are two terms for the same job. Customer service and investment sales are common responsibilities for these positions. Investor relations specialists are in charge of dealing with current and potential investors on a daily basis. Communication and face-to-face meetings are typical responsibilities for such positions.
Investor relations assistants and administrative assistants are examples of support roles in investor relations departments. Administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, maintaining calendars, and preparing prospectuses for potential investors are typically handled these individuals. They may also be responsible for answering the phone, faxing, and copying. Investor relations assistants may work with a single investor relations specialist or a group of them.
For these tasks, investment firms and organizations that provide investors with company forecast reports rely on investor relations analysts. Analysts in this field also deal with valuations and can analyze and calculate an investor’s expected internal rate of return (IRR). Valuations and IRR calculations are useful tools for determining the health of investments.
Senior management positions in investor relations, such as vice president of investor relations, are examples of executive-level investor relations jobs. A person in this position is frequently in charge of the entire investor relations department. Some companies employ multiple investor relations executives, such as a senior vice president and an executive vice president, at different levels of the organization. Job responsibilities may be split between the two, or each may have a distinct focus.
Some people who work in this field join investor relations trade associations. The National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) in the United States organizes industry conferences, as well as education and networking opportunities. These events can be beneficial to investor relations professionals because they keep them informed about the latest compliance and regulation issues that many in the industry face. Throughout the year, NIRI provides resources to educate its members on a variety of industry topics.