Investor relations jobs typically deal with communication between a company and its investors. These positions may also deal with a financial institution and clients who have invested in its products. The four main types of investor relations jobs include investor relations sales, administrative or assistant positions, investor relations analysts, and executive level investor relations positions.
Investor relations jobs that seek prospective investors are typically called sales positions. These positions can also be called investor relations associates or investor relations specialists. Duties for these positions generally include customer service and investment sales functions. Investor relations specialists are generally responsible for day to day interactions with investors and prospective investors. Such positions typically handle communication and face to face meetings.
Support roles in investor relations departments include investor relations assistants or administrative assistants. These individuals typically handle administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, maintaining calendars, and preparing prospectus for potential investors. They may also perform phone, fax, and copying duties. Investor relations assistants may support one investor relation specialist or an entire team of specialists.
Investment companies, as well as organizations who provide investors with company's forecast reports, are dependent on investor relations analysts for these tasks. Such analysts also handle valuations, and may analyze and calculate an investor's prospective internal rate of return (IRR). Valuations and IRR calculations are important pieces of information that can help to determine the health of investments.
Executive-level investor relations jobs include senior management positions such as the vice president of investor relations. An individual in this position is often responsible for the entire investor relations department. Some organizations have different executive levels and may employ multiple investor relations executives, such as a senior vice president and an executive vice president. The job functions may be split between the two, or each may have a specific focus.
Some professionals in this field choose to join investor relations industry associations. In the United States, The National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) provides industry conferences as well as education and networking events. These events can provide a value to investor relations associates because they keep their members up to date with the latest compliance and regulation issues that many professionals in this industry can face. NIRI provides resources that can educate its members on various industry topics throughout the year.