Retirement Investment Officer - Compliance

The Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) is the fiduciary responsible for administering the IPERS Trust Fund. IPERS members represent most of Iowa’s hard-working public sector employees, including educators, first responders, law enforcement and more. IPERS’ mission is to support its membership – Iowa’s public workforce – with the prudent management of the IPERS Trust Fund.

At the Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS), we believe that every employee plays an integral role in our success. We take pride in maintaining our status as one of the nation’s most well-funded public retirement plans.

IPERS is seeking a highly motivated, experienced professional to join our private markets team as a Retirement Investment Officer. In this role, you will drive critical investment operations and perform high-level portfolio analysis. You will directly manage and evaluate private market assets to secure and optimize long-term financial returns for our members.

If you are a driven, forward-thinking leader looking to make a meaningful, lasting impact on the financial security of thousands of public servants, we want you on our team.

Our Investment Division seeks experienced institutional allocators with deep expertise in private market assets, including private equity, credit, and real assets. Candidates should possess advanced analytical skills, relevant designations such as CFA or CAIA, and strong communication abilities for boardroom presentations.

• Manage Portfolio Assets: Assist in overseeing IPERS’ $14B+ private markets portfolio across private credit, real assets, private equity, and co-investments.
• Sourced New Opportunities: Research emerging investment themes and identify high-potential primary investments and co-investments.
• Conduct Deep Analysis: Develop precise financial forecasts, execute cost-benefit analyses, and draft comprehensive investment memos and presentations.
• Evaluate Performance Metrics: Analyze private market returns, rigorously validate management fees, and maintain specialized investment software.
• Lead Deal Execution: Collaborate on deal underwriting, select investments, and negotiate strategic business terms.
• Represent the System: Monitor assigned investment accounts and actively participate on external Advisory Boards.
• Optimize Portfolio Strategy: Contribute directly to asset allocation, portfolio construction, risk management, and annual investment planning.
• Brief Executive Leadership: Prepare and present detailed, high-level portfolio performance updates directly to the IPERS Investment Board.

Candidates are encouraged to include detailed information about their relevant experience in their application or submit a cover letter and resume in addition to their application.

The ideal candidate for this role possesses direct private market investment experience, strong analytical skills for evaluating complex alternative asset metrics, and excellent communication abilities. Furthermore, they are required to have a collaborative approach to low-hierarchy environments and hold advanced degrees or professional designations such as CFA or CAIA.

Final candidates will be subject to a background check.

Hours:8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday; some nights and weekends, occasional in-state and out-of-state travel.

• Allocating Across Private Markets: Hands‑on experience or structural knowledge regarding alternative investments, specifically targeting private credit, real assets, private equity, and co-investments.
• Complex Financial Modeling: Advanced capabilities to forecast asset metrics, execute cost‑benefit analyses, and validate…