Exam Bulletin - Investment Officer II, PERS

Public Employees Retirement System

Exam Code: EX-1767

Examination Plans Included:

  • INVESTMENT OFFICER II, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

INVESTMENT OFFICER II, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM: $7,534.00 - $9,430.00 per Month

View the INVESTMENT OFFICER II, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed examination. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation, your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the examination until the request is processed.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • INVESTMENT OFFICER II, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

    1767

For INVESTMENT OFFICER II, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01767

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00104671 - INVESTMENT OFFICER II, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM

The following education is required when non-California state service is used to qualify at any level:

Equivalent to graduation from college preferably with major work in business administration, economics, finance, mathematics, or a closely related field.

Either 1

One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of an Investment Officer I, Public Employees' Retirement System, Range D.

Or 2

Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible investment analysis experience for a public agency or private financial institution, insurance company, pension fund, endowment fund, investment firm, real estate development and investment firm, or other private corporation or entity having a major investment management program. (Possession of an advance degree in one of the fields included above in the education requirement, or a closely related degree; or certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst or other equivalent financial or accounting certification, such as a Certified Public Accountant, may be substituted for one year of the required experience. (Experience in the California state service applied toward this pattern must include at least one year performing the duties of an Investment Officer I, Range D.)

Special Requirement

Must be able to qualify for a Surety Bond.

Position Description

00104671 - INVESTMENT OFFICER II, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM

This is the full working level. Under direction, and within an assigned area of responsibility, incumbents perform a full range of average to difficult investment analysis, research, and oversight work, leading to recommendations on a variety of investment actions, including the purchase or sale of investment assets and the selection and management of external investment managers and partners. Incumbents at this level may direct the work of student assistants and interns, and may train other investment officers on subjects within their area of expertise.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for optimal performance when accessing the examination.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1CalHR Online ExamN/A100%

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:
  1. Investment principles and practices
  2. Investment types and the markets and procedures for their purchase and sale
  3. Methods and sources of information for analyzing and valuing investments and assessing investment market trends
  4. Economic trends, principles, and practices
  5. Business organization and practices
  6. Accounting principles and practices
  7. Statistical and mathematical methods used in the analysis of investments
  8. Computer applications used in investment analysis and modeling
  9. Principles of portfolio construction and management
  10. Investment styles and strategies
  11. Legal and regulatory provisions affecting investment programs and transactions
  12. Methods of assessing and managing investment risk
  13. Capital markets and investment financing
Ability to:
  1. Gather and analyze a wide variety of investment, financial, and statistical data and reach sound conclusions on the value and suitability of investments
  2. Maintain current knowledge of investment market trends and developments
  3. Apply a variety of investment analysis techniques, including quantitative methods
  4. Critically review investment and financial data, paying close attention to detail
  5. Review and understand financial statements
  6. Compile, organize, interpret, and present written and numerical data
  7. Prepare clear and concise written correspondence and reports
  8. Make effective presentations
  9. Work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines
  10. Establish and maintain cooperative relationships with those contacted in the course of the work, including representatives of investment firms and financial institutions, investment partners and external investment managers, consultants, and other CalPERS staff
  11. Provide comprehensive and definitive recommendations on investment action, based on sophisticated investment analysis technique
  12. Negotiate investment transactions, agreements, and fees
  13. Find, evaluate, and develop new and innovative investment options and strategies that will add portfolio value
  14. Manage competing priorities and work effectively without close supervision
  15. Help prepare and present agenda items to the investment committee of the Board of Administration

Eligible List Information

A Departmental Open eligible list for the INVESTMENT OFFICER II, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM Classification will be established for:

  • Public Employees Retirement System

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Investment Officer II, Public Employees' Retirement System Training and Experience Examination Preview

Instructions:
Rate your experience performing specific job-related tasks.

Respond to each of the following statements by indicating how the statement applies to you. You are required to respond to every question and provide relevant examples. Also, indicate the references who can verify the information provided.

In responding to each statement, you may refer to your WORK EXPERIENCE, whether paid or volunteer, your EDUCATION, and/or FORMAL TRAINING COURSES you have completed.

PLEASE NOTE: This examination is designed to gain an overall assessment of your education, training, and experience as it directly relates to the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position. Possession of specific education is not required to be successful in this examination; however, such achievements may substitute for desirable levels of experience. All components of this examination have been carefully validated by tying them directly to job requirements and documenting their relevance to the position.

Tasks:
  1. Analyzing and/or executing current/proposed transactions, trades, contracts, legal documents, portfolio characteristics, and/or fee structures to meet investment and/or financial objectives.
  2. Facilitating meetings as needed to collect and/or disseminate investment and/or financial information.
  3. Prepare and deliver oral presentations to management and/or others (e.g., Investment Committee, internal and external interest groups) to disseminate investment and/or financial information.
  4. Prepare written reports for various individuals (e.g., management, Investment Committee, other internal and external interest groups) to disseminate investment and/or financial information.
  5. Disseminating information from a wide variety of sources regarding investment market conditions using all available resources to meet investment and/or financial objectives.
  6. Analyze information from a wide variety of sources to obtain knowledge of investment market conditions and/or trends to meet investment and/or financial objectives.
  7. Make recommendations for current/proposed investment strategies and/or assets/securities to meet investment and/or financial objectives.
  8. Develop policies and/or procedures to implement and monitor and/or support an investment strategy or process.

Testing Departments

  • Public Employees Retirement System

Contact Information

Technical questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

California Department of Human Resources
CalCareer Service Center
1810 16th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: (866) 844-8671
CalCareer@calhr.ca.gov

Administrative questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Public Employees Retirement System
Human Resources Division
400 P Street, LPN, 3rd Floor, Room 3260
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: (916) 795-2444

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Public Employees Retirement System reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)