Illinois SURS Seeks An Investment Officer

The State Universities Retirement System of Illinois is seeking an investment officer to fill a new position that reports to the deputy chief investment officer.

The pension fund is looking for candidates with significant experience in the institutional real estate and/or alternative investments asset classes, especially someone with knowledge of financial and auditing guidelines in the area of alternative investments. The investment officer will provide support to senior management and the board in all asset classes and strategies, as well as in developing and monitoring the investment process. Primary responsibilities include monitoring existing external investment managers in addition to researching, identifying, evaluating, recommending and implementing new investment managers, strategies and programs.

As of August, the limited partner had an actual allocation to private equity of 8 percent and a target allocation of 6 percent, with a range of 3 percent to 9 percent. The current funding plan is to commit $300 million to private equity each year between 2009 and 2011. Any uncommitted amounts from the preceding year can be rolled over into the next year. The LP uses funds-of-funds managers Adams Street Partners, Muller & Monroe Asset Management, Pantheon Ventures and Progress Investment Management Company as its only private equity managers. The pension fund had assets under management of $11.9 billion as of August 31.

In August, the LP reopened its search for an executive director/chief executive officer. Reporting to a board of trustees, the executive director/chief executive officer oversees a staff of 120 through six direct reports, including a chief investment officer. Dan Slack resigned last year as executive director to become chief executive of the Fire and Police Pension Association of Colorado.