The investment industry employs professionals in a wide variety of strategist roles. Positions involved with strategy functions range from executive-level responsibility for defining broad investment strategy or providing tactical market analysis to more narrowly focused research roles in specific asset classes, investment styles, products, or local and regional markets as well as other applications.

Investment strategist roles vary so much because individual firms in different parts of the industry have particular business needs. For example, some wealth advisory firms employ strategists in client-facing roles to provide investor education and other types of client engagement and support. In general, strategists typically have responsibility for evaluating macro factors, such as economic fundamentals, and contributing their insights to the investment decision-making process. At the most senior level, a professional with a title such as “head of investment strategy” may have comprehensive responsibility for economic analysis, asset allocation, risk management, portfolio construction, and other investment functions.

To fill strategist positions, employers look for highly qualified investment professionals who can combine extensive knowledge of economics with a deep understanding of investing and markets. Because investment strategist roles can vary so much, the required skills differ across job listings.