Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois

Procurement

• Coordinate and process purchasing activities, including converting approved requisitions into purchase orders, placing orders with vendors, and tracking purchases through completion.
• Assist departments prior to purchase requests by helping clarify needs, identifying the appropriate purchasing method, and confirming required documentation in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Provide ongoing support to departments throughout the purchasing process, including answering process questions, guiding users through procurement requirements, and assisting with procurement-related issues as they arise.
• Provide operational support for purchase order and contract workflows, including preparing purchase orders for signature, routing purchase orders and contracts through the contract lifecycle management system as assigned, and tracking status through completion.
• Assist the Purchasing Manager with solicitation activities, including documentation, approvals, and coordination of evaluation processes.
• Compile Procurement and Contract Committee meeting packets and serve as the primary backup to the Purchasing Manager for leading committee meetings.
• Maintain current knowledge of rules and policies affecting assigned areas, including TRS policies and procedures as well as the rules and policies of the Illinois Office of the Comptroller and Governor’s Travel Control Board.
• Coordinate approved agency credit card transactions in accordance with policy.
• Partner with the TRS Accounting department to resolve vendor invoice discrepancies.
• Review travel requests for compliance with applicable policies and procedures and provide guidance to TRS staff on travel requirements as needed.
• Assist in maintaining and updating the TRS Signatory Authorization Matrix.
• Maintain effective working relationships with staff and vendors.
• Provide information and documentation to internal and external auditors as required or requested.
• Prepare various reports relating to purchasing.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Purchasing Operations Coordinator

Financial Planning and Analysis

• Assist in coordinating and monitoring the investments within the Teachers’ Retirement System Global Income Strategies portfolio
• Support Senior Staff in portfolio management focusing on Public Debt and/or Strategic Credit investments
• Conduct research to validate or invalidate performance hypotheses of the fund
• Evaluate performance and compliance of investment management relationships
• Manage operational functions of the TRS Global Income Strategies portfolio

Senior Investment Analyst – Global Income Strategies

• Help source, evaluate, and prepare analyses and proposals for investments in new potential investment managers and structures.
• Evaluate the qualifications of prospective investment management relationships in accordance with investment policy, asset allocation directives and mix, diversification strategies and guidelines controlling risk/return characteristics for Global Income Strategy portfolio.
• Research the investment performance and portfolio characteristics of existing and prospective investment management relationships and asset class structures.
• Evaluate performance and portfolio characteristics to ensure compliance with the directives of the TRS Board of Trustees regarding investment objectives and constraints.
• Prepare statistical and narrative reports regarding the investment portfolios within the Global Income Strategies asset class, market factors, alternative investment prospects, and investment industry practices.
• Proactively research investment approaches, asset mixes, and portfolio management techniques to provide potential incremental return to TRS’s individual assets and at the total fund level.
• Interact at the highest level with external managers in direct management of the relationship.
• Contribute to portfolio construction and allocation decisions.
• Manage internal review of documentation and provide logistical leadership for the relevant oversight committee within the Global Income asset class.
• Assist Emerging Manager program staff, as necessary, in preparing analyses, due diligence, evaluations and proposals for administering emerging manager investment activity.
• Assist with developing the skillsets of investment analysts within the investment program.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

Investment Officer – Global Income Strategies

Research Analyst

• Collect, analyze, and interpret financial, actuarial, and statistical data to support internal reporting, forecasting, and legislative analysis.
• Conduct research on proposed legislation and evaluate potential impacts to TRS funding, benefits, and operations; prepare summaries and cost analyses for leadership and legislative audiences.
• Serve as a secondary liaison between the Research Department and the TRS actuary, Illinois State Actuary, and other external partners to coordinate data and ensure accuracy of reports and assumptions.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance Power BI dashboards, SQL-based reports, and other analytical tools to visualize and communicate key insights to leadership and stakeholders.
• Assist in the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), Actuarial Valuation, and Experience Analysis reports.
• Support the development and documentation of business processes, workflows, and data management standards to improve efficiency and data integrity.
• Respond to internal and external data requests, including legislative inquiries, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and state or federal agency data calls.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with IT, Finance, and Communications teams to ensure alignment and consistency in reporting and analysis.
• Assist with presenting research findings and analytical insights to the Board of Trustees, senior management, and other stakeholders.
• Stay informed on pension policy trends, economic developments, and emerging data analytics tools and techniques.

Human Resources

• The HR Manager is responsible for advancing organizational effectiveness through integrated talent management, recruitment oversight, and HR systems optimization.
• This role oversees the full talent lifecycle including workforce planning, talent acquisition, development, performance, and retention.
• Collaborates with the Organizational Change Management (OCM) to support change initiatives.
• Provide strategic oversight for talent acquisition and recruitment activities, ensuring alignment with organizational values and workforce priorities.
• Utilize data from compensation platforms to provide guidance on system-wide salary grade updates.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on recruitment best practices and inclusive hiring methodologies.

Purchasing Operations Coordinator

Senior Investment Analyst – Global Income Strategies

Investment Officer – Global Income Strategies

Research Analyst

Human Resources Manager