Senior Portfolio Manager - Fixed Income

Sophisticated Work. In a Great City. Making a Difference.

The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) manages more than $162 billion in assets, including those of the fully-funded Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). SWIB operates at a level more often seen in top-tier global asset managers than in typical public pension funds. SWIB is a home for top talent. Approximately 61 percent of SWIB’s investment professionals are Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholders.

The City of Madison, the state capitol and home of Wisconsin’s flagship university, makes regular appearances on lists of best places to live, eat, and play. SWIB offers a modern workspace, hybrid work options, and competitive compensation and benefits.

Serving over 692,000 WRS beneficiaries, SWIB is driven by a clear mission: securing the financial future of those who serve Wisconsin. When you work at SWIB, you know your work matters.

Job Description:

About the Team

The Fixed Income Strategies team manages over $17 billion across five portfolios spanning rates, investment grade and leveraged credit, and structured products. The team integrates fundamental and quantitative insights and manages both long-only and long/short strategies. We emphasize disciplined portfolio construction, rigorous risk management, and collaborative decision-making across asset classes.

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Portfolio Manager to lead dedicated high-yield bond and leveraged loan portfolios. This role requires deep leveraged finance expertise, strong portfolio and risk management capabilities, and proven leadership experience. The successful candidate will be a leader in shaping investment strategy, mentoring analysts, and contributing to firm-wide investment discussions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage non-investment-grade portfolios using a disciplined, repeatable investment process
• Ensure portfolios adhere to investment guidelines, risk parameters, and performance objectives
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of credit analysts
• Serve as a senior member of the Fixed Income Strategies team, providing leadership in macro, sector, and security-level discussions
• Provide leveraged finance expertise across the firm and participate in cross-market strategies and trades
• Partner with quantitative and technology teams to build and enhance portfolio management, research, and analytics platforms
• Evaluate and incorporate new technologies to improve investment research, portfolio construction, and trading processes
• Prepare and present materials on investment strategy, positioning, and performance to internal stakeholders

Qualifications

• Extensive experience managing high-yield bond and leveraged loan portfolios
• Minimum 12 years of fixed income experience, including senior portfolio management responsibility and team leadership
• Demonstrated success building and enhancing investment teams and platforms
• High level of proficiency with portfolio analytics, risk budgeting, and risk management tools
• Broad understanding of global fixed income and capital markets
• Strong ability to collaborate effectively within a small team and across investment disciplines
• Strategic mindset paired with exceptional attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills
• Team-oriented professional with a positive, constructive approach

• Competitive total cash compensation, based on AON (formerly McLagan) industry benchmarks
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Educational and training opportunities
• Tuition reimbursement
• Challenging work in a professional environment
• Hybrid work environment