TRADING OFFICER, DIVISION OF INVESTMENTS
Career Family: TRADING OFFICER
Trading Officer, Division of Investments is a competitive state title, the kind you test for: the exam result, not a hiring manager's pick, decides where you land in line.
You can qualify with a bachelor's degree or, if you do not have one, by piling up more experience instead. Pay on the FY2027 schedule runs $126,854 to $187,691.
How to apply
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Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
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Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under the general direction of the Director, Division of Investments, or other supervisory officer in the Division of Investments, Department of the Treasury, is responsible for directing securities transactions, including the purchase and sale of stocks, bonds, and other government and corporate securities. Directs the development of trading strategy and supervises the execution of market trading decisions in the Trading Section. Develops securities trading policy and long term investment goals, objectives and policies. Supervises the staff, activities and work programs of the Trading Section, including the organization and maintenance of appropriate information concerning trading activity; does related work as required.
Examples of work
Directs and/or coordinates the purchase and sale of diverse financial products, including both United States and international securities, in a manner most advantageous to the State. Develops and directs the implementation of the trading strategy for the purchase and/or sale of securities, including the timing of transaction, amount of offering, price of security, and selection of broker. Analyzes and evaluates market and economic trends occurring in United States and international financial markets and develops forecast for the Director, Division of Investment of the probable market action of securities over both the near term and intermediate term. Recommends and confers with the Director, Division of Investment and other key investment staff on actions to be taken to maintain the quality of the investment portfolios and improve the rate of return under changing market conditions, both near term and intermediate term. Directs the implementation of portfolio changes within the framework of specific programs approved by the Director, Division of Investment. Develops and maintains external communication with brokers, dealers and other representatives of the financial community, as sources of information on conditions in United States and international financial markets. Directs and/or coordinates the execution of transactions involving international securities. Manages the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for employee evaluation and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting and/or disciplining of employees. Confers with the Director, Division of Investments, and assists in planning the implementation of the policies established by the State Investment Council. Oversees special investment programs, including, but not limited to, the international investment program, the small capitalization program, and the roll program. Establishes and directs implementation of Trading Section policies, procedures and work programs. Interprets and evaluates the reliability of sources of information in determining securities trading strategy. As a member of the Investment Strategy Committee, the Equity Committee, the Fixed Income Committee and the International Investment Committee, assists in developing investment goals, policies and strategies. Attends meetings with corporate officials to evaluate the performance of securities held by New Jersey investment funds, and assesses the investment potential of new and/or alternative financial products. Evaluates services provided by the brokers in performing securities transactions. Evaluates the impact of national and international economic trends on investment policy and trading strategy. Identifies and interprets subtleties in financial market conditions and evaluates their impact on trading activity. Monitors and makes on-the-spot evaluations of the short term market performance of individual securities in the course of making trading decisions. Identifies and confers with key investment staff on profitable trading opportunities brought about by changing market conditions and develops appropriate trading strategies. Confers with key investment staff on unusual or extraordinary events occurring in financial markets. Communicates information on changing market conditions and other consequential market information to the Director, Division of Investment and to key investment staff. Develops swaps or strategies to take advantage of financial market inefficiencies. Directs the preparation and updating of the schedule of securities transaction commissions for use by the Director, Deputy Director and the State Investment Council. Prepares and supervises the preparation of detailed equity reports for use by the Equity Committee, and other executive reports and summaries of trading activity for the Director, Division of Investments, as required. Prepares and supervises the distribution of official legal documents and records of securities transactions. Supervises the maintenance of up-to-date data on all common stocks on the approved list of the State Investment Council and on general stock market trends. Obtains the Deputy Attorney General's approval of legal papers covering purchases of securities. Supervises the maintenance of files of schedules of new issues. Prepares and supervises the preparation of detailed correspondence in the course of official duties. Maintains and supervises the maintenance of daily records of securities transactions, commission negotiations and other essential documents, correspondence, records, and files. May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Thorough knowledge of national and international institutional trading practices and methods of negotiating securities prices and commissions. Thorough knowledge of the brokerage firms engaged in the securities business, including those located in New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey. Thorough knowledge of interest rates, comparative and relative yields, maturities, spreads, bid and ask price and current terminology peculiar to investment practices. Thorough knowledge of diverse financial instruments including, but not limited to, stocks, bonds, options, futures, money market instruments, mortgages, currency hedging and their interaction upon each other. Thorough knowledge of the current practices of investment banking and of the procedures, rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange, the NASD and SEC which affect trading activities. Thorough knowledge of the various types of securities trading in the market place including, where applicable, their seniority, redemption features, sinking funds, prepayment provisions, voting rights, preemptive rights and tax status, together with the effect of these features on market prices. Thorough knowledge of the current methods and procedures of underwriting syndicates and joint accounts in both primary and secondary markets. Thorough knowledge of the preparation, analysis and interpretation of varied types of financial statements, including profit and loss and balance sheet statements. Thorough knowledge of performance measurement and performance assessment methods, techniques and requirements. Thorough knowledge of the terminology and processing requirements involved in foreign securities investment. Thorough knowledge of the strategies employed in carrying out securities trades under changing conditions in the financial markets. Thorough knowledge of internal and external sources of information on conditions in financial markets. Thorough knowledge of national and international financial markets, and the impact of changes in market conditions on short and intermediate term investment activity. Thorough knowledge of the principles, methods and techniques of finance, accounting, and economics, including econometric forecasting. Thorough knowledge of methods and techniques for evaluating alternative financial products as investments. Ability to comprehend, interpret and apply the laws of New Jersey and the policies of the State Investment Council relating to the purchase and sales of securities. Ability to review, analyze and appraise securities of varied types and information concerning stock market transactions including offerings, bids and other data. Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with brokers, the representatives of banks and investments houses and with those groups and individuals engaged in the security business and/or concerned with the work of the Division of Investment. Ability to identify market trading opportunities, develop market trading strategies and to understand the effect of corporate economic or public events upon market prices. Ability to evaluate conditions in financial markets and detect the presence of profitable trading opportunities. Ability to monitor and evaluate changes in market conditions, and direct the execution of trades, as profitable trading opportunities arise. Ability to direct trades involving national and international securities. Ability to evaluate the relative attractiveness of alternative financial products for investment and prepare formal recommendations for the Director, Division of Investment concerning the advisability of the purchase and/or sale of particular securities. Ability to identify and respond to subtleties in market conditions in directing trading activity. Ability to assign and instruct staff and supervise the performance of their work. Ability to analyze and evaluate national and international economic trends and their impact on trading activity. Ability to evaluate the performance of brokers selected to handle securities transactions. Ability to analyze and evaluate the impact of international financial market trends on trading activity. Ability to evaluate the short term market performance of securities being purchased or sold. Ability to prepare detailed and technical correspondence. Ability to supervise the establishment and maintenance of essential records and files. Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. Eleven (11) years of professional experience with a public or private organization engaged in institutional trading activity as a practicing securities market trader involving trading and negotiating transactions of financial instruments, including or supplemented by eighteen (18) semester hour credits in any one or combination of the following areas: accounting, finance, money and banking, statistics, economics, or investments. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, including or supplemented by eighteen (18) semester hour credits in any one or combination of the following areas: accounting, finance, money and banking, statistics, economics, or investments; and seven (7) years of the above-mentioned professional experience. Experience involving retail investment and retail research will not be acceptable. Experience as a registered representative for individuals is not acceptable for this position. "Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions.