Strategy_Group_Guy,You didn't give us much about your background and starting point, and this will be a factor into how much of a fit a role in investor relations would be. Typically, a director or VP of IR does get interaction with the CFO and members of the management team. In some cases, you get to sit in on board meetings, but those will be likely quarterbacked by the CFO/CEO.You are the person pulling together all of the quarterly and annual investor presentations, and work with the business units and executive team to hone key messages about the company's current performance and future guidance.You can also expect a lot of interaction with the investment community (buy and sell siders), particularly if your company hosts investor day sessions. You take a lot of daily phone calls from this community... a lot.You may also at times dip into how the investor strategy aligns with the capital allocation policies of your company (dividends, buybacks, funding growth, acquisitions) and its business strategy. In some companies, the IR function doesn't [i]make[/i] the big decisions, but thinks through how to [i]message[/i] those choices with investors so that they land and keep buying the float. In other companies, you may actually get your hands dirty in coming up with the answer and selling it through internally and then into the market. It really depends.In terms of propects, the VP of IR is an eventual path ... and maybe some people can swing it to a Corp Dev role. It really depends. But it's typically not a launchpad that gives you the keys to the kingdom.If you have an ex-strategy background, there are better places to land in a publicly-trade corporate that offer more challenges and exit options.
