Position Overview
The Manager, Innovative Finance is a member of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Innovative Finance (IF) team – the Foundation’s impact investing arm. The IF team seeks to maximize the power and potential of capital markets to deliver sustainable impact at scale. We leverage both investments and grants to (1) support the Foundation’s strategic objectives, notably in climate, and (2) mobilize private capital towards market-driven solutions that promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally.
The Manager’s responsibilities fall mainly within the following areas: (i) taking a leadership role in the rollout and execution of the IF team’s emerging climate investment strategy; (ii) playing an active role in the portfolio management of the Zero Gap Fund (ZGF), an impact investment fund managed by the IF team; (iii) sourcing, evaluating, executing and managing investment transactions and grants tied to the IF team’s climate strategy, Zero Gap Fund and/or other Foundation initiatives; and (iv) working proactively with portfolio investees, investors and other industry stakeholders to accelerate the scale and achieve impact outcomes. The Manager will be expected to work across asset classes (direct investments and funds), sectors, and geographies (including emerging markets).
This position offers a rare opportunity to work on high-impact, cutting-edge ideas and offers strong opportunities for professional development in a growing space. The role will generate functional expertise in private investing and capital markets, as well as experience in strategy development, project management, and deal execution. The work will be fast-paced, often ambiguous, and spread across multiple and diverse projects simultaneously. The successful candidate will need to blend flexibility with disciplined execution to manage competing demands and deliver high-quality work.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
- Taking a leadership role in the IF team’s emerging climate strategy, including (i) developing/refining the investment strategy; (ii) leading transactions through the investment process (sourcing, diligence, structuring/execution, and portfolio management); and (iii) positioning investments to deliver on their performance and impact objectives.
- Playing an active role in portfolio management of the ZGF, including (i) actively overseeing the fund and its underlying investments; (ii) monitoring financial and impact performance; and (iii) assisting with day-to-day fund activities (e.g., reporting, capital calls and distributions, legal amendments, etc.).
- Sourcing, evaluating, executing, and managing investment transactions and grants as part of, or in support of, ZGF and/or subsequent investment strategies developed by the team.
- Partnering with the Foundation’s initiative teams to support investment strategy design and execution.
- Working closely with investees to identify potential ways to support their growth and success.
- Providing organizational and operational support to the IF team, including budget and cash flow management, preparation of written narratives and analyses of the team’s work, and coordinating events, as needed.
- Identifying new trends and developments across the field of innovative finance, climate, impact measurement, and impact investing more broadly to inform the IF team’s activities.
- Representing the Foundation and Innovative Finance team at external events and conferences, including in a speaking capacity.
- Building relationships with potential partners and investees through conferences and targeted outreach.
Education, Experience, and Skills
- Undergraduate or Master’s/advanced degree in finance or economics, or equivalent work experience.
- Minimum of 6-8 years of professional experience, preferably in buy-side private investing (private equity, venture capital, private credit, etc.), investment banking, and/or strategy consulting.
- Strong financial acumen, including structuring, modeling, and analytical skills; due diligence experience; ability to negotiate deal terms.
- Experience sourcing, structuring, negotiating, and executing investments; exposure to the impact space is a plus.
- Strong analytical and transaction due diligence skills.
- Ability to negotiate complex legal documentation.
- Entrepreneurial mindset/self-starter to spot opportunities and initiate action.
- Strategic thinker to identify critical issues and recommend creative solutions backed by research and data-driven analysis.
- Knowledge of and broad curiosity about issues that the Foundation seeks to positively impact, including climate and clean energy, economic equity, and innovation.
- Ability to multi-task; comfort with a changing work environment.
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written; ability to present ideas cogently to senior management; team-oriented approach.
- Interest in and sensitivity to working with and in diverse cultures.
- Motivated to learn from and work closely with a seasoned impact investing team with a collective mission to drive impact at scale.
- Willingness to travel occasionally, both domestically and internationally.
Qualifications and Competencies
- Data Oriented: Consistently achieves results, by approaching work informed by data.
- Directs Work: Provides direction, delegates, and removes obstacles to get work done.
- Manages Complexity: Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
- Strategic Learning: Actively learns through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.
- Values Differences: Recognizes the value of different perspectives and commits to inclusion, equity, and diversity in every aspect of work.
As an organization, we focus on six values to advance our culture and continue our success. We are dedicated to being Transparent, Optimistic, Accountable, Collaborative, Trusted, and Equitable. We operate from a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything that we do. It is not only the right thing to do – we could not make an impact without our team members’ diverse perspectives and experiences. We expect all employees at the Foundation to contribute by developing their unique perspectives and talent, challenging conventional wisdom through evidence and reason, and amplifying marginalized voices.
The Rockefeller Foundation is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, the Foundation ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status, or liability for service in the United States Armed Forces.
The Rockefeller Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.