I. Position Overview:
Save the Children Global Ventures (SCGV) is Save the Children’s new impact investing and innovative finance platform intended to mobilise high-impact capital to solve some of the most critical problems facing children. To do so, our team will oversee a set of impact investment funds and utilise other innovative structures to catalyse private funders into deep-impact investment opportunities. SCGV’s impact funds will leverage Save the Children’s global delivery platform to source opportunities, strengthen the investment portfolio and communicate impact.
In 2023, SCGV will launch and manage three new impact investment funds. Each fund will focus on early-stage enterprises in healthcare, education and child protection, utilising debt, equity or mezzanine instruments. The Head of the Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) Impact Fund will lead the launch and management of a commercially structured investment fund based in Europe. This role will involve close collaboration with advisors, country offices and board members from across Save The Children’s network.
The ideal candidate should possess deep expertise in impact investing, ideally in the healthcare sector. They should demonstrate a track record of executing direct transactions in companies, using equity and debt instruments. Additionally, the ideal candidate will offer business acumen as it relates to scaling access and affordability in healthcare.
II. Key Areas of Accountability:
Impact fund design and launch
- In conjunction with the Chief Investment Officer and SCGV leadership team, design and launch Save the Children’s Europe-based impact investment fund.
- Coordinate the Fund’s European Impact Fund Steering Group, facilitating communication and engagement with Save the Children European member organisations.
- Collaborate with colleagues involved in other impact funds, developing a shared pipeline and conducting joint due diligence on potential investments when appropriate.
- Manage relationships with legal, tax and regulatory advisors to support fund development and launch.
- Establish and manage robust systems, processes, and reporting frameworks to meet regulatory requirements and internal governance systems.
Fundraising and investor relations
- Prepare marketing materials to support the fundraising process.
- Working closely with Save the Children European members’ CEOs, SCGV’s CEO and philanthropy and corporate teams of European members to cultivate investor relationships and close investors into the Fund.
- Post Fund close, conduct investor reporting and execute an impact measurement and management (IMM) strategy.
- Expand Save the Children’s profile as a child-focused impact investor through high-level participation in relevant working groups, networks and events.
Investment management
- In time, manage a future team of investment professionals, ensuring coordination around pipeline development, transaction execution, impact measurement and stakeholder reporting (and fundraising).
- Build co-investor relationships across relevant sectors in support of pipeline development.
- Guide team members on commercial and operational due diligence and, as needed, conduct financial analysis and valuation studies on prospective private equity and debt investments.
- Drive transaction structuring and lead agreement negotiation in conjunction with legal counsel.
- Prepare investment committee memos for decisioning by investment committee personnel.
- Oversee portfolio management and advisory activities to ensure SCGV is offering unique value to its investees.
Strategy and thought leadership
- Position Save the Children as a leading impact-first investor in the European impact investing ecosystem.
- Stay abreast of relevant impact investing trends and contribute to the scoping and design of further impact investment initiatives and vehicles.
Project and stakeholder management
- Develop, monitor and prepare reports on relevant budgets.
- Drive the selection of key partners and advisors.
- Identify, monitor and report on project deadlines, KPIs, and implementation plans.
- Identify, monitor and mitigate project risks.
- Maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, providing regular project status updates.
- Provide thought leadership on impact investing to Save the Children European members.
Health, safety, security and risk management
- Prioritise safety and security, complying with workplace safety policies and reporting incidents, injuries, and potential hazards promptly.
- Identify and manage risks associated with team programs and workplaces, implementing appropriate risk mitigation measures.
Child protection and safeguarding requirements
- Maintain a child safe work environment and safeguard children’s rights, acting in the best interests of children at all times.
- Comply with child safeguarding and protection policies and standards.
- Demonstrate the highest standards of behaviour towards children in your private and professional life.
- Never abuse the position of trust that comes with being a part of the Save the Children family.
- Maintain a safe and positive relationship at all times when working with children and young people.
- Respond to any concerns for the safety or wellbeing of a child in a program in accordance with internal reporting processes.
- Ensure staff have completed background checks and are trained in child safeguarding in line with organisational and program requirements.
III. Person Specification:
Essential knowledge or experience
- Demonstrated experience in impact investing, ideally in Europe.
- Experience fundraising/business development and managing investor relations.
- Experience in measuring social impact.
- Exceptional strategic, analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional business writing skills, including ability to write clear and concise reports.
- Demonstrated ability to achieve results through genuine collaboration with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Ability to work independently and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
Required / preferred qualifications and/or accreditations
- Undergraduate degree in a relevant field – e.g., Commerce, Law, Finance, Accounting (preferred).
- Professional /postgraduate degree in relevant area is desirable – e.g., CPA, CA, CFA, MBA, Masters in Applied Finance (preferred).
Additional Information:
- Any offer of employment at Save the Children Global Ventures will be subject to a satisfactory criminal record check and, where required, a Working with Children Check.
- Employees must sign on to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.
- Ongoing performance and employment will be measured against KPIs, values and demonstrated behaviours outlined above.
- Save the Children Global Ventures is an inclusive organisation and welcomes applications from under-represented and intersectional groups including BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities. We are seeking people who represent different backgrounds, cultures, ages and identities, to provide a wide range of experience, ideas, views and insights into the strategy, policies, culture and ambitions of our global team.
IV. Deadline & How to Apply:
Please send your resume and a short cover letter or email explaining your interest in the role to acosby@scgv.org. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience as we’ll be reviewing candidates on a rolling basis and intend to develop a shortlist by June 30th, 2023.
Please note that due to the high number of applications we receive, we are only able to respond to candidates whose qualifications best match those listed above and with whom we wish to advance in the hiring process.