About Us
Social Finance is a national impact finance and advisory nonprofit. We work with the public, private, and social sectors to create partnerships and investments that measurably improve lives. Since our founding in 2011, we have mobilized $350 million in new investments designed to help people and communities realize improved outcomes in education, economic mobility, health, and housing.
We are driven by the belief that social and economic systems should enable all people to thrive, and the conviction that we can create the most meaningful and measurable change in our communities when governments and markets work together. Our organization is built upon five core values: people, performance, integrity, collaboration, and inclusion.
We work across three practice areas: Impact Investing, Impact Advisory, and Field Building. Through our Impact Investing portfolio, we design, launch, and manage impact-first investments and innovative financing solutions that generate positive outcomes for people and communities. In our Impact Advisory practice, we work alongside impact-focused leaders to implement data-driven practices that deliver better outcomes. And in our Field Building work, we share firsthand learnings and best practices to catalyze social impact in the field. We continually challenge ourselves and our partners to use funding and data in innovative ways to create lasting impact.
Role and Responsibilities
The Associate Director will serve as an integral part of the national Social Finance team, with significant project management responsibilities across multiple projects and initiatives. In particular, we anticipate this individual will be staffed within our Impact Investing team on projects that are focused on investing in workforce development opportunities, with initial work related to The UP Fund. Associate Directors are typically staffed on a project basis with teams across our offices and are usually working on 2-3 projects at any given time. Key activities may include:
Deal Development and Management
Deploying innovative, outcomes-based financing with organizations that are pushing the boundaries of social change requires an active partnership throughout the life of an investment relationship. The Associate Director will work with transaction partners (typically training providers) and teammates, as well as investors, service providers, and other external partners as needed to identify, execute, and manage investments for impact. This work may take place at the fund or the individual investment level.
At the individual investment level, responsibilities may include:
- Helping to source new investment opportunities through market research and attending conferences
- Conducting due diligence for potential investments, including requesting and reviewing all relevant financial and organizational documents required to assess the ability of a potential training provider to meet required financial returns for a given fund as well as desired impact outcomes
- With support from the Director and the legal team, structure investment terms with the training provider based on diligence of training provider financial health and outcomes data
- Draft investment memos and other relevant materials for review by internal and external stakeholders, with support from Associates/Senior Associates and with guidance from the Director
- Presenting investment opportunities to Investment Committee, outlining investments strengths and any potential risks, as well as mitigants
- Executing deal and managing investment operations, collaborating closely with our deal legal and finance teams
- Managing investment and portfolio performance towards impact and financial success, collaborating closely with our Data Analytics team to track performance and working directly with service provider partners as well as other external stakeholders
At the fund level, responsibilities may include:
- Conducting fund-level analysis to determine performance and guide future investments; leading the development of analysis processes and tools
- Supporting marketing efforts for Social Finance and its offerings to potential partners (e.g., developing fund pitch decks, attending meetings with potential investor or philanthropic partners)
- Partnering with internal cross-functional colleagues to identify, develop, and implement process improvements to make efforts more efficient and more impactful
- Supporting learning and knowledge sharing within and across investment funds
- Over time, this individual may also participate in the development of new financing or investment structures (e.g., future investment funds or place-based Pay it Forward Funds)
Impact Investing Projects
- Develop project scope and work plans in advance of formal launch of work; execute against meeting schedules, timelines and work streams in order to guide a team throughout project duration
- Co-design and lead workstreams that may include financial, cost-benefit, and cash flow modeling, research on potential project partners, and literature reviews to support project design decisions; test hypotheses and define recommendations
- Prepare and edit presentation materials to share analysis, key findings and recommendations to internal team and external partners
- Draft and edit key governance documents
- Design procurement procedures for external project parties (e.g. evaluators)
- Lead calls and in-person meetings at both the working group and steering committee levels with government, investor, philanthropy, and/or service provider partners and stakeholders
- Work with current service provider partners to optimize operations and help achieve project outcomes
Firm Building
- Support business development efforts (e.g., lead drafting of responses to proposal documents such as concept notes and budgets; create materials for and lead business development leads)
Qualifications
We are looking for entrepreneurial candidates with flexibility, aptitude and passion for our mission. Candidate requirements:
- 7+ years of full-time professional experience; at least 3 years of experience structuring investments and financial transactions, ideally with a focus on providing financing to small businesses or nonprofit organizations through community/commercial/investment banking, private credit, venture capital, private equity, or municipal/agency finance,
- Strong project management experience, with demonstrated ability to lead multiple teams and manage junior staff members towards project completion
- Demonstrated experience with financial modeling; interest and comfort in coaching more junior staff to learn these skills
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills
- Strong oral and written communications skills, with the ability to deliver quantitative and qualitative data in a compelling way
- Ability to quickly research, synthesize and summarize key takeaways on unfamiliar topics
- Ability to communicate, work closely with, and build relationships with many types of partners across multiple sectors; willingness to constructively express your point of view and hear the point of view of others, both internally and externally
- Commitment to high quality work and accuracy, with an ability to manage multiple and competing priorities simultaneously
- Capacity to work independently while contributing to team projects as appropriate
- Demonstrated interest in at least one impact issue area through direct professional experience, or through volunteering, board role, etc.
- Interest in impact investing with a focus on workforce development and economic mobility
- Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of or willingness to learn about key issues in nonprofit management, social interventions, government services, and/or impact investing
- Ability to adapt and be flexible
- Commitment to enhancing a team culture of inclusion, belonging and equity
Benefits
At Social Finance, we strive to deliver a benefits program that will enhance our overall value proposition to employees. Our current benefit offerings include:
- Comprehensive health care coverage: medical, dental and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; Employee Healthy Actions programs and more
- Retirement savings plan with employer contribution
- Short-term, long-term and life insurance policies
- Commuter benefits and cell phone reimbursements
- Hybrid work model (in office three days per week, work from home two days per week and on an ad-hoc basis as needed)
- Dedicated budgets for team building and employee recognition
- Annual budget for external professional development opportunities
- Mentorship and onboarding programs
- Collaborative and energizing workspaces in downtown Boston, San Francisco, Austin and Washington, D.C.; New York, NY
- Paid vacation and paid holidays (with 12/24-1/1 off every year)
- Paid parental leave
- A truly stellar team of high performing, values-driven and fun (!) professionals
Salary
Social Finance uses a lockstep compensation model for purposes of equity and transparency – we strive for everyone coming in at a given level to be paid equitably. For this position, at the Associate Director level, the starting base salary is $116,000; however, during the interview process, we will take into account a candidate’s full work experience and may adjust the job title, and commensurate starting salary, as appropriate. At this level, employees receive an automatic $2,500 adjustment annually and a bonus of 5-10%.