Impact Frontiers is looking for an associate or senior associate that will support new research and consensus-building projects. Seniority will be determined based on the candidate’s prior experience and skillset.

This role is perfect for someone with an entrepreneurial mindset; well-developed generalist professional skills; an interest in developing expertise in impact management for investors; and eagerness to rapidly assume greater responsibility and independent project management as part of a fast-growing non-profit startup.

Responsibilities will include some or all of the following, depending on organizational needs and the candidate’s experience, expertise, and interests:

• Lead and support new consensus-building projects in areas such as investor contribution, impact performance verification, racial equity and social equity, and impact portfolio construction (60%)
  • Conduct research and prepare briefs for working group meetings
  • Synthesize research literature into project-relevant insights and findings
  • Participate in discussions with industry-leaders on frontier topics in impact management
  • Identify grants and writing winning proposals
• Support development of best-in class resources and presentations that will inspire investors to allocate capital toward impact (30%)
  • Develop informative, highly participatory investor workshops on impact management and impact-financial integration, presenting content and facilitating discussion that energizes and educates
  • Organize and develop content for special workshops on themes relevant to investors today
  • Produce content via articles, case studies, and blog posts that synthesizes findings in a compelling and clear way
• Contribute to additional administrative, logistical, and strategic operations as part of a lean start-up team (10%)

In addition to prior experience in impact investing and/or impact management, the ideal candidate will be an exceptional writer and have experience communicating complex concepts in an accessible and compelling way to practitioners in a variety of media (e.g., articles, case studies, infographics, websites, animated shorts, etc.).

This is an opportunity for the right candidate to develop broad and deep expertise in impact investing in a short period of time. It will provide an excellent preparation for a wide variety of future positions, as well as introductions to many leading individuals and organizations in the field.

Compensation: competitive, commensurate with experience. salary range $60,000-$75,000

The position will be paid through the Bridges Impact Foundation, a 501(c)3 based in the United States.

• 2-3 years post-undergrad
• Undergraduate degree in economics, statistics, business, public policy, or related field
• Exceptional ability to express complex analyses and concepts in writing and in Powerpoint presentation
• Strong data analysis skills
• Comfort working in an unstructured and rapidly-changing environment
• Client relationship management skills, especially for senior associate role
• Demonstrated interest and aptitude for impact investing and / or social enterprise
• Highly organized and strong attention to detail
• Ability to work highly independently and with collaborators from diverse backgrounds and with diverse skill sets
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States

Impact Frontiers is a learning and innovation collaboration among asset managers, asset owners, and field-building associations and networks.

Mission

The mission of Impact Frontiers is to catalyze and accelerate investors’ integration of impact alongside financial risk and return into their investment practices.

History

We originated from Root Capital’s efforts to integrate a third dimension of impact into the two-dimensional ‘efficient frontier’ of financial risk and return. To see if others could do the same, twelve investors joined in the first Impact Frontiers Collaboration, where they translated and implemented the integrated approach across a diverse set of portfolios totaling $15 billion. From these funds’ experience, Impact Frontiers synthesized a set of generalizable steps relevant to a wide range of investors in this article and handbook. As it grew, the initiative migrated from Root Capital to the Impact Management Project, a non-profit forum for building global consensus on how to measure, manage and report impacts on sustainability – thus serving as a natural platform for industry-wide collaboration.

As Impact Management Project concluded in 2021, Impact Frontiers incorporated the full set of resources developed by the Impact Management Project (IMP)’s community of practitioners. With this transition, Impact Frontiers became a hub where investors can:

• learn about concepts such as the five dimensions of impact and the four investor contribution strategies;
• see how other investors are integrating these norms alongside financial risk and return into their investment practices;
• find opportunities to engage with communities of peers; and
• contribute to the development of norms in areas of practice where standards and guidance do not yet exist.

Our core activities- cohort model and consensus-building efforts

Impact Frontiers supports investors in putting open-source content into practice through a tested, flexible sequence of content workshops and online curriculum. Our facilitated peer cohorts create a safe and confidential forum for investors to test and refine new approaches, share experiences, and learn from peers. The financial institutions that are participating in our cohorts include:

• US community development financial institutions
• International development financial institutions
• Venture capital and private equity impact funds
• Multi-asset fund-of-funds

In addition to our cohorts, we are launching an online curriculum that will enable investors to navigate our open-access content independently anytime, anywhere.

Impact Frontiers also facilitates consensus-building on topics and domains of practice in which standards and guidance do not yet exist. Impact Frontiers aggregates, synthesizes, and shares new practices that can help investors to increase their impact, carrying forward the content and facilitation practices pioneered by the Impact Management Project.