Impact Investment Officer

About the Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), located in Princeton, N.J., is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime. To get there, we must work to dismantle structural racism and other barriers to health. Since 1972, we have focused on developing and promoting innovations in health and healthcare to improve the lives of millions. Through funding, convening, advocacy, and evidence-building, we work side-by-side with communities, practitioners and institutions to achieve health equity faster, and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.  

We take seriously our responsibilities, and we pledge to work in ways that reflect our Guiding Principles. These are rooted in equity and influence everything we do at RWJF. Equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI), and collaboration enable our staff’s wide range of experiences, passions, and perspectives to strengthen our ability to address our nation’s most pressing health issues. Our efforts to achieve health equity require us to dismantle structural racism and other barriers to health. Part of this work includes actively shaping an inclusive organization where all staff thrive as we build and use our capabilities, voice, and power to advance health equity. The Foundation offers a collaborative, collegial, and creative work environment. With a career at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, you will make a difference.  

About This Opportunity

Reporting to the senior director, Impact Investments, the impact investment officer contributes to the development, implementation, and ongoing management of RWJF’s impact investing program to improve health and healthcare. Their primary responsibilities include providing intellectual and organizational leadership in identifying areas where debt, equity, and guarantees can further the Foundation’s programmatic objectives, underwriting and structuring investments and monitoring the financial and programmatic performance of investments over time. In addition, the impact investment officer maintains relationships externally with co-investors and represents the Foundation on panels and at conferences.

RWJF uses impact investments (debt, equity, guarantees) to complement its grantmaking. The impact investment officer will work closely with Program staff to identify sector-level issues that lend themselves to investment; develop a capital strategy; identify or create transactions; and assist in the ongoing learning, evaluation, and asset management of transactions. 

This position works with multiple partners and the ideal candidate must have the right blend of hard and soft skills, including a finance or banking background, evidence of sustained idea generation, an understanding of the social/impact investing sector, and a passion to use capital to make a difference. The candidate must have strong written and oral presentation skills and an understanding of how to present to, and work with, an investment committee.

As with staff at all levels of RWJF, the impact investment officer is expected to demonstrate a passionate commitment to equity and the Foundation’s mission and Guiding Principles.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Shape, implement, and manage investment strategies in support of relevant RWJF initiatives (20%).
  
• Work with Program staff and Impact Investment staff to develop a pipeline of investment opportunities that addresses a critical capital barrier in a sector (20%).
  
• Convene external experts and gather and synthesize input, data, and research to inform strategy development (20%).
  
• Evaluate the credit quality of each investment. Structure transactions to achieve programmatic and financial objectives (including financial analysis, investments structuring, pricing decisions, overall investment recommendation) (20%).
  
• Other (20%).
  
• Underwrite transactions for risk and impact, present to the Investment Committee, lead the closing process, and, over time, coordinate with the portfolio manager on capital calls and ongoing asset management.
  
• Work with colleagues in Law, Finance, and Grants Management to ensure all necessary information is available to meet internal communication needs.
  
• Establish relationships with key external partners—including within the market-rate and social capital markets—to leverage RWJF’s investments with funds from other aligned investors.
  
• Represent RWJF at external gatherings, e.g., on panels, in social media.
  
• Work with staff and consultants to assess, evaluate, and disseminate results of programs and projects. Work with staff to develop measures of impact for major programs and activities. 
  
• Work with staff and consultants to harvest learnings from transactions and to actively disseminate results and learnings to other staff, grantees, and the field.
  
• Work with other key units across the Foundation involved with communications, particularly in dissemination through websites, social media, research, evaluations, and learning.
  
• Actively participate in team activities and improving team functioning, including compliance with team norms, and providing support and backup for team members.
  
• Partner/collaborate with the director and team to provide insight and guidance on programmatic strategies and impact investing.
  
• Work independently but use judgment to identify important checkpoints.
  
• Act as a coach/mentor to other team members and as a role model to staff.
  

Minimum Requirements

• Commitment to racial and health equity and the Foundation’s vision, values, and Guiding Principles.
• Experience working effectively in and fostering an inclusive environment as part of a multidisciplinary team with people from diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds.
  
• Demonstrated experience underwriting debt and equity transactions. Experience in private credit is desired.
  
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills necessary to interact as a team member with diverse Foundation colleagues.
  
• Able to think creatively about opportunities to create and respond to novel and innovative approaches and to inspire others to work toward achieving Foundation goals.
  
• Able to synthesize material, focus quickly, and identify opportunities while continuing to see the big picture.
  
• Strong written and verbal skills; demonstrated persuasive and respectful presentation skills for communication with internal leadership and external high-level stakeholders, and people from the communities we are working to reach on a range of complex issues.
  
• Ability to travel; including site visits and representing the Foundation at outside meetings.
  
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, urban planning, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience. Advanced degree in related field is preferred.
• Minimum 8–10 years’ experience in banking, finance, real estate or private equity, or community development.
  

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions

The officer will perform job duties in a typical business office environment. Duties involve moderate physical activity that requires standing and/or walking for more than (4) hours per day. Tasks are generally carried out with some exposure to physical risk, which require following safety precautions. Work involves no or very limited exposure to environmental demands. Work requires the operation of tools to perform essential job responsibilities. Occasional weekend/evening work may be required.

This position is assigned to our Princeton, N.J. headquarters offices.

As of January 1, 2023, the Foundation has implemented a Hybrid: Flexible Purpose operating model. All RWJF employees are required to come into Foundation offices during the year for purposes related to their position such as critical tasks (e.g., building operations, grantee meetings), organizational events (e.g., training and development), and internally focused team activities. All RWJF offices remain open for all Foundation employees for focused work, optional organizational activities, and connecting with colleagues informally as needed for individual purposes.

Salary

The non-negotiable starting salary for this position is $201,000. Why work at RWJF? Learn more about the benefits of working at RWJF.

Application Deadline

Please submit your resume and letter of interest by Monday, September 16, 2024 at 10 a.m. ET.

How to Apply

• Applicants should submit a resume and required letter of interest by the stated deadline.
• Internal RWJF applicants should submit a resume and letter of interest through the Internal Jobs Hub app in Workday.