The Organization
For more than 100 years, The Rockefeller Foundation’s mission has been to promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world. Today, The Rockefeller Foundation pursues this mission through dual goals: advancing inclusive economies that expand opportunities for more broadly shared prosperity, and building resilience by helping people, communities and institutions prepare for, withstand, and emerge stronger from acute shocks and chronic stresses. To achieve these goals, The Rockefeller Foundation works at the intersection of four focus areas – advance health, revalue ecosystems, secure livelihoods, and transform cities – to address the root causes of emerging challenges and create systemic change. Together with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller Foundation strives to catalyze and scale transformative innovations that create unlikely partnerships that span sectors.
The Foundation currently maintains offices in New York, a study and conference center in Bellagio, Italy, and regional offices in Bangkok and Nairobi.
Programmatic Work
Since 2009, the Foundation has structured its programmatic work through a portfolio of interconnected Initiatives. Initiatives are intended to unfold through four phases. The Foundation scans the landscape in its four issue areas to identify pressing problems in the field. The Search phase is usually a short-term (four month) exploration, largely through research and convenings, of a problem the Foundation might pursue. It typically involves an assessment of the system impacting the problem and the development of a hypothesis about potential solutions. The Development phase (which unfolds over one to two years) tests potential interventions through demonstration projects and further research. The Execution phase, which requires Foundation Board approval, runs for eight to ten years with a defined strategic plan and budget.
Position Overview
The Foundation is seeking a Program Associate to join our Program Related Investments (PRIs) team. PRIs are impact investments used by Foundations to forward their program objectives. The Rockefeller Foundation makes PRIs across multiple initiatives. The existing investments include debt, equity and guarantees. The Foundation currently maintains a PRI portfolio of ~$45 million dollars in investments and plans to commit $25 – 40 million in new investments over the coming few years.
Position Summary
You will play a key role in developing and executing PRIs with various Initiative Teams for the Foundation. The ideal candidate would be able to lead transactions that range across multiple deal structures, sectors, and geographies. This person will be expected to conduct due diligence, perform financial modelling, structure, and negotiate transactions on behalf of the Foundation. This will include both direct deals, as well as fund investments. The successful candidate will be comfortable working within a team structure, sharing information and insights, and engaging in ongoing intellectual exchange. The candidate must be comfortable building bridges between commercial actors,non-profit, and government and with internal stakeholders. (S)He should have experience in conducting and analyzing research.
The individual will formally report to the Sr. Associate Director for the PRI Fund, and is also expected to work closely with the Sr. Associate Director for the Zero Gap – Innovative Finance program and the Managing Director for Innovation.
Duties and responsibilities also include, but are not limited to:
- Leading with the vetting, due diligence and execution of new deals which includes:
- Sourcing new investment opportunities, including analyzing industry sectors and other areas of investment activity;
- Conducting due diligence on potential investment opportunities;
- Building financial models to determine value and optimal capital structure under various financing and operating scenarios;
- Preparing materials for investment committee review and approval processes (including monthly update presentations, investment committee memoranda and other relevant documentation);
- Liaising with program teams on relevant investment opportunities;
- Ensuring with foundation counsel that proposed investments meet IRS standards of charitable purpose;
- Assist in structuring and negotiating the financial and legal terms of new investments.
- Monitoring existing PRI investments which includes:
- Analyzing and tracking the receipt of financial and social reporting, and payments from investees;
- Ensuring that reporting meets requirements of expenditure responsibility;
- Inputting, formatting and synthesizing financial information and other data received for internal reporting to the investment committee.
- Representing the Foundation’s PRI team at external meetings, conferences and field visits as needed.
Required Competencies
Strong Financial Analysis Skills: Must be able to perform financial analysis, accounting, and complex modeling for highly structured transactions.
Transactional Experience: Must have previous investment experience and strong financial structuring skills. Must be able to negotiate financial terms.
Social Impact Assessment: Has past experience and/or interest in learning about frameworks for assessing social impact.
Execution: Strong project management skills; meets deadlines; sense of urgency and responsibility; able to multi-task and work under pressure; detail oriented.
Communication: Excellent interpersonal abilities; good listening skills; writing skills; verbal skills; able to cogently present ideas.
Decision-Making: Ability to evaluate risks and opportunities; uses analytical and problem-solving skills; takes initiative and drives for results; able to prioritize.
Education, Training and Experience
Required: 6+ years’ work experience in a transactional finance role.
Experience working in banking (preferably investment or commercial) or private equity (primary or secondary transactions) preferred.
Required: Able to comprehend and negotiate complex legal agreements.
Required: Detail oriented and proactive.
Required: Strong writing skills.
Preferred: Exposure to emerging markets and related issues such as currency & political risks, as well as complex legal & regulatory issues.
Computer proficiency in: MS Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Internet search skills, and ability to learn new applications quickly
Ability to travel as necessary both domestically and internationally
Familiarity with impact investing field (and specific knowledge of development finance or economics
preferred)
Graduate degree in relevant discipline a plus, but not necessary
Foreign Language(s) a plus
How To Apply