Troy, MI

Social Investment Officer, The Kresge Foundation

The Organization

The Kresge Foundation is one of the top 20 private foundations in the United States and the only one focused exclusively on expanding opportunities for people with low income in American Cities. With a $3.8 billion endowment and a staff of over 100 employees, the foundation deploys grants and social investments across arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services and community development. The foundation’s state-of-the-art headquarters maintains an array of energy-efficient, water-conserving and health-promoting systems. The foundation also operates an office in Detroit’s Midtown district.

Position Overview

The Kresge Foundation has been utilizing social investments to complement its grant making activities for about 12 years. Since inception, the Foundation has invested over $300MM through the practice and there is strong executive and Board support to accelerate the Foundation’s use of non-grant forms of capital (debt, equity, guarantees, deposits).

The Social Investment Officer will work closely with Social Investment staff and the Managing Directors of several grant-making Program areas to identify sector level issues that lend themselves to program related investment, develop a capital strategy, identify or create impactful transactions and assist in the ongoing learning, evaluation and asset management of transactions.

This position works with multiple stakeholders and the candidate must have the right blend of hard and soft skills. The ideal candidate will have 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 understanding of how to present to and work with an Investment Committee, Executive Team, and other key stakeholders. Most importantly the ideal candidate will have a strong commitment to racial equity and service to others.

Externally, this position works with grantees, borrowers, investors, consultants, and legal counsel.

Primary responsibilities

  1. Maintain primary responsibility for originating Program Related Investments with one or more of our national programs
  2. Work with Program staff and Social Investment Staff to develop a pipeline of investment opportunities that addresses a critical capital barrier in a sector
  3. Participate in assigned program team meetings, working closely with program team Managing Directors and Program Officers, to maintain an understanding of programmatic strategy and serve as an expert in pairing social investment solutions with grantmaking opportunities to further team strategy
  4. Provide flexible social investment support across teams, when necessary
  5. Underwrite transactions for risk and impact, present to Investment Committee, lead the closing process and, over time, coordinate with the Portfolio Manager on capital calls and ongoing asset management
  6. Work with colleagues in finance and grants management to ensure all necessary information is available to meet internal communication needs
  7. Partner with Social Investment Managing Director on significant national initiatives
  8. Establish relationships with key external partners – including within the market-rate and social capital markets – to leverage Kresge’s investments with funds from other aligned investors
  9. Represent Kresge at external gatherings, on panels etc.

Qualifications

  • Minimum B.A. in finance, urban planning, or related field. Advanced degree in related field preferred.
  • Ten years’ experience in community development finance including but not limited to: community development banking, public finance, private equity, CDFI lending, economic development finance, or similar
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills necessary to interact as a team member with diverse Foundation colleagues.
  • Demonstrated skills and knowledge of systems and approaches to analyze programmatic objectives and further them through social investment opportunities.
  • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective and constructive working relationships and partnerships within and external to the Foundation
  • Demonstrated leadership presence to represent the values of the Foundation in the public sphere.
  • Demonstrated commitment and passion for serving marginalized/excluded people and communities and a demonstrated interest in driving positive change.
  • Demonstrated ability to achieve results with little oversight.
  • Strong preference for candidates with working knowledge of state and federal incentive programs such as: low income housing tax credits, new markets tax credits, HUD lending, state revolving loan programs, opportunity zones, or similar.

Kresge is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBT applicants. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Please note: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all Kresge staff are working remotely, and our Troy and Detroit offices remain closed until further notice. Kresge staff will not be traveling or attending in-person meetings during this time. Thank you for your understanding.

How To Apply

Application deadline for this position is 11:59pm on February 2, 2021

Please access the application using the link: Social Investment Officer

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