Wanted: Lead Impact Intelligence & Education (m/f/d)

Roots of Impact is growing, and we have ambitious plans for the future. Are you passionate about driving positive change through effective impact finance? Are you eager to work in an agile and dynamic impact enterprise? If so, we invite you to join our dynamic, multicultural team! We are looking for an experienced and motivated manager to spearhead the work of our Impact Intelligence & Education team.

Roots of Impact is a manager of catalytic capital. As a pioneer in Impact-Linked Finance, we believe in aligning capital with incentives to drive change for people and the planet. Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs to achieve impact at scale by managing innovative funds, providing quality advisory and education, and building the field for Impact-Linked Finance. We are based in Frankfurt, Germany, with hubs in Berlin and Cape Town (South Africa) but are open to exploring remote work options within a similar time zone.

The Impact Intelligence & Education team is Roots of Impact’s champion of ensuring that impact additionality is embedded in Impact-Linked Finance transactions. The team also builds the pipeline for Impact-Linked Finance by driving educational programs for Enterprise Support Organizations and impact entrepreneurs, leveraging deep insights and hands-on experience from managing programs. The main responsibilities of the team include:

• Driving Impact Measurement & Management (IMM) best practices across ILF transactions (including product development, advisory and research).
• Managing the Social Finance Academy, which empowers Enterprise Support Organizations and impact entrepreneurs with the strategic tools and expertise needed to unlock financing opportunities through Impact Measurement & Management.
• Managing the implementation of the Scaling Impact Enterprises of Bangladesh program (Biniyog Briddhi program).

As the Lead of the Impact Intelligence & Education team, you will play a pivotal role in building the field of Impact-Linked Finance, managing ambitious mandates, and designing and providing hands-on support to leaders in the impact finance field. You will be responsible for leading a dedicated team, developing their career trajectory, and managing key programs.

Key responsibilities:

• Team leadership: Lead, inspire, and mentor a small team of dedicated, driven professionals, fostering a collaborative and caring work environment.
• Strategic input: As part of the Roots of Impact Leadership Team, contribute to the refinement and execution of strategy and growth plans for the company, ensuring consistent alignment with our values.
• Client and partnership engagement: Lead client and partnership engagements, establish trusted relationships and act as a strategic partner in understanding their unique challenges and impact goals.
• Team growth and management: Demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities and interpersonal skills, with a strong focus on fostering collaboration, mentorship, and team success.
• Business development: Support business development efforts by identifying new opportunities and expanding relationship networks.

• A degree in business/ international development/ finance (post-graduate preferred) or equivalent training/life experience.
• A minimum of five years of experience within the impact finance or development ecosystem.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; fluency in other languages is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience managing a diverse team of subject matter experts.
• A “people person” at heart, with excellent interpersonal skills and a love for collaborating with others.
• A growth champion of people, with a strong focus on bringing out the best in a team and fostering collaboration.
• Effective communication and relationship-building abilities, combined with a desire to work in a diverse cultural context.
• Demonstrated experience in managing large-scale projects and programs.
• Familiarity with impact measurement methodologies or tools.

A plus would be:

• First-hand experience of living/working/traveling in developing countries.
• Experience working with impact enterprises.
• Curiosity and a desire to consistently improve on the status quo.
• Flexibility to adapt to unexpected changes in circumstances.

• A phenomenal team: We are a diverse, multicultural team of interesting, driven self-starters who are passionate about the work we do.
• A personal growth mindset: We strive to create an enabling and uplifting environment, with bespoke personal development opportunities, cross-team collaboration, and an internal ‘skills marketplace’ to ensure we’re unlocking the best opportunities for our team members.
• A remote-but-connected office: With colleagues all over the world, we’ve put a lot of thought into staying connected despite the distance. Opportunities to connect, get to know each other, and collaborate are built into our regular work week, so that we always feel close by, regardless of where we are on the planet.
• In-person team events: Our regular team events ensure that we have the opportunity to engage and tackle the big questions in real life, after catching a sunrise hike or checking out an inspirational art exhibit together.
• A people-centric culture: We want our team to thrive in all aspects of their lives, so we offer a generous leave package, flexible work hours, contributions towards gym membership, and home-office setup support.
• A comprehensive onboarding program: We want all our new employees to feel at home. Our structured onboarding program, complete with a dedicated ‘onboarding buddy’, ensures that your orientation to the Roots of Impact team is as smooth as possible.
• Location-specific benefits: For employees based in Germany, we also offer Kita Support (Zuschuss Kinderbetreuungskosten).

For more about Roots of Impact as an employer, check out our Employer Spotlight Session with ImpactFinancePro.

We look forward to receiving your CV and cover letter. Please email these to talent@roots-of-impact.org, indicating “IIE Lead” in the subject line.

Please ensure that your cover letter (max. 1 page) addresses the following:

1. What attracts you to Roots of Impact’s work?
2. How do you think you can add value to Roots of Impact?
3. What are your salary expectations?
4. What is your proposed place of residence?
5. What is your earliest preferred starting date?

*Please note that a work permit is required at the preferred place of residence. We do not offer any relocation support but can assist you with visa applications. 

Data storage:

By applying for this position, you give us consent to add and store your data in our talent pool. We reserve the right to use this data for potential future recruitment purposes. If you would like to have this data removed, please contact us via talent@roots-of-impact.org.

DEI note:

Roots of Impact is an equal opportunity employer. We deeply believe in equality and diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and disability. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and abilities and are committed to providing an accessible candidate experience. If you need any accommodations or adjustments throughout the interview process and beyond, please indicate this in your application.