Roots of Impact is growing and has ambitious plans. 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 Senior Associate with a passion for impact-driven finance to join our Advisory & Advocacy team.

Roots of Impact is the expert and enabler for Impact-Linked Finance. As a pioneer in this field, we believe in aligning capital with incentives to drive change for people and the planet. Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs to unlock their full impact potential by managing Impact-Linked Funds, providing advisory and education to catalytic funders and investors, and enabling practitioners across the globe to use Impact-Linked Finance effectively. 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 Advisory & Advocacy team provides strategic Impact-Linked Finance advisory, as well as support to build the Impact-Linked Finance market through high-end programs, facilities, and partnerships. We manage the Impact-Linked Fund for Gender Inclusive Fintech, offering deep insights and hands-on experience. The team’s main responsibilities include leading market-building initiatives through knowledge sharing, managing bespoke advisory mandates to empower partners, and implementing Impact-Linked Finance programs and transactions. As part of our market-building efforts, we have some exciting new initiatives in the pipeline that will be vital to the larger vision, scaling strategy, and offerings of Roots of Impact.

Are you a dynamic professional eager to share your unique perspective to help shape the future of the Impact-Linked Finance ecosystem? If so, this opportunity might be perfect for you. In this role, you will work as part of a team to drive business development and deliver top-notch advisory services to our clients. Your focus will be on helping our clients strategically use catalytic capital to create and implement impact-driven solutions. You will need strong analytical and project management skills, creativity, and the ability to manage client relationships effectively while working with diverse teams. Your role will be crucial in advising clients on strategy and execution for designing and developing Impact-Linked Funds and other initiatives that align with our mission to drive meaningful change. If you are passionate about this type of work and making a positive impact, we look forward to hearing from you.

Your future responsibilities include:

• Business development: Identify and pursue new business opportunities to drive growth and expand our client base.
• Proposal writing: Develop compelling proposals and presentations to secure new projects and partnerships.
• Client engagement: Work directly with our clients to understand their objectives, provide strategic advice, and create tailored solutions that align with Impact-Linked Finance principles.
• Advisory engagements: Design and manage the day-to-day activities of advisory engagements, including pre-project planning, execution, and delivery.
• Presentations: Prepare and participate in client and other stakeholder presentations, effectively communicating our insights and recommendations.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with internal teams to identify emerging trends and opportunities, integrating these insights into our advisory work to support the broader goals of Roots of Impact.
• Project management: Oversee multiple advisory projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery, high-quality outputs, and clear communication with all stakeholders.

• You hold a postgraduate degree (such as a Master’s, MBA, or a similar qualification) in Economics, Finance, Business Administration, International Development or a related field that intersects business, finance, and impact.
• You have relevant professional experience in advisory, consulting, impact investing, finance, or entrepreneurship.
• You bring strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a demonstrated ability to translate complex concepts into actionable strategies.
• You have excellent written, communication and presentation skills in English.
• You show strong interpersonal skills with experience building and managing relationships.
• You demonstrate excellent project management skills, including the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• You are a “people person” at heart, with excellent interpersonal skills and a love for collaborating with others.

A plus would be:

• Financial modelling skills.
• Familiarity with impact measurement methodologies or tools.
• First-hand experience living, working, or traveling in developing countries.
• Experience working with impact enterprises.
• Fluency in other languages.
• 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 impact-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).

If you are interested in applying for this opportunity, please email the following three items to talent@roots-of-impact.org, indicating “Senior Associate A&A” in the subject line:

(1) Your CV

(2) Your cover letter, including a) salary expectations b) proposed place of residence* c) preferred starting date or notice period

*Please note that a work permit in the preferred place of residence is required. 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.