Masters Associate. New York. Posting Date: 01/22/2025. Deadline: 02/13/2025
OVERVIEW
- Reporting to Director, Impact and Operations (or an Investment Principal), the Associate will work on a variety of projects to further build and manage Soros Economic Development Fund's (SEDF) portfolio of investments and advance its impact investment strategy.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: (including, but not limited to)
- Support SEDF to originate, assess, and diligence impact investment opportunities across a range of themes (e.g., climate action, independent media, and others) and instruments (debt, equity, guarantees, funds/directs).
- Support, as needed, strategy development and implementation, impact measurement and management, policy work, communications, partner and stakeholder management.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
- Knowledge of, or experience in, investment or business operations
- Experience in financial analysis
- Investment and/or consulting experience strongly desired
- Strong communication, research, and presentation skills โ particularly related to conveying complex information about business, market trends and dynamics, and the intersection between policy and the private sector
- Sophisticated understanding of a broad set of public policy issues, particularly as they pertain to the private sector and public private partnerships
- Understanding of, and passion for, economic development, particularly at the intersection of investment, economic development, and policy โ and the mission and vision of the Open Society Foundations
- Bias for Action: takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm
- Results and Impact-orientation: ability to maintain focus on achieving meaningful and measurable impact and results and to prioritize effectively towards desired outcomes in highly complex and dynamic environment
- Full knowledge of MS Office required including Excel, PowerPoint, Word required
- Some experience with Salesforce, Altvia and other CRM and project management software desired
- Bachelorโs degree is required; graduate degree preferred
Institutional Profile
Soros Economic Development Fund
The Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF) is the impact investment arm of the Open Society Foundations (OSF). SEDF deploys patient, risk-tolerant and catalytic capital to advance OSFโs commitment to sustaining vibrant and inclusive democracies across the globe. Founded in 1997, SEDF has committed over $574M in debt, equity and guarantees to businesses, funds, platforms and nonprofits across geographies and sectors that advance the mission of the Foundations. SEDFโs current investment portfolio includes $330M in committed capital across 36 investments.
For more than a quarter century, SEDF has occupied a unique place in the impact investment world. Free from the requirements of external and commercial investors, SEDF can lean into areas of market and political failure and risk in exchange for impact โ across regions and themes in support of democracy and open society. SEDF also leverages the expertise and reach of OSF and Soros Fund Management (SFM) colleagues and resources โ the larger institutionโs programmatic grant making, policy and advocacy efforts, and multiple grades of investment capital โ to bring a full suite of resources to bear on a particular issue. SEDF works closely with external partners across the nonprofit, public and private sectors to strengthen individual investments and support OSFโs larger mission and vision.
All SEDF investments seek to achieve both direct, measurable impact and contribute to longer term, systemic change, including to positively influence the behavior or practices of public and private sector actors, shape policy, or strengthen local market infrastructure. SEDF aims to de-risk investments and sectors to crowd-in additional capital.
Over the years, SEDF has focused on different thematic priorities in different parts of the world, from SME finance in emerging economies, to agricultural and smallholder farmer finance and economic empowerment and financial inclusion for women, migrants and refugees and other marginalized groups (e.g., Roma). During the COVID-19 pandemic, SEDF made a number of investments to improve Global South access to vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics, and to strengthen local biomanufacturing capabilities.
Today, SEDF has charted an initial set of new strategies, focused on climate action, particularly the intersection of climate and inclusive, equitable and sustainable development and democracy in the Global South; independent media โ freedom of expression and dissent, the fight against disinformation, and the imperative to develop new business models as cornerstones of democracy; and a growing body of work in human rights, including reproductive rights, with additional areas of work in development.
The rate for this role in the U.S is 35 USD per hour.
Competitive rates of pay apply.
Open Society Foundations is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, and to building a diverse staff that reflects the movements, issues and communities that our mission serves. Candidates from all underrepresented backgrounds, identities and communities are encouraged to apply.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and colleagues with disabilities.