Position:
Impact Investment Officer
Location:
Princeton N.J.
Website:
Job Category:
Application Deadline:
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
About the Role
Reporting to the senior director, Impact Investments, the impact investment officer contributes to the development, implementation, and ongoing management of RWJF’s impact investing program to improve health and healthcare. Their primary responsibilities include identifying areas where debt, equity, and guarantees can further the Foundation’s programmatic objectives, underwriting and structuring investments and monitoring the financial and programmatic performance of investments over time. In addition, the impact investment officer maintains relationships externally with co-investors and represents the Foundation on panels and at conferences.
RWJF uses impact investments (debt, equity, guarantees) to complement its grantmaking. The impact investment officer will work closely with Program staff to identify sector-level issues that lend themselves to investment; develop a capital strategy; identify or create transactions; and assist in the ongoing learning, evaluation, and asset management of transactions.
This position works with multiple partners and the ideal candidate must have the right blend of hard and soft skills, including 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 an understanding of how to present to, and work with, an investment committee.
Key Responsibilities
- Work with Program staff and Impact Investment staff to develop a pipeline of investment opportunities that addresses a critical capital barrier in a sector (20%).
- Convene and lead external experts to gather information and synthesize input, data and research to inform strategy development (20%).
- Evaluate the credit quality of each investment. Structure transactions to achieve programmatic and financial objectives (including financial analysis, investments structuring, pricing decisions, overall investment recommendation) (20%).
- Underwrite transactions for risk and impact, present to the Investment Committee, lead the closing process, and, over time, coordinate with the portfolio manager on capital calls and ongoing asset management.
- Work with colleagues in Law, Finance, and Grants Management to ensure all necessary information is available to meet internal communication needs.
- Establish relationships with key external partners—including within the market-rate and social capital markets—to leverage RWJF’s investments with funds from other aligned investors.
- Represent RWJF at external gatherings, e.g., on panels, in social media.
- Work with staff and consultants to assess, evaluate, and disseminate results of programs and projects. Work with staff to develop measures of impact for major programs and activities.
- Work with staff and consultants to harvest learnings from transactions and to actively disseminate results and learnings to other staff, grantees, and the field.
- Work with other key units across the Foundation involved with communications, particularly in dissemination through websites, social media, research, evaluations, and learning.
- Actively participate in team activities and improving team functioning, including compliance with team norms and providing support and backup for team members.
- Partner/collaborate with the director and team to provide insight and guidance on programmatic strategies and impact investing.
- Work independently but use judgment to identify important checkpoints.
- Act as a coach/mentor to other team members and as a role model to staff.
Qualifications
- Commitment to racial and health equity and the Foundation’s vision, values, and Guiding Principles.
- Experience working effectively in and fostering an inclusive environment as part of a multidisciplinary team with people from diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds.
- Demonstrated experience underwriting debt and equity transactions. Experience in private credit or private equity is desired.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills necessary to interact as a team member with Foundation colleagues across programmatic and operational functions.
- Able to think creatively about opportunities to create and respond to novel and innovative approaches and to inspire others to work toward achieving Foundation goals.
- Able to synthesize material and identify opportunities, while continuing to see the big picture.
- Strong written and verbal skills; demonstrated persuasive and respectful presentation skills to communicate on a range of complex issues with internal leadership, external high-level partners, and people from the communities in which we are working.
- Ability to travel; including site visits and representing the Foundation at outside meetings.
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, urban planning, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience. Advanced degree in related field is preferred.
- Minimum: 8–10 years’ experience in banking, finance, real estate or private equity, or community development. Candidates whose experience exceeds the minimum requirements will be considered and of particular interest for the role..
- 10–15 years of experience that meets the minimum qualifications and includes work in private credit, private equity, or community development.
- 15+ years of experience that meets the minimum qualifications and includes a combination of private credit, private equity, or community development.
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Candidates will be asked to provide an example of a prior transaction they led, as well as present a case study as part of the interview process.
