Investment Manager

About the Investment Team

The investment team is responsible for selecting charity partners, managing our charity investments and supporting our charity partners to improve and scale their impact.

The investment team also leads the Impetus Leadership Academy, a leadership development programme to support talent from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK youth sector to progress into senior leadership roles.

The team is made up of 18 people, including former teachers, charity chief executives, charity impact leads, management consultants, social investment portfolio managers and impact consultants.

The team is led by a Portfolio Director who sits on the Senior Management Team. The Portfolio Director has 5 direct reports: a Deputy Portfolio Director, three Sector Leads (who lead our work in school engagement, School attainment and Employment Sectors) and an Impact Lead. Sector Leads line manage 6 Investment Directors. Investment Directors line manage Investment Managers (currently 3). Investment Directors and Investment Managers tend to primarily focus on a sector but might have mixed portfolios, depending on need, experience and interest.

The investment team has a good track record of role progression. All four Leads and a number of our Investment Directors were promoted from within the team.

The team is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our charity partners and the young people we serve.

About the Investment Manager role

The Investment Manager (IM) works as an integral part of the Investment team to help deliver our mission – supporting charities to deepen their impact and scale their outcomes. This role works closely with Investment Directors and other Investment Managers, including both charity-facing support and internal support to the Investment team.

The IM uses analytical rigour, project management and relationship skills to support a portfolio of amazing organisations that, together, will help shift the life chances and outcomes of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK.

The IM role works across the portfolio, with the opportunity to work with various charities and Investment Directors, and may be involved in delivering the Impetus Leadership Academy. 

Key responsibilities

Investment management

• Working closely with Investment Directors to support charity partners across all areas of our work - leadership, impact and sustainability - leading specific work streams like impact and / or financial management
• Building trust-based relationships with charity leaders including CEOs, delivery staff and Programme / Impact leads, to become a valued advisor on practice improvement
• Working closely with staff at our partner charities, providing guidance, thought partnership and capacity building
• Working with Impact teams at charity partners to develop and refine impact management practices; data collection, dashboard development, performance review meetings, programme design and evaluation
• Coaching charities' heads of functions (e.g. Director of Impact) to develop as leaders and help drive an impact-led approach within their organisations
• Curating pro-bono projects leveraging our large network of corporate volunteers to provide targeted support in key areas for our charity partners (e.g. strategy, marketing advice, financial analysis)
• Supporting Investment Directors with design and delivery of theory of change workshops, analysing charity impact data, developing and analysing pre-workshop surveys, facilitating workshops
• Supporting Impetus’ quarterly peer learning forums for our charity partners
• Supporting the governance of our investments, preparing reports for Investment and Steering Committees

Investment team support

• Supporting / leading the annual cycle of identifying new investments - mapping the landscape of charities in thematic areas (e.g. apprenticeships and skills), identifying high potential charities though analysis of key impact and financial data and reviewing the current evidence base
• Playing a key role in due diligence of new charities, reviewing charity information (quantitative and qualitative) and drawing insights about their suitability for investment; This includes considering impact and scale potential, financial stability and developing a business case for investment including identifying risks. Requires strong relationship management with potential charity partners
• Developing knowledge and expertise in education and youth employment, staying up to date on relevant sector developments
• Working closely with the Public Affairs team and ensuring teams are integrated in their thinking and approach – both ensuring we are coordinated in our support to the sector and working on cross-team projects that support the wider employment and education sectors

Support to the Impetus organisation

• Working collaboratively on Impetus’ public affairs and philanthropy objectives through input into case studies, research and policy campaigns, donor reports and events
• Sharing the learning from our work across the team, across the organisation and externally, working within Impetus strategy, policies and procedures

Person specification

Essential

• A commitment to Impetus’ mission
• Able to build productive, trust-based relationships internally and with external stakeholders including charity partners and co-investors
• Strong relationship building and management skills
• Highly analytical and numerate, with proficiency in Excel
• Clear and strategic thinker; able to identify key insights from a range of data outputs and translate into clear communication, including PowerPoint
• Proven ability to work independently
• Desire to be a thought partner to Investment Directors – contributing actively to team discussions and debate
• Strong planning and time management, able to balance between priorities 
• Displays tenacity and initiative
• Growth mindset; seeks out and acts on feedback
• A strong interest in partnering closely with charities that are doing what it takes to get better
• A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in our work and our organisation

If you don't tick all these boxes, but still feel that you fit the profile, please apply anyway.

Desirable

• Experience in consulting, investment management, or other in-depth grant making and capacity building work
• Previous experience working with charities. Could be in a previous role, pro-bono volunteer or Trustee capacity
• Experience in UK education and employability sectors
• Experience in charity impact management and / or evaluation
• Financial acumen - financial modelling, fundraising pipeline development, review of annual accounts and assessment of financial risk
• Project Management experience

How to apply

You will need to:

• Complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form)
• Upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement

The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification.

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission.

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage.

The deadline for applications is 11.59pm Sunday 17th March 2024.

Interviews

First round interviews will take place on the 27th and 28th March.

Second round interviews will take place on 8th and 9th April.

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more open, creative and gets better results.

We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve.

We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part-time, job shares and other arrangements.

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.

Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, race, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, or marital status. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.