The Organization
San Diego Grantmakers is a membership network that connects and activates funders to learn, lead, and invest in our community. One of our newest work areas focuses on and helping ensure that measurable impact investing strategies are deployed by philanthropists and other investors. In 2014, the San Diego Impact Investors Network (SDIIN) initiative launched to develop and support an ecosystem of key impact investing stakeholders. Impact investments are investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. We will build the market structure to connect capital with effective community solutions. Our vision is to develop an ecosystem that activates $100 million of investment in San Diego County by 2025 to address seemingly intractable challenges such as homelessness, hunger, access to education, and more. No single sector—government, philanthropic, nonprofit, or private—can remedy social challenges alone, but together we can.
Position Description
San Diego Grantmakers seeks a dynamic Impact Investing Network Director to act as a champion for impact investing in San Diego County with a startup mindset and energy to match. This leader will wake up every morning thinking about how to catalyze exponential growth for the San Diego Impact Investors Network and the capacity and effectiveness of San Diego’s impact investing ecosystem. They’ll go to bed each night confident that they took concrete steps to do so.
The Director will be a knowledgeable spokesperson and network-builder who brings to the role existing connections with investors, philanthropists, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and technical assistance providers like wealth managers and accelerators. They will understand the inequities inherent in traditional financial systems and help shape our region’s impact investing ecosystem to advance social justice and economic security for all San Diegans. The Director will be comfortable in an entrepreneurial environment, knowing that seed funding was made available to launch this effort and will raise funds to support its continuation.
Essential Duties
Work closely with the Vice President of Collaboration & Special Initiatives; the SDIIN Steering Committee; the fundraising consultant; and others. Effectively manage a robust schedule of outside meetings and bring new relationships and intel to bear on ongoing planning.
Internal Operations
- Activate the San Diego Impact Investors Network and bring new energy to the steering committee, working groups, and external communications
- Work closely with the SDIIN fundraising consultant and SDG staff to develop membership, sponsorship, and other fundraising strategies to support this work (target: $300,000 raised by June 2019)
Ecosystem Building
- Manage and develop the network, identifying key gaps in the ecosystem and forging relationships and initiatives to fill those gaps (e.g., bridges between investors and ventures, peer learning among foundation trustees)
- Build membership and connections among investors, wealth managers, and other non-philanthropic stakeholders
- Enthusiastically engage with underserved communities (e.g., economically disadvantaged, people of color, women) to develop authentic relationships and understand gaps in their access to financing and partner with them to identify solutions
- Develop or deepen partnerships with national experts like SOCAP and Mission Investors Exchange
Education & Events
Coordinate closely with SDG’s Director of Learning to:
- Develop a robust calendar of educational and social events (target: one of each per month)
- Deliver content during educational workshops, as needed (e.g., Impact Investing 101)
- Develop a communications and outreach plan in collaboration with the Director of Strategic Advancement, particularly to stakeholders that are not traditionally involved with SDG
Competencies and Skills
We will review your educational, work, and volunteer experience seeking these qualifications.
- Connection to Community: A keen understanding of and connection to the challenges in San Diego County and skill in identifying how impact investment can contribute to addressing them; existing relationships in the finance and investment sectors
- Fundraiser and Friend-raiser: Demonstrates success securing buy-in to a vision, participation in a network, and sustainable funding from a variety of stakeholders including individual and institutional donors
- Proactive/Perseverance: Enjoys working hard; is action oriented and full of energy, drive and a need to finish things seen as challenging
- Planning, Organizing, Process Management: Good at figuring out the processes necessary to get things done; knows how to organize people and activities; adept at Microsoft Office and CRM
- Organizational Agility/Analytical Skills: Spends time on what’s important, eliminates roadblocks and creates focus; knows how to get things done; utilizes data for decision-making
- Strategic Agility/Managing with Vision and Purpose: Can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods orally and in writing; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans
- Fun to be Around: Demonstrated emotional intelligence and a sense of humor
- Mobile: A flexible schedule, interest in connecting with folks throughout San Diego County, and possession of a valid CA Driver’s License with a good driving record and have access to a reliable, properly insured vehicle for travel
The above job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the job. Management retains the right to add or to change the duties of the positions at any time with or without notice.
Schedule: This is a full-time exempt staff position. Normal business hours are Monday-Friday 8:30AM-5:00PM, however this role requires a flexible schedule that encompasses morning, work-day, and evening meetings and events throughout San Diego County.
Compensation: $65,000 – $80,000/year DOE, as well as medical, dental, and vision insurance; a Simple IRA plan with match; and paid vacation and holidays.
How To Apply
To Apply: Applications are due on at 5:00PM Pacific on March 15, 2018. Please submit a description of your qualifications and a cover letter describing where you would put most of your energy in the first three months. Applications should be submitted by email to apply@sdgrantmakers.org. If this presents a challenge, please contact Justin Schaberg at (858) 875-3333 to arrange to submit a hard copy application.