Investment Director (Public Sector)

Job Description

The Global Innovation Fund (www.globalinnovation.fund) (GIF) is a ground breaking new $200m nonprofit innovation fund headquartered in London. We invest in the piloting, rigorous testing and scaling of innovations targeted at improving the lives of the poorest people in developing countries. GIF aims to support a portfolio of innovations that collectively open up opportunities and improve lives for hundreds of millions of people across the developing world.

We believe that the best ideas for solving some of the world’s most critical problems can come from anyone, anywhere. Through our grants and risk capital, we support breakthrough solutions to global development challenges from social enterprises, non-profit organisations, researchers, for-profit firms, and government agencies.

GIF offers grants, loans (including convertible debt), and equity investments ranging from £30,000 to £10 million to support a range of innovations with strong potential for social impact at a large scale. We define ‘innovation’ broadly to include new business models, policy practices, technologies, behavioral insights, or ways of delivering products and services that benefit the poor in developing countries. We support innovators at different phases of development, ranging from early start-up and pilot-testing to rigorous experiments and larger scale implementation. The innovations GIF supports can be located in any developing country and may focus on any sector relevant to international development (see a list at www.globalinnovation.fund/sectors).

POSITION SUMMARY

GIF seeks to hire an Investment Director (Public Sector). The Investment Director (Public Sector) will be involved in finding, evaluating, executing and managing funding opportunities that align with GIF’s goal of scaling promising social innovations through the public and philanthropic sectors. The Public Sector Investment Director will be an integral part of a small team of Investment Directors and will complement the work of other Investment Directors involved in risk capital investment deals. The Investment Director (Public Sector) will report to an Investment Partner or Vice President who will oversee his or her work. The Director’s responsibilities will include:

• Finding and vetting funding opportunities to make significant improvements in the lives and opportunities of millions of people living in the developing world
• Screening proposals and applications submitted through GIF’s open application platform, including conducting due diligence on the proposed innovation’s evidence base, cost-effectiveness, management quality, and ability to scale.
• Sourcing and developing funding opportunities to pilot, test or scale promising social innovations, including from NGOs, researchers, social enterprises, and developing country governments
• Conducting due diligence, research and cost-effectiveness analysis, and making funding recommendations
• Engaging with and building relationships with external partners and applicants during the investment process to optimise impact
• Negotiating grant terms and preparing investment memoranda for the most promising grant applications
• Providing or helping obtain technical assistance for GIF’s grantees
• Directing grantees’ reporting to GIF on both financial and social metrics
• Identifying opportunities for follow-on funding for GIF’s most successful innovators, including from public sector partners, international organizations, donors, developing country governments and implementing organisations
• As one of GIF’s first hires, contributing to building the organization and shaping its strategy

GIF is a dynamic and rapidly growing start-up entity; the Director will be expected to adapt quickly to the needs of the organization and could have a range of other duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS EXPECTATIONS

• Extensive experience in the field of international development, including in an area such as grant-making, project management, monitoring and evaluation, development finance or policy, or program implementation
• Working knowledge of rigorous impact measurement, programme monitoring and evaluation, and cost-effectiveness analysis

• Commitment to evidence-based decision-making
• Professional experience working in the developing world (South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, or Latin America); experience working in the field a plus, including overseeing programmes and/or field studies
• Experience working within government systems or an international organisation and/or experience influencing the policies of government agencies, private sector organisations or donor organisations a plus
• Advanced degree in policy or public administration, economics, international development, business, finance or similarly relevant field
• Top tier analytic, strategic thinking and project management skills
• Previous experience working in the private sector a plus

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and an aptitude for relationship building
• Passion, humility, integrity, team player, proven self-direction and a spirited sense of humour

• A strong commitment to international development and social innovation

HOW TO APPLY

Email jobs@globalinnnovation.fund by 5^th May 2015 with the position you are applying for in the subject title, short covering note and CV attached. Compensation will be competitive with similar social enterprises and the role will be based in London or in Washington DC. Candidates should have authorization to work in the US or the UK.