Purpose Capital is seeking a Director of Impact Advisory Services to lead its next phase of growth in impact investing, and to manage and grow an internationally competitive advisory service. Reporting to the Managing Director, this individual will be responsible for leading all aspects of the Impact Advisory service, including strategy development and execution, business development, client relationships, project delivery, and thought leadership.

About Purpose Capital

Purpose Capital is an impact investment advisory firm that mobilizes all forms of capital — financial, physical, human and social — to accelerate social progress. Our team is agile, passionate about our mission, and has a wide ranging diversity of backgrounds and disciplines. We value collaborative thinking on strategic and tactical issues, views that challenge common orthodoxies within the sector, and a shared sense of responsibility for our collective success.

The Impact Advisory practice works with a range of investors — foundations, high net worth investors, family offices, financial institutions, governments and social finance intermediaries — to design, implement, and evaluate strategies to invest for impact. We currently advise a range of leading impact investors, including those with among the most significant impact investment and field-building commitments to the sector, including the mobilization of 100% of the assets of a private foundation towards its mission, the development of a retail products strategy for financial institutions, and the strategic reorientation of a large institutional direct investing portfolio towards impact.

Our approach is to work closely with clients to develop an informed and pragmatic strategy to aligning impact and financial objectives. We work with our clients across a range of sectors, asset classes, and regions. We help clients situate their unique impact, risk and return preferences within this emerging market, and work alongside Boards, senior management, and external advisors. We draw on significant in-house and external research, and regularly contribute to industry knowledge through a variety of knowledge products and publications.

Position Overview

• Our team seeks problem solvers who are motivated to lead others toward finding solutions to important challenges. We are seeking an experienced and entrepreneurial individual to join our team, with responsibility for managing and growing the Advisory service, including:
• Identify and secure prospective clients within the impact investing, financial and philanthropic sectors in North America and globally. This requires a strong skill set around relationship development and management, as well as a keen capacity for public speaking and for producing thought leading publications.
• Develop the intermediate and long term strategic direction of the practice, and refine the firm’s positioning within the market accordingly, in collaboration with the firm’s senior executives. This includes developing a deeper understanding of current demand, and foresight into how demand may evolve.
• Develop and implement strategic priorities and collaborative projects with the full team at Purpose Capital, as well as external organizations. Potential areas of focus include: strengthening existing research and analysis capabilities, creating tools/templates that are accessible and robust for client needs, developing sector and thematic strategies, and establishing innovative frameworks to integrate impact across portfolios.
• Act as a trusted advisor by actively cultivating relationships with diverse audiences at different levels within organizations (e.g. Boards and Committees, Management Teams, Front-line Staff). Consistently display high emotional intelligence to understand client needs, present options that meet them where they are, and follow through on priorities. This includes working alongside asset managers, financial advisors, and consultants.
• Lead and manage client engagements from end to end, including accountability for client deliverables, processes, budgeting and staff. Specific areas where you will lead include visioning and strategy development, opportunity assessment and due diligence, portfolio review and impact analysis, and possibilities for sector leadership.
• Represent the firm’s commitment to market building and thought leadership, by speaking and actively participating in industry events, and authoring articles/blogs for market and mainstream audiences. This includes maintaining the firm’s commitment to regularly publishing knowledge products that contribute to market development.
• Provide strong and consistent leadership within the Purpose Capital team to develop internal capacities, including training and mentoring junior staff, mobilizing knowledge internally, developing key systems where required, and contributing to the overall health and growth of the company.

Professional Qualifications:

• Strong commitment, knowledge and 8-10+ years of relevant experience in impact investing, financial services, management consulting, multilateral institutions, and philanthropy (preferably across more than one of these sectors)
• Experience working with individual or institutional investors such as high net worth individuals and their families, foundations, family offices, and financial institutions
• Knowledge and awareness of the motivations, needs and practices of financial and/or philanthropic intermediaries such as fund managers, financial advisors, investment consultants, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and/or manage client engagements, including accountability for client deliverables, budgeting and staff
• Track record of business development and relationship management, including strong individual and institutional relationships and networks
• Detailed understanding of and/or experience in financial advisory, wealth management and portfolio management is a strong asset, as is consulting experience
• Demonstrated thought leadership through speaking engagements, publications, and other intellectual property
• Strong project management and organizational skills, including managing a team, and working with a range of clients and/or stakeholder groups
• An unwavering commitment to conducting professional affairs with integrity
• Exceptional written, communication, and presentation skills
• Undergraduate degree required; Masters degree and relevant certifications (CFA, CFP, etc.) strongly preferred

Personal & Professional Characteristics:

• Vision for harnessing all forms of capital to accelerate societal progress
• High energy and engaging, with a good sense of humour
• Comfort in a fast-paced, evolving and self-directed working environment
• Independent work style, and a high level of comfort with cross-functional teams
• Ability to effectively and efficiently prioritize among competing demands
• Interest in educating, training and mentoring junior staff of the firm
• Deep sense of integrity, humility and an interest in continuous improvement
• Willingness to challenge conventional consensus
• Ability to integrate into a small, closely-knit team

Additional Information

• This is a full-time role, based primarily in Toronto, with travel as required
• Compensation will be commensurate with experience, and will include a mix of performance based incentives

How To Apply

• Interested individuals should send a CV and cover letter in a single document to info at purposecap.com by end of day April 29, 2016.
• Please state “Director, Impact Advisory” in the subject line of the email.
• Successful candidates will be contacted for interview. No phone calls please.
• You are encouraged to apply early, as candidates will be interviewed on rolling basis.

SOURCE: Purpose Capital