Impact Investing Principal

ECMC Group is a nonprofit corporation focused on helping students succeed. Headquartered in Minneapolis, ECMC Group and its family of companies provide financial tools and services, as well as funding for innovative programs to help students achieve their academic and professional goals.

Job Summary

The Impact Investing Principal is a core contributor and emerging leader within ECMC Group’s Education Impact Fund (“EIF”), a $250M multi-stage, evergreen impact investment fund that aims to generate outsized positive impact in postsecondary education and workforce development alongside financial returns. In collaboration with other members of the investment team, the principal is a central driver of the fund’s investment sourcing and deal execution efforts while supporting the EIF overall investment mandate, including refining the fund’s investment thesis and approach, deal sourcing, transaction execution, and portfolio management and governance. This role is suited for a passionate and entrepreneurial investment professional looking to progress their career in corporate venture capital and take on greater responsibility within an impact-focused private equity/venture capital investment platform. The EIF team is a small, high-energy team where all individuals have an opportunity to take on significant responsibility as they grow within the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Engages with other members of the investment team to continuously refine and evaluate investment thesis and identify new investment themes and perspectives.
• Monitors and analyzes external market dynamics, assesses trends, and develops actionable investment theses and research.
• Supports and independently leads end-to-end investment processes, including proactive deal sourcing, due diligence on prospective companies, market analysis and competitive landscaping, drafting investment memos/presentations and structuring and negotiating term sheets and definitive agreements.
• Employs customary analyses and valuation techniques to assess the economic value of potential investments. Creates detailed, dynamic operating and financial models to assess the impacts of various scenarios and potential returns.
• Supports portfolio companies across various operating activities, including business development, strategy, financing and impact measurement. Represents EIF on portfolio company boards where appropriate.
• Supports internal operational activities, including AI tooling and workflow development, external marketing/reporting, management of investment pipeline CRM and financial and impact reporting activities for the impact investment portfolio.
• Builds and maintains lasting, senior-level relationships with industry founders, executives, investors and other ecosystem partners.

• Leads major projects and mentors junior investment professionals by providing guidance and oversight on deal sourcing and execution activities, partnering in execution of above stated goals and responsibilities.

• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, or a related field with 7+ years of experience, or a master’s degree with 6+ years. Experience must be in strategy, finance, or investing, such as venture capital, private equity, investment banking, management consulting, or corporate development, or in a product or technical role at a startup.

• Demonstrated use of analytical abilities, financial modeling skills and working knowledge of financial and accounting theory.
• Demonstrated interest and proficiency in leveraging AI to build more efficient and capable investment workflows and tooling.
• Advanced oral communication, written communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to source, build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues, entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and think creatively to deliver high quality, thoughtful and accurate work in a timely manner.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively organize, plan, control and prioritize work/projects; regularly communicating progress to appropriate stakeholders. 
• Advanced experience working with Microsoft Office tools, including the ability to perform advanced analytics in Excel and create articulate presentations in PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1+ years of work experience in education or workforce development related field.
• Master’s degree in business, finance, accounting or related field.
• Demonstrated experience taking a lead role in all aspects of M&A/investment transactions – sourcing, execution, negotiation and integration.
• Demonstrated interest in social impact or impact investing

The salary range for this position is $140,000 - $170,000 annually. Pay may vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, time in role, peer and market data, business sector and geographic location. This role is also eligible for an incentive of up to 10% of base salary, based on individual and company performance.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ECMC Group also provides a comprehensive benefits package:  

• Health & wellness benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plan options, with a generous employer subsidy. Company paid life & disability insurance, pre-tax flexible spending accounts and robust wellness programs.
• Financial benefits: Generous 401(k) plan with a company match up to 6% and additional discretionary contribution potential, holiday time off, paid time off accrual starting at 20 days/year and commuter subsidy.
• Education benefits: Tuition reimbursement up to $10,500/year for approved programs and student loan payment reimbursement up to $4,800/year. Up to $5,250 of qualifying education benefits can be reimbursed pre-tax.