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Job Descriptions:

Position Summary:

The Director, Impact Investments role encompasses all aspects of mission-aligned investing at The Chicago Community Trust, with an emphasis on impact-first approaches.

The Director, Impact Investment will report to the Chief of Investments and will work closely with the Trust’s Finance, Community Impact, and Philanthropic Services teams, and well as interface extensively with external partners.

We’d be delighted to connect with you if you:

+ Bring investment decision-making experience, as well as previous career or educational experience with impact investing specifically,

+ Enjoy building new strategies in a collaborative approach,

+ Possess a demonstrated ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, to inspire action, & to guide decision-making, and

+ Connect with our mission & share our goal to address capital gaps in underinvested communities.

Sounds like you? Learn more about the position responsibilities:

Impact Investment Selection & Monitoring

+ Lead the internal effort to determine how investment capital can enhance the Trust’s philanthropic initiatives, working in partnership with our Community Impact team to align our impact investing with our grant-making.

+ Build upon existing investment due diligence process to emphasize impact criteria for investment selection and monitoring; develop a framework for ongoing evaluation of new impact investment ideas. Create a process to monitor outcomes for impact investments and develop an approach to report impact and financial performance.

+ Partner with Trust leadership & our external investment consultant to launch a new impact-focused pool for donor advised funds. Support the search and selection process for new additions to our impact investment lineup across portfolios.

+ Evaluate and internally approve impact investment ideas for advisor-managed donor advised funds. Cultivate relationships with impact investment managers and other mission-driven institutional investors. Serve as Trust’s representative at all Chicago-focused impact investing gatherings & discussions.

Donor and Financial Partner Outreach

+ Work expansively with our Philanthropic Services team to connect with donors interested in impact investing; serve as the primary point of contact regarding our impact investing offering.

+ Articulate the Trust’s impact investment strategy and vision to internal stakeholders; support preparation of meeting materials and deliverables for our Executive Committee and Investment Committee. Serve as an additional public voice for the Trust’s impact investing effort and articulate how our investment portfolio aligns with our organizational mission.

+ Create compelling prospective donor materials and develop a strategy for ongoing communication with our donors.

+ Liaison with external partners – including our investment consultant, Trustee banks, and wealth advisors – to implement impact investment strategies.

Strategic Direction and Governance

+ Assist with setting the strategic direction of the Trust’s impact investing effort, informed by our organizational mission, the impact investment opportunity set, financial & structural constraints of various Trust investment portfolios & our discretionary grant budget, and an understanding of our partner organizations.

+ Lead & coordinate the effort to deepen our presence and evolve our impact investment approach across two priorities:

+ Impact investing to achieve the Trust’s strategic mission

+ Impact investing to attract & engage donors

+ Prepare meeting agendas and materials for our Impact-First Ad Hoc committee; work with the Senior Director of Investments to refine the governance approach for impact-first investing and approve individual investment ideas.

+ Work closely with Trust leadership to select the optimal impact investing approach(es) for various Trust portfolios; collectively determine prioritization of impact investment projects.

+ Communicate impact investment strategy and outcomes to Trust staff, leadership and the Trust’s Investment Committee & Executive Committee. Generate buy-in for our impact investing strategy.

+ Liaison extensively with our Community Impact team to foster an environment of mutual learning; explore ways to align our impact investing effort more closely with our grant-making. Share feedback on community-sourced impact investment ideas and offer guidance on new grant-supported impact investment approaches.

Salary Range: 130k -160k annually

Required Experience:

Position Qualifications:

+ Bachelor's Degree in Finance or related field; Masters degree preferred

+ Experience working in the investment management or financial services industry; prior experience with an endowment, foundation, or family office is preferred.

+ Previous career experience in impact investing or in-depth educational experience in the impact investing field;

+ Strong quantitative skills;

+ Commitment to the Chicago community and not-for-profit sector;

+ Ability to analyze data, synthesize findings, provide practical, actionable insights, and create clear summary reports;

+ Excellent organizational skills and ability to handle multiple tasks with accuracy and attention to detail;

+ Strong interpersonal skills to successfully interact with groups inside and outside of the Trust;

+ Ability to communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and through written communication;

+ Ability to prioritize and meet work deadlines consistently;

+ Proficient in Microsoft Office software programs.

The Trust's Impact Investing Overview:

At The Chicago Community Trust, we believe that impact investing, with its ability to generate social returns alongside investment gains, amplifies the transformative power of the philanthropic capital entrusted to our organization. Reflecting this philosophy, we currently have four primary expressions of impact within our $4 billion investment portfolio:

+ Investment Manager Diversity: We believe it is important to consider racial and gender diversity in the management of our investment portfolio, and we are committed to retaining a diverse pool of investment managers while achieving our investment objectives. We also engage with our investment managers to advocate for strong & effective diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) practices.

+ Investment in Benefit Chicago: Our pooled portfolio for donor-advised funds is invested in Benefit Chicago, a $100mm place-based impact investment fund launched by The Chicago Community Trust, The MacArthur Foundation, and Calvert Impact Capital. The goal of Benefit Chicago is to create jobs, build wealth, and tackle other social and economic challenges, with a special focus on communities of color, low-income households, and historically marginalized communities.

+ Impact Investing Platform for Donor-Advised Funds: We offer an impact investing platform for our donor-advised fund holders. Using this platform, donors can access a curated list of impact investment options and if so inclined, request that their donor-advised fund be invested for impact in one or more of our pre-selected investment options. We offer a range of impact investment options including ESG-focused equity funds and loans to local CDFIs.

+ Custom Impact Strategies for Advisor-Managed Funds: We work in collaboration with a select number of donors and their advisors to approve and implement custom impact investment strategies for funds held at the Chicago Community Trust.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are fundamental to achieving our impact

Our vision is a Chicago region where equity is central—and opportunity and prosperity are in reach for all.

We acknowledge the specific role discrimination and systemic barriers based on race, ethnicity, and other varied identities and differences have played in limiting opportunities for too many. A commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is at the core of who we are and guides us in our work to strengthen the communities we serve and advance our strategic focus to narrow the racial and ethnic wealth gap in the Chicago region.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Trust is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Trust does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please e-mail us at [email protected] if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.

The History of The Chicago Community Trust

The Chicago Community Trust was founded in 1915 by Norman and Albert Harris, father and son duo of the Harris Trust and Savings Bank (now BMO Harris Bank). The Trust was the fourth community foundation ever created. There are now 750 community foundations in Canada and the U.S.

As a community foundation, the Trust is committed to effect lasting change that moves our entire region forward. Our approach centers on tackling the region’s immediate needs and addressing challenges that stand in the way of a thriving Chicago region. As part of that mission, the Trust will always support meeting people’s critical needs such as secure housing and healthy food, public safety, and regional response to crises. We also know our region’s racial and ethnic wealth gap is a major contributing factor to issues including health disparities, gun violence, and uneven economic growth. We are committed to reducing this gap so that our region and its residents can meet their potential.

For 110 years, The Chicago Community Trust has convened, supported, funded, and accelerated the work of community members and changemakers committed to strengthening the Chicago region. From spearheading our response to the Great Depression and Great Recession to building up our civic infrastructure to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trust has brought our community together to face pressing challenges and seize our greatest opportunities. Today, that means creating pathways that build wealth and well-being for all Chicagoans.

With assets of more than $6 billion, the Trust, in partnership with its donors, distributed more than $1.5 billion in the last fiscal year. The Trust team seeks to match the passion and commitment of donors, grant recipients, residents, and community leaders who continue to work tirelessly to make the Chicago region one where everyone has opportunities.

Keyword: Director, Impact Investments (Hybrid)

From: The Chicago Community Trust