About Builders Vision
Builders Vision is an impact platform that aims to shift markets and minds for good in pursuit of our vision for a humane and healthy planet. We work to help address some of the most difficult environmental and sustainability challenges across three focus areas: oceans, food & agriculture, and energy.
Builders Vision has deployed more than $3 billion across our focus areas and worked alongside nearly 450 partners to drive societal and environmental change. To date, we have helped mitigate, sequester, or avoid over 4 million metric tons of CO2e, generated more than 42,000 jobs, and supported the development of more than 170 sustainable products, technologies, or solutions. While we are seeing progress, we know that we can’t do this alone. The truth is these are trillion dollar sectors that need a number of markets to scale and multiply significantly if we are to ensure a sustainable and secure future.
Our Builders Vision team includes more than 100 impassioned individuals who activate our platform using three primary approaches to influence stakeholders and drive impact across our focus areas:
Deploying Capital: We use a versatile set of tools, including grants, direct investments, and fund investments to support non-profit leaders, entrepreneurs, and fund managers. Given Builders Vision’s different capital tools and investment vehicles, we have the flexibility to operate across the capital spectrum. We deploy capital into programs and solutions with a focus on how our efforts will lead to the catalyzation of additional investments into the sectors.
Supporting Partners: We are committed to helping our partners by providing critical resources including technical assistance, networking, learning opportunities, support with impact measurement and management (IMM), and strategic advice to help enhance their success and outcomes.
Advocating for Change: We leverage communications and engage with influential audiences to accelerate the solutions we pursue. This includes strategic communications, thought leadership, hosting and attending convenings, and industry-wide initiatives and coalitions.
Our commitment to people and the planet extends to our workplace policies and benefits. In 2023, Builders Vision was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and voted one of Chicago’s Best Places to Work by Crain’s Chicago Business. We are headquartered in the West Loop, one of Chicago’s most thriving and dynamic neighborhoods, and our offices have achieved Gold-level certifications from both the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the International WELL Building Institute. We also offer fun social team events and offsite retreats to help our people feel refreshed and connected to nature, each other, and our mission.
You can read more about our team, programs, and impact here: https://www.buildersvision.com.
Our Commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) are at the core of our mission to shift markets and minds for good. We know that a humane and healthy planet starts with us. We commit ourselves to learning from others and doing the work to become a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization, and we will seek to promote those same values in the world around us. We actively seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool and create an inclusive culture that centers on equitable practices and policies. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome people from all experiences, abilities, and perspectives to apply.
Position Summary
Builders Vision is seeking an Vice President of Investments to join the investment team for Builders Initiative, the philanthropic arm of Builders Vision. The position in designed for individuals who have investing experience and the desire to make the planet a more healthy and humane place.
The Builders Initiative Investment Team (BIIT)manages the Builders Initiative Foundation endowment and Builders Bridge, a vehicle for catalytic impact investments. The endowment invests in market-rate ESG & impact opportunities at scale. Builders Bridge focuses on three key themes (Oceans, Food & Agriculture, and the Energy Transition) and has invested in more than 70 companies and innovative fund impact managers since 2020. The 12-person Builders Initiative Investment Team works closely with teams across Builders Vision and serves as a thought leader in impact investing and our thematic sectors. Given BV’s mission to shift markets and minds for good, new ideas, new structures, and new partnerships are often created through our investment work in an effort to offer new private sector solutions to the world’s pressing climate problems.
The Vice President's role will focus on supporting investments in private impact funds and early-stage start-ups and businesses. The candidate will primarily support a Director who lead the Ocean and Energy Transition portfolio’s. The candidate is expected to be involved in underwriting and monitoring of investments, and is intended to actively engage with senior staff internally at Builders Vision and across a variety of organizations with whom Builders Vision partners. From time to time, the Vice President will also support investment activities for the endowment and a set of Donor Advised Funds.
The candidate will focus on BIIT’s Energy Transition fund. This fund focuses on scaling innovative businesses in the hard-to-abate sectors (such as building materials, sustainable fuels, industrial processes), as well as climate justice focused related investments. The strategy uses multiple types of capital such as fund commitments as well as direct investments.
Ideal Candidates:
- 6-10 years of work experience in investment focused roles (funds or strategics), investment banking, or consulting. Underwriting experience is essential for a successful candidate.
- Ability to underwrite a variety of investment structures (equity, project financing, etc)
- Demonstrated interest in the role’s areas of industry
- Are comfortable in a fast-paced environment
- Has a university degree with a record of high achievement. Preference for technical/STEM or liberal arts backgrounds
- Has an MBA or CFA charter
- Mastery of business tools such as Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint skills. Comfortable with database/CRM tools
- Excellent writing skills
- Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Willing to take a creative approach to determining deal structures, as well as when designing strategies
- A strong collaborator and mentor
- Comfortable in public speaking roles. Internally as well as externally, as the organization frequently speaks at events and conferences
Primary Responsibilities
Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the candidate in this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may evolve or change over time.
- Develops due diligence plans with direction and oversight from senior colleagues
- Generates and leads sector related research to support high impact and compelling investment opportunities
- Manage the investment pipeline & related activities
- In collaboration with Energy team members, investment due diligence, including quantitative and qualitative analysis of impact fund managers and early stage direct investments
- Work closely with Builders Vision’s Impact Measurement & Management (IMM) team to develop and implement IMM frameworks, tailored to BV’s impact goals and theories of change
- Produce written and presentation materials to communicate the investment and impact analysis to various stakeholders and decision-makers
- Conduct market research, industry landscaping or portfolio construction analyses, under direction of senior colleagues
- Support special investment projects as needed such as thematic impact investment landscapes or program-related investments done in partnership with foundation program officers
- Take an active role in ongoing monitoring for the Energy portfolio, including collecting and reviewing regular financial and impact reporting, conducting regular check-in calls/meetings with investees, and attending annual meetings for managers
- Develop mastery of BIIT and BV tools, systems, and processes
- Be a team player – collaborate with and support the success of other BIIT and BV Associates
Personal Attributes that Support your Success
- You are helpful, a team player, and show respect while collaborating with others
- You have impeccable project management skills and consistently deliver high-quality work
- You have a results orientation and exercise sound judgement
- You are a lifelong learner, who is inquisitive and solves problems with bold thinking and innovation
- You are dedicated to achieving excellence
- You are a clear communicator
- You have unquestionable ethics and personal integrity
Builders Vision is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.
