Wanted: Lead Advisory & Advocacy

Roots of Impact is growing, and we have ambitious plans for the future. Are you passionate about driving positive change through effective impact finance? Are you eager to work in an agile and dynamic impact enterprise? If so, we invite you to join our dynamic, multicultural team! We are looking for an experienced and motivated individual to spearhead the work of our Advisory and Advocacy team.

Roots of Impact is a manager of catalytic capital. As a pioneer in Impact-Linked Finance, we believe in aligning capital with incentives to drive change for people and the planet. Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs to achieve impact at scale by managing innovative funds, providing quality advisory and education, and building the field for Impact-Linked Finance. We are based in Frankfurt, Germany, with hubs in Berlin and Cape Town (South Africa), but are open to exploring remote work options worldwide.

The Advisory & Advocacy team

The Advisory & Advocacy team provides strategic Impact-Linked Finance advisory as well as advocacy and critical support to build the Impact-Linked Finance market through high-end programs, facilities, and partnerships. The team also manages the Impact-Linked Fund for Gender Inclusive Fintech, which provides deep insights and hands-on experience to deepen our advisory practice. The main responsibilities of the team include:

• Leading and facilitating Impact-Linked Finance market-building through knowledge sharing.
• Managing bespoke advisory mandates, to empower partner organizations with the strategic tools and expertise needed to deepen their impact.
• Managing the implementation of the Impact-Linked Fund for Gender Inclusive Fintech.

• Implementing Impact-Linked Finance programs and transactions
• Developing guidelines, tools, and standards to further develop the Impact-Linked Finance practice
• Managing external consulting mandates for partners interested in implementing Impact-Linked Finance

We are looking for an impact-driven leader

As the Lead of the Advisory and Advocacy team, you will play a pivotal role in building the field of Impact-Linked Finance, managing ambitious mandates, and designing and providing hands-on support to leaders in the impact finance field. You will be responsible for leading a dedicated team, managing key programs, and shaping field-building work.

Key responsibilities:

• Team leadership: Lead, inspire, and mentor a small team of dedicated, driven professionals, fostering a collaborative and caring work environment.
• Strategic input: As part of the Roots of Impact Leadership Team, contribute to the refinement and execution of strategy and growth plans, ensuring consistent alignment with our values.
• Client and partnership engagement: Lead client and partnership engagements, establish trusted relationships and act as a strategic partner in understanding their unique challenges and impact goals.
• Thought leadership: Design and deliver advocacy work, including public speaking, presenting, and writing.
• Design and lead advisory and consulting mandates: Develop methodologies that speak to the clients’ needs; manage and implement projects; and ensure high-quality deliverables.
• Business development: Support business development efforts by identifying new opportunities and expanding relationship networks.
• Manage the Impact-Linked Fund for Gender Inclusive Fintech: Manage strategic direction, budgets, work plan, partnerships, and implementation of the ILF for GIF.

• Degree in finance/business/development (post-graduate preferred) or equivalent training/life experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience within the impact finance ecosystem.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; fluency in other languages is a plus.
• Excellent presentation skills, and an enjoyment of public speaking.
• Demonstrated experience in designing, implementing, and managing large-scale projects and programs.
• Familiarity with impact measurement methodologies and tools.
• Effective communication and relationship-building abilities, combined with a desire to work in a diverse cultural context.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines while delivering high-quality work.
• Flexibility to adapt to unexpected changes in circumstances.

A plus would be:

• Experience in consulting.
• Experience or an interest in financial inclusion, fintech, gender, and/or migration.
• First-hand experience of living/working in developing countries.
• Experience working with impact enterprises.
• Curiosity and a desire to consistently improve on the status quo.

• A phenomenal team: We are a diverse, multicultural team of interesting, driven self-starters who are passionate about the work we do.
• A personal growth mindset: We strive to create an enabling and uplifting environment, with bespoke personal development opportunities, cross-team collaboration, and an internal ‘skills marketplace’ to ensure we’re unlocking the best opportunities for our team members.
• A remote-but-connected office: With colleagues all over the world, we’ve put a lot of thought into staying connected despite the distance. Opportunities to connect, get to know each other, and collaborate are built into our regular work week, so that we always feel close by, regardless of where we are on the planet.
• In-person team events: Our regular team events ensure that we have the opportunity to engage and tackle the big questions in real life, after catching a sunrise hike or checking out an inspirational art exhibit together.
• A people-centric culture: We want our team to thrive in all aspects of their lives, so we offer a generous leave package, flexible work hours, contributions towards gym membership, and home-office setup support.
• A comprehensive onboarding program: We want all our new employees to feel at home. Our structured onboarding program, complete with a dedicated ‘onboarding buddy’, ensures that your orientation to the Roots of Impact team is as smooth as possible.
• Location-specific benefits: For employees based in Germany, we also offer Kita Support (Zuschuss Kinderbetreuungskosten).

We look forward to receiving your CV and cover letter. Please email these to talent@roots-of-impact.org, indicating “A&A Lead” in the subject line.

Please ensure that your cover letter (max. 1 page) addresses the following:

1. What attracts you to Roots of Impact’s work?
2. How do you think you can add value to Roots of Impact?
3. What are your salary expectations?
4. What is your proposed place of residence?
5. What is your earliest preferred starting date?

„Thank you for motivating us to grow faster and scale smarter“ – Greg Krupa, CEO, Novulis

Data storage:

By applying for this position, you give us consent to add and store your data in our talent pool. We reserve the right to use this data for potential future recruitment purposes. If you would like to have this data removed, please contact us via talent@roots-of-impact.org.

DEI note:

Roots of Impact is an equal opportunity employer. We deeply believe in equality and diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and disability. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and abilities and are committed to providing an accessible candidate experience. If you need any accommodations or adjustments throughout the interview process and beyond, please indicate this in your application.