Job description

Blue Haven Initiative is looking for an exceptional associate to join their in-house direct venture investing team!

About Blue Haven Initiative

Founded in 2012 by Liesel and Ian Simmons, Blue Haven Initiative (BHI) is a single-family office managing a diversified international investment portfolio. As one of the first family offices created with impact investing as its mission and focus, BHI seeks market rates of financial return on its investments as well as maximum social and environmental impact. With this approach, BHI considers the nuanced implications of its investment choices while pursuing financial returns appropriate to each asset class or venture. 

A signature focus of BHI is its in-house venture capital portfolio, investing upwards of $50 million in early stage ventures. The Ventures team targets innovative for-profit business models that improve standards of living, create economic opportunity, and better the environment for people and businesses by delivering products and services more efficiently, at a higher quality and/or a lower cost than existing solutions. BHI seeks businesses that leapfrog traditional infrastructure to bring these services to communities that are historically underserved or out of reach. The Ventures strategy centers on four main sectors - financial services, renewable energy, logistics and human capital – and the current portfolio has a geographic concentration in Sub Saharan Africa. 

BHI is a fast moving, dynamic workplace that requires a high level of enthusiasm for both financial and operational due diligence as well as the impact intended with each investment. BHI is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

About the role

The Associate is a unique opportunity to support the Ventures investment portfolio, focused on scaling for-profit solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems (and opportunities). As a member of the Ventures team reporting to the Managing Director, the Associate will play a substantial role in the full spectrum of deal activities, from pipeline-building, to due diligence and ongoing portfolio management. The position is full-time and based in Cambridge, MA with periodic travel. A detailed description of the position is included below. 

Key Responsibilities

• Review inbound investment proposals and prioritize high quality opportunities 
• Meet with management teams to assess potential investments
• Analyze market opportunities and investment themes to source proprietary deal flow  
• Write investment memos and present findings to investment committee
• Build financial models to value early stage venture opportunities 
• Engage in post-investment support projects with portfolio companies 
• Support quarterly reporting activities 
• Draft term sheets and other legal documents that incorporate social and financial deal terms
• Contribute to ecosystem-building through attendance at conferences, speaking engagements and relationship management with key stakeholders
• Opportunities for growth including serving in board director roles, leading portfolio engagement projects and leading discovery of new industry verticals for investment 

Qualifications

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to manage multiple tasks and responsibilities simultaneously 
• Drive to take ownership of processes and take tasks to completion 
• Team-oriented mindset
• Demonstrated interest in the intersection of private markets and social impact
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment independently 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Commitment to manage to deadlines and deliver timely work product
• Close attention to detail and accuracy in all materials
• Proficient in reading and interpreting financial statements and projections

Education and Experience

• Work experience in either private equity/venture capital, management consulting, investment banking or entrepreneurship
• Experience working in emerging and frontier markets preferred
• Knowledge of and familiarity with investment analysis, accounting and/or corporate finance
• Demonstrated interest in or commitment to the impact investment industry via work experience or volunteer positions