JOB TITLE: Impact Investing Director

LOCATION: CALGARY or EDMONTON

Download this position description as a PDF.

Alberta Ecotrust Foundation
Alberta Ecotrust is a registered charity created through a unique partnership between the corporate sector and the environmental community in 1991. Leading boldly ever since, our programs have expanded to build bridges across sectors, communities, and cultures, focus on solutions and skills, and financially support hundreds of high impact environmental organizations, programs and projects across Alberta. 

We increasingly utilize a co-benefits approach to ecosystem challenges, looking for outcomes that also include cleaner air, job creation in new economies, public health benefits, and energy-efficient affordable housing. Beyond grants, we are mobilizing  and financing pathways to a sustainable, low carbon future. Our environmental priorities include:

• Nature-based Solutions & Conservation

• Climate Resilience & Emissions Reduction

• Circular Economy

Alberta Ecotrust respectfully acknowledges that our programs are delivered across the province of Alberta, comprising Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8 territory, the traditional lands of First Nations and Métis Peoples. We increasingly utilize a multi-solving approach to ecosystem challenges and pathways to a low carbon future and are committed to creating a safe, warm and welcoming environment for all people interested in applying for our positions.

Impact Investing Director, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation
The Impact Investing Director works with the Alberta Ecotrust Foundation’s (AEF) team to find opportunities and mobilize capital for low-carbon solutions. Through the Climate Innovation Fund, AEF aims to identify, invest in, and scale up solutions by supporting projects, organizations, and enterprises in alignment with the climate action plans in Calgary and Edmonton.

Specifically, the role will involve researching, contacting, and securing potential investments for renewable energy projects, building retrofits, and businesses with proven low-carbon goods and services.  This will be done in collaboration with the various committees and AEF staff working to make the Climate Innovation Fund a success. Using expert knowledge in project financing and equity investments, combined with a consistent application of rigorous due diligence processes, the position will pursue potential investments that both have financial return and fulfill the mandate of the Climate Innovation Fund. 

By building trust in the community and developing collaborative relationships with co-investors and other funders the successful applicant will assist AEF in crowding in other capital to meet predefined leveraging goals.  Meticulously documenting these relationships in AEF’s Client Relationship Management database will be the goal while solid research and insights are applied to contribute to the project pipeline and identify potential co-investors.

For Alberta Ecotrust, a recent federal investment of nearly $44 million via the Low Carbon Cities Canada initiative represents a significant expansion of our investment potential. We are looking for someone who is passionate about low carbon finance and who is business-minded, resourceful, and committed to thinking outside the box in finding solutions to complex challenges. We are looking for a natural self-starter with strong leadership skills in delivering our investment program. 

This position is responsible for the following:

• Take a lead role in continuously improving the Climate Innovation Fund’s Direct Investment strategy, including the development of innovative financing structures for low carbon solutions

• Develop and implement direct investment policies 

• Develop the processes, templates, contracts and tools necessary to conduct due diligence and deal structure for direct impact investments.  Through the Climate Innovation Fund, AEF hopes to mobilize up to 40% of its endowment for the purposes of direct impact investment 

• Continue to establish and comanage AEF’s direct investment database and relationship database with potential co-investors and funders.

• Provide a full spectrum of financial analysis to evaluate financial viability of projects identified as part of the project pipeline

• Develop impact performance indicators across our entire investment portfolio and monitor/report in accordance with AEF’s impact measurement system

• Monitor developments in the impact investing space to improve and align the Climate Innovation Fund’s offerings

• Draft and deliver co-investment opportunities to potential partners, in collaboration with the AEF team

• Assist in structuring and closing direct investments as a lead or part of a syndicate

• Support the development and negotiation of investment strategies and terms that are consistent with the AEF Investment Policy

• In collaboration with the AEF Investment Committee, fund manager(s), and external investment advisor, track the performance of all investments (including Direct Investments) and, along with third-party investment advisor, present to AEF Investment Committee

• Contribute to AEF’s reporting mechanisms to comply with Funding Agreements and to ensure public communications build the reputation of the Climate Innovation Fund as it relates to mobilizing capital for low-carbon solutions (this may also include development of blog posts and presentations as well as formal annual and quarterly reporting) 

• Continually work with the AEF leadership team and various committees to build capacity with respect to impact investment and direct investments

Qualifications

You will report directly to the Executive Team and you will frequently collaborate with the rest of the team at Alberta Ecotrust as you collaboratively generate impactful and compelling content. 

A successful candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree in business, finance, or a related field

• 7+ years’ experience in direct investment and/or lending, including credit analysis, deal structuring, underwriting and/or account management

• Detailed knowledge of the finance industry and related processes, especially in terms of real estate/renewable energy/energy efficiency/clean tech

• Experience in qualitative and quantitative financial analysis and interpreting legal documentation, including evaluating for impact

• Well developed understanding of investment banking, private equity, venture capital markets and the associated processes for deal development and structuring

• Demonstrated expertise in relationship building and partnership development, including expertise in CRM tools 

• Experience drafting and delivering business presentations/proposals

• Experience working with boards of directors/board culture

• Advanced working knowledge with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), advanced proficiency with spreadsheets, pivot tables and presentation software

Alberta Ecotrust provides a flexible schedule and a positive, collaborative team culture. Our staff are extremely motivated to make a difference, and you’ll be part of an innovative team that gets to do interesting, meaningful work aligned with their shared values and desire to improve the world.  The work arrangement is hybrid at this time with a mix of remote, home based work combined with periodic in person office hours at either the Calgary head office or Edmonton coworking space.

Remuneration

This is a full-time, 37.5-hour work week with every third Friday as an Earned Day Off, permanent position with a competitive salary range of $90,000 - $110,000 per year, commensurate with experience, plus paid health benefits, three weeks vacation and a Christmas break.

How to apply:

1. This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

2. Submit your application to Alberta Ecotrust via our online recruitment system.

3. Combine your cover letter and resume as one PDF document, named as follows: LastName_FirstName_Investment_Director

4. Your cover letter and resume combined must not exceed four pages

Applicants are encouraged to identify in their applications if they are Indigenous Peoples, Black People, People of Colour, women, youth, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ2SAI+ communities, new immigrants, refugees, and/or are members of other diverse communities. 

If we can make this easier through accommodation in the recruitment process, please let us know by emailing Rod Ruff, Acting CEO, at r.ruff@albertaecotrust.com.

Please note that this position will remain open until the right candidate is found.  Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We thank everyone who applies.