Manager, Structured Finance

Job Description

Flexible within the US; Chicago or Denver

THE ORGANIZATION

The Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF) is a leading nonprofit venture philanthropy fund dedicated to identifying the nation’s best public charter schools, investing in their expansion, and helping to increase their impact. Our “portfolio” includes 140+ charter school networks that operate 1,100+ schools and serve more than 500,000 students. We are committed to expanding the impact of schools that are closing achievement and opportunity gaps. CSGF operates with the same strategies, discipline, and focus as a venture capital firm by awarding multi-year grants and loans to talented education entrepreneurs building networks of high-quality charter schools that enroll traditionally underserved students. Ultimately, we think the portfolio can grow to serve ~1,000,000 students within a decade.

This is an exciting time to join the Charter School Growth Fund. We are launching our next philanthropic fund in 2022, building on our 15-year track record of success. CSGF’s new five-year “Fund IV” will be larger in size and scope than previous funds, with a goal to continue to fuel charter sector growth, accelerate innovation, and strengthen long-term outcomes for students, particularly students of color and those from low-income backgrounds. Our new fund will continue to prioritize investments in leaders of color as our current portfolio is led by more than 50% leaders of color and more than 50% female leaders. We believe it is vital for the networks we support to be proximate to the lived experiences of the students and communities they serve.

THE OPPORTUNITY

CSGF’s Structured Finance (SFin) Team strives to alleviate finance, facilities, and governance as barriers to the growth and success of high-quality charter school networks across the country. Our role blends aspects of a strategy consultant—providing strategic support, serving as a trusted thought partner, solving mission‐critical problems—and those of an impact investor—sourcing and structuring deals, conducting due diligence, investing capital, and supporting investments. CSGF is seeking a Manager to join our SFin team as we launch Fund IV and look to invest in the next generation of high performing charter management organizations throughout the country. The Manager will collaborate across CSGF and with investment candidates to conduct deep due diligence and continue to build CSGF’s portfolio of high-quality charter schools. We are seeking a results-oriented candidate with exemplary financial and analytical skills along with the ability to manage complex projects and collaborate effectively with diverse groups of stakeholders. The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, passionate about K‐12 education, and interested in leveraging public and private capital to create long‐term social impact.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Below is a general outline of responsibilities. CSGF is a fast-moving organization, roles and responsibilities may change to meet the needs of the organization and the charter networks we support.

Conduct intensive due diligence on high-performing charter school operators, including evaluation of past financial performance, long-term financial models, and financing strategies
Support the development of evaluation reports and investment proposals for CSGF’s Partners and Board of Directors
Collaborate with CSGF Partners and SFin teammates to support operators in developing strong finance, facilities, and governance strategies
Perform ongoing evaluations of charter network budgets, audits, and board reports to inform our support strategies and loan monitoring
Support the team’s daily operations including strategic planning, portfolio monitoring, internal cash flow management, and investor reporting

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Skills and Characteristics

Deep commitment to CSGF’s mission and our Commitment to Diversity
Passion for creating social change through the impactful investment of public and private capital
Demonstrated expertise in financial modeling and financial statement analysis
Strong analytical and creative problem-solving skills as well as proficiency in detail-oriented work
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, particularly the ability to build strong relationships with diverse groups of stakeholders
Strong project management experience that drives efficiency and excellence in all aspects of work
Demonstrated proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint
Educational Background and Work Experience

Bachelor’s degree required
Two to four years of work experience, including investment banking, finance, private equity, venture capital, impact investing, management consulting, or similar experience
Experience in education/non-profit field is a plus

WORKING AT CSGF

We are focused on hiring and developing great people and believe that building diverse perspectives across our team make us more effective in expanding our impact. (This is reflected in Our Commitment to Diversity Statement.) Our core values are:

We work relentlessly to create efficient, measurable, and sustainable results. We strive for excellence and pursue our mission tenaciously. Ideally, you thrive working in a self-directed manner in a fluid environment where flexibility and tenacity are required.
We embrace calculated risks and new approaches. We have an entrepreneurial spirit that welcomes innovation, diversity of ideas, and risk. We rely on you to question conventional wisdom and think independently.
We are truthful, fair, and trustworthy in all aspects of our work. We hold ourselves and our partners to the highest ethical standards. We trust you will too.
We appreciate the challenges faced by education entrepreneurs and recognize the limits of our own knowledge. We understand that our ultimate success depends on that of our partners. Your humility will be key to building trusted and authentic relationships.
We value each of our team members as individuals but believe that we achieve the best results by working together. We willingly sacrifice individual interests and recognition for greater collective impact. We hope having fun at work is important to you and that you are a team player.
COMPENSATION

Compensation is commensurate with experience and education. The target salary range for this role is $80,000-$85,000 annually. CSGF offers a very competitive compensation package.

START DATE

CSGF is seeking candidates who can start by March 1.

Charter School Growth Fund provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees.