Director of Investments - Global Impact Investing Network : Job Details

Heron is seeking a Director of Investments who will play a critical role in supporting the development and execution of Heron's investment strategy as we activate capital to empower persistently poor rural communities across the U.S. and catalyze systemic change in how national funders engage with community advancement.

The Director will work in close partnership with the Senior Director of Investments, contributing to the management of Heron's investable asset base—currently approximately $330 million. As Heron implements a transformative strategy to move roughly $240 million into communities over the next eight years, the Director will support portfolio oversight, investment analysis, and the buildout of Heron's High Conviction Portfolio, which will hold $80–$90 million in Direct Community Investments (DCI).

The Director will help operationalize Heron's Net Contribution framework, assist in the refinement of Heron's Investment Policy Statement (IPS), and support both traditional and mission-aligned investment activities. The ideal candidate brings not only investment fluency and a deep curiosity about how capital can serve communities, but also a passion to contribute to one of the country's most forward-looking philanthropic investment strategies.

This role is a strong fit for a purpose-driven investment professional who is excited to help build new models of capital stewardship while learning and growing within a small, collaborative team. The Director will report to the Senior Director of Investments and work in partnership with Heron's investment consultant and broader staff.

Key Responsibilities

Investment Strategy Development and Execution

• Support the Senior Director of Investments in managing Heron's total portfolio, including oversight of public equities, fixed income, private investments, and catalytic community investments.
• Help implement Heron's revised Investment Policy Statement, ensuring alignment between mission, financial goals, and risk parameters.
• Contribute to investment pipeline development and due diligence, including drafting memos, conducting research, and preparing recommendations for the Investment Committee (IC).
• Support our Healthy Communities team and our Community Capital Partners to deploy capital more effectively for transformational change.
• Participate in the sourcing, underwriting, and monitoring of Direct Community Investments, including opportunities like community-based financing, strategic deposits, private placements, among other mission-aligned investment opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with community-facing teams to identify capital needs and structure investment opportunities that center community voice and long-term benefit.
• Iterate on and apply Heron's Net Contribution framework to assess both financial return and community impact (including working with Heron's Community Research team and external advisors/contractors).

Thought Leadership and Research

• Support the Community Research team to continuously add to and refine Heron's thought leadership, leveraging lessons learned and expert advisors.
• Identify, synthesize, and share learnings across the Heron team and implementation partners (including grantees, investees, research partners, investment consultants and managers, and peer enterprises).

Portfolio Monitoring and Reporting

• Support portfolio analysis and reporting in partnership with Heron's investment consultant and partners.
• Monitor investment performance and support development of impact metrics and portfolio compliance frameworks.
• Assist with IC materials, quarterly performance summaries, and internal knowledge sharing.

Internal and External Collaboration

• Help maintain relationships with investment managers, community capital partners, and peer foundations.
• Represent Heron in relevant field-building initiatives, conferences, or learning exchanges on impact investing.
• Promote Heron's commitment to equity, transparency, and inclusive capital practices in all investment-related activities.
• Work collaboratively to promote a culture that reflects Heron's values and positions Heron to evolve beyond private foundation orthodoxy.

Desired Skills and Experience

• 4–7 years of experience in investment analysis, portfolio management, or community development finance. Backgrounds in private equity, credit, fixed income, especially serving foundations/endowments or catalytic capital preferred.
• Deep interest in impact investing, economic justice, and deploying capital to underserved communities.
• Demonstrated experience with investment due diligence, portfolio monitoring, and financial analysis.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex financial concepts to diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with rural place-based investing, CDFIs, PRIs, or related areas a plus.
• Strong passion for and commitment to the mission and values of Heron.
• Candidate must be a team player with respect for diverse perspectives and ability to navigate and balance conflicting ideas.
• Flexibility and comfort in navigating ambiguity and changing situations.
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA, CFA, or relevant graduate training preferred.

Founded in 1992, Heron is dedicated to helping people and communities to help themselves. Heron works directly with local organizations that are embedded in, deeply trusted by, and inherently driven by the voice and vision of their neighbors. Heron partners with communities to source relevant and actionable research, nurture a learning collaborative of peers, help communities reclaim their narrative of place and self, foster stronger collective agency and social bonds, and provide long-term financial support. Heron works mainly in rural communities experiencing persistent poverty, systemic challenges, historic disinvestment, and a legacy of disenfranchisement.

Over the coming 8-10 years, Heron will pursuean exciting, innovative set or strategies to (1) empower dozens of distressed rural communities across the country, (2) help rewrite the playbook for national funders working in rural community advancement, and (3) position Heron, not as a traditional grantmaking private foundation, but as a resourceful, experienced, and well-regarded rural community advancement agency, poised to perform this important work effectively well into the future. Heron will:

• Provide our community partners with extensive data and research, technical assistance, communications support, and networking opportunities.
• Share its growing knowledge broadly to help increase capital flow to the direct control of rural communities.
• Invest significant financial capital into local organizations leading community-driven projects and initiatives to advance the vitality and well-being of their community.