Impact Investment Associate

MassMutual Catalyst Funds

Boston, MA – Hybrid (3 days in office per week)

The Opportunity

In this role you will source deals, perform due diligence on potential investments and support MM Catalyst Funds portfolio companies.

• Under the direction and guidance of the Head MassMutual Catalyst Funds, actively participate in all aspects of investment sourcing, analysis/selection, due diligence process, negotiating deal terms, financial and impact return models and investment recommendation generation for direct impact investments for the MassMutual Catalyst Funds.   
• Ownership of relationship, experience and progression of assigned companies from sourcing/application phase through maturity of the investment, unless the investment is rejected, as an ambassador for MassMutual with awareness that the Impact Associate and the Impact Investing team may be providing the first institutional capital experience for founders. 
• Perform ongoing monitoring, analysis and reporting of investments’ financial results and impact contributions. 
• Conduct market and industry research and be informed about current and developing sector trends. 
• Under the supervision of the Head of MassMutual Catalyst Funds, provide mentorship, advisory capacity, network expansion, and human capital support to assigned portfolio companies and funds. 
• Test, create, optimize, and share 2.0 strategies, processes and metrics to continuously improve the process from deal generation to selection, to due diligence, to structuring & underwriting and to monitoring and realization so as to analyze our successes and failures and to evolve and innovate our current direct impact programs for future expansion. 

The Team

Impact Investing at MassMutual seeks to make attractive financial returns and have a positive social and/or environmental impact that is measurable.  Philanthropy alone cannot solve our society’s problems - institutional capital can and should play a role. There are clear societal and global needs to address the wellbeing and prosperity of people and the health of the planet. By adding an impact lens to our investment process, we can evaluate our investment outcomes and their social and environmental additionalities. 

The MassMutual Catalyst Funds (MMCF) I & II — a $150 million commitment to increase diversity in, and access to, venture capital and invest in innovative products and services that advance economic and social mobility. 

The First Fund Initiative is a $150 million commitment by MassMutual to address and overcome historic barriers to capital and advance capital equity. First Fund’s allocation strategy centers on funds that are systemically overlooked by financial institutions and have a differentiated investment thesis with the ability to generate positive social impact as well as risk-adjusted market rate financial returns. 

The Impact

The Impact Investment Associate (the “Impact Associate”) will be a key member of the Impact Investing team.  The Impact Associate will report to the Head of Mass Mutual Catalyst Funds, and work with the MassMutual Catalyst Fund team on investment sourcing, processes to underwrite, close, monitor and report upon investments for the MassMutual Catalyst Funds.   

This responsibility extends to evaluating what is proven effective and what requires further innovation as we seek to build up, evolve and expand both the MassMutual Catalyst Funds in addition to the First Fund Initiative. 

Given the comparatively immature nature of the target companies for the MassMutual Catalyst Funds, the Impact Investing Team’s responsibilities will include coaching of, and advising and consulting with, the entrepreneurs leading these portfolio companies.  As such, the Impact Associate will need, under the mentorship of the Head of MassMutual Catalyst Funds, to be able to work with emerging entrepreneurs in a constructive and consultative way to help those entrepreneurs identify and solve their respective business problems and funding needs.

As a critical member of the Impact Investment team, you will work in an innovative, impact driven, fast paced, collaborative environment to drive financial returns and social change.A consultative, hands on, culturally competent approach coupled with demonstrated experience of startup financing, venture capital, private equity and/or alternative investments are required daily to source, analyze, negotiate, model, underwrite and provide human capital to entrepreneurs and emerging fund managers.

The Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree. 
• 1+ years of experience in venture or start-up investing
• 3+ years of related work experience
• 3+ years of experience in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel and other data systems. Affinity, Carta and Novata experience a + 

The Ideal Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience working with diverse and inclusive teams, startups, companies, and cultures. 
• Prior venture capital experience with completing due diligence, valuations, analysis and underwriting from seed to Series B investments.  
• Strong analytical and written/verbal communication skills, including synthesizing research and concepts into actionable insights and investor-facing deliverables in a timely manner. 
• Intellectually, relentlessly curious self-starter with a strong aptitude for quantitative and qualitative analysis. 
• Critical thinking skills, creativity, and out of the box problem solving skills. 
• Team-oriented and organized, self-motivated with the proven ability to manage multiple projects with a broad range of stakeholders to deliver results in a dynamic environment. 
• Accountable, with a strong sense of ownership and attention to detail. 
• High degree of professionalism, integrity, and maturity. 
• Motivated to generate positive, measurable social and/or environmental impacts.

What to Expect as Part of MassMutual and the Team

• Regular meetings with the Impact Investing Team
• Focused one-on-one meetings with your manager
• Access to mentorship opportunities
• Networking opportunities including access to Asian, Hispanic/Latinx, African American, women, LGBTQIA+, veteran and disability-focused Business Resource Groups
• Access to learning content on Degreed and other informational platforms
• Your ethics and integrity will be valued by a company with a strong and stable ethical business with industry leading pay and benefits

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MassMutual is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer Minority/Female/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Individual with Disability/Protected Veteran. We welcome all persons to apply. Note: Veterans are welcome to apply, regardless of their discharge status.

If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.