Head of Impact Investing

About Us:

Astera is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation on a mission to help lead humanity’s transition to a scientifically advanced, abundant future. In service of this mission, we run residencies and other internal programming to support the creation of public goods for science and technology, such as open, non-proprietary infrastructure, tools, datasets, and standards. You can read about our mission and vision here.

Astera is entering a period of rapid growth and transformation. We aim to massively scale our new residency program to support dozens of projects, while transitioning to a model that leverages a significant portion of our $2.5B endowment for maximum impact.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a Head of Impact Investing to lead the development and execution of our impact investing strategy. This role will be responsible for identifying, structuring, and managing a portfolio of program-related investments, mission-related investments, and other funding vehicles that advance the foundation’s charitable mission. The Head of Impact Investing will work closely with the foundation’s executive team, investment advisors, and legal counsel to source, diligence, and close impact-driven transactions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement the foundation's impact investing strategy. This includes setting investment criteria, identifying focus areas, and establishing impact and financial performance targets. You will collaborate with the foundation's leadership to align our impact investing strategy with our programmatic priorities and to identify opportunities for impact investments to complement the foundation’s other activities.
• Diligence and negotiate impact investments. You will source and evaluate investment opportunities across a range of asset classes, including debt, equity, and market-shaping measures, assessing the potential for both financial return and charitable impact. You will also structure and negotiate impact investments, working closely with legal counsel to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
• Monitor and manage the impact investing portfolio. This includes tracking financial and impact performance, identifying and mitigating risks, and providing regular reports to foundation leadership. In some cases, you will also participate in the ongoing management and monitoring of the financial and operational aspects of portfolio investments, including through board observer and director roles.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders in the impact investing ecosystem, including other foundations, impact investors, and social enterprises.
  
  

Qualifications

To work with us, you must:

• Feel comfortable communicating candidly and giving and receiving constructive feedback.
• Be demonstrably committed to continuous professional growth at every stage of development.
• Thrive in a startup-like environment, and understand that trying to quickly scale an organization that’s doing something novel requires flexibility and adaptation at the individual level.
• Embrace the unique opportunity and responsibility we have to leverage our resources to build something truly extraordinary – have no concept of “good enough.”
• Recognize the critical role of culture in building a high-performing organization, and enthusiastically participate in setting, communicating, and reinforcing that culture.
• Wholeheartedly embrace our mission to pioneer new ways to advance scientific and technological progress for public benefit, as well as our commitment to using investment capital to drive scientific and technological progress.
• Operate with the highest levels of integrity and judgment, with a strong commitment to transparency and accountability.
  
  

In addition, we’re looking for a combination of:

• Significant experience in impact investing, venture capital, private equity, or a related field, in particular in leadership roles.
• A track record of sourcing, structuring, and managing impact investments across multiple asset classes.
• A strong operational understanding of program-related investments, including the legal and tax considerations specific to private foundations.
• Exceptional analysis and modeling skills, with the ability to assess both financial and impact returns.
• Strong relationship-building and negotiation skills, with experience managing complex transactions involving multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex financial concepts for a non-technical audience.
  
  

Location:

We have a strong preference for this role to be in person in Berkeley, California, but remote work may be possible in exceptional circumstances.

Compensation:

Astera is in the process of finalizing a compensation range for this position, in consultation with a comp consultant. We plan to offer competitive compensation commensurate with applicants' experience. Please note that because of the impact-focused nature of this role, we do not plan to include carried interest as a component of compensation.