Associate, Public Sector Practice

Invest Impactly; Austin, Boston, San Francisco, Washington (TX, MA, CA, District of Columbia); Híbrido; USD 70.000 - 95.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Hybrid work model

Competitive benefits

Descripción de la vacante

Social Finance is seeking an Associate, Public Sector in a hybrid role across its office locations, including Austin. You will conduct research, analyze data, and review evidence to support project design decisions.

You will lead interviews, prepare analyses, and present key findings to internal teams and external partners while collaborating with evaluation firms to measure outcomes. The role requires 2–5 years of experience, strong analytical and communication skills, and familiarity with

Formación

• 2-5 years of full-time professional experience in research, consulting, finance, project management, social impact, or related areas.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills with basic statistical knowledge preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsabilidades

• Conduct research, analyze data, and review evidence to support project design decisions and drive recommendations.
• Lead interviews and facilitate discussion groups.
• Write summaries, reports, and emails; support contract, governance, and scope-of-work documents.
• Collaborate with evaluation firms to identify performance outcomes.
• Create communications materials and prepare managers for external calls.

Conocimientos

Research

Data analysis

Communication

AI tools familiarity

Project management

Herramientas

AI tools

Descripción del empleo

About Social Finance

Social Finance is a national nonprofit organization and registered investment adviser founded in 2011 with a mission to expand economic opportunity in America. The organization brings together government, philanthropy, and business leaders to improve systems and deploy capital in innovative ways. Since its founding, Social Finance has mobilized more than $500 million to create measurable results across workforce and education, health, and housing sectors. The organization is driven by the belief that social and economic systems should enable all people to thrive, and that the most meaningful and measurable change in communities occurs when governments and markets work together. Social Finance operates on five core values: people, performance, integrity, collaboration, and inclusion. These values guide the organization’s approach to creating systemic change and fostering inclusive economic growth. Social Finance’s work spans four primary areas: Impact-first Investing, Workforce and Education Investments, Advisory & Public Sector Practice, and the Social Finance Institute. The Impact-first Investment team designs, launches, and manages investments that provide solutions for effectively deploying impact capital across a range of social outcomes. The Workforce and Education Investments team creates and manages financial solutions focused on addressing workforce challenges, including skills acquisition and training access. The Advisory team partners with government and philanthropy leaders to implement data-driven programs for advancing social impact. Through the Social Finance Institute, the organization aims to build the field and change systems through actionable research, communities of practice, and educational outreach. The Public Sector Practice works alongside impact-focused leaders to build innovative funding structures and implement data-driven practices that deliver better results for people and communities. Social Finance maintains offices in Boston, San Francisco, Austin, Washington D.C., and New York.

About this Role

The Associate, Public Sector position is based in one of Social Finance’s four primary office locations: Boston, MA, Washington D.C., San Francisco, CA, or Austin, TX. Associates in the Public Sector practice serve as integral members of the Social Finance team and are staffed to multiple Advisory projects spanning the organization’s various service offerings. Associates work collaboratively with teams on Public Sector projects that involve conducting research, analyzing data, and reviewing evidence to support project design decisions. Key activities include testing hypotheses and driving recommendations to optimize operations and achieve project outcomes. Associates exercise progressing project management skills, including scheduling meetings, aiding in the execution of work plans, overseeing project timelines, coordinating team tasks, and ensuring effective communication within the team. Associates create, deliver, and present materials, analyses, key findings, and recommendations for both internal teams and external partners. They lead interviews and facilitate discussion groups, conduct economic cost-benefit and other forms of analyses, and support the drafting and review of contract, governance, and scope-of-work documents. Associates write summaries, reports, and email correspondence while researching potential project partners to analyze their performance and ability to achieve future outcomes in order to identify promising programs and support project design. Collaboration with evaluation firms is conducted when needed to identify and measure key performance outcomes. Field building responsibilities include writing blog posts and supporting the creation of white papers and reports that publish key learnings and findings from Social Finance’s work. Associates contribute to and support research efforts in social issue areas and interventions. Firm building activities involve applying technical expertise in AI tools and infrastructure to help test and implement improved processes across systems and active projects. Associates support analysis and writing for responses to proposal documents such as Requests for Proposals and concept notes for potential business development opportunities. Associates create communications materials and prepare managers for external calls that could lead to new opportunities. They contribute to capacity-building initiatives such as recruiting, professional development, knowledge management, fundraising, and other internal projects. Associates provide real-time feedback to team members to support professional growth and contribute to high-quality deliverables, support senior management and internal functional teams as needed, and support the organization’s goal to foster a culture of well-being and belonging.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research, analyze data, and review evidence to support project design decisions, test hypotheses, and drive recommendations to optimize operations and help achieve project outcomes
• Exercise progressing project management skills including scheduling meetings, aiding in the execution of work plans, overseeing project timelines, coordinating team tasks, and ensuring effective communication within the team
• Create, deliver, and present materials, analyses, key findings, and recommendations for both internal team and external partners
• Lead interviews and facilitate discussion groups
• Conduct economic cost-benefit and other forms of analyses
• Support the drafting and review of contract, governance, and scope-of-work documents
• Write summaries, reports, and email correspondence
• Research potential project partners and analyze their performance and ability to achieve future outcomes to identify promising programs and support project design
• Collaborate with evaluation firms, when needed, to identify and measure key performance outcomes
• Write blog posts and support the creation of white papers and reports that publish key learnings and findings from the organization’s work
• Contribute to and support research efforts in social issue areas and interventions
• Apply technical expertise in AI tools and infrastructure to help test and implement improved processes across systems and active projects
• Support analysis and writing for responses to proposal documents such as Requests for Proposals and concept notes for potential business development opportunities
• Create communications materials and prepare managers for external calls that could lead to new opportunities
• Contribute to capacity-building initiatives such as recruiting, professional development, knowledge management, fundraising, or other internal projects
• Provide real-time feedback to team members to support professional growth and contribute to high-quality deliverables
• Support senior management, internal functional teams, and Social Finance project teams as needed
• Support the organization’s goal to foster a culture of well-being and belonging

Requirements

• 2-5 years of full-time professional experience in a role with relevant and transferrable skills in research, consulting, finance, project management, social impact, or other related areas
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills with basic statistical knowledge preferred
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to quickly research, synthesize, and summarize key takeaways on unfamiliar topics
• Experience with AI tools or platforms in a professional setting such as prompt engineering, AI-assisted workflows, or data infrastructure
• Ability to communicate and work closely with many types of partners across multiple sectors
• Willingness to constructively express your point of view and hear the point of view of others both internally and externally
• Commitment to high-quality work and accuracy with an ability to manage multiple and competing priorities simultaneously
• Capacity to work independently while contributing to team projects as appropriate
• Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of or willingness to learn about key issues in nonprofit management, social interventions, government services, and/or impact investing
• Ability to adapt, be flexible, and operate with a growth mindset
• Commitment to enhancing a team culture of inclusion, belonging, and equity
• Permanent authorization to work in the United States on a full-time basis
• Full COVID-19 vaccination including booster shot for in-person work in offices, client locations, or Social Finance-sponsored events

Benefits

• Comprehensive health care coverage including medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee Healthy Actions programs
• Retirement savings plan with employer contribution
• Short-term, long-term, and life insurance policies
• Commuter benefits and cell phone reimbursements
• Hybrid work model with minimum two days per week in office and ad-hoc as needed
• Dedicated budgets for team building and employee recognition
• Annual budget for external professional development opportunities
• Mentorship and onboarding programs
• Collaborative and energizing workspaces in downtown Boston, San Francisco, Austin, Washington D.C., and New York
• Paid vacation and paid holidays with 12/24-1/1 off every year
• Paid parental leave
• Typical annual salary increase of $2,500 at this level
• Eligibility to participate in firmwide annual bonus program with bonuses typically between 5-10% (bonuses not guaranteed and dependent on both organizational and individual performance)