Manager, Project on Impact Investing

Harvard University; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvard University invites qualified candidates for a Manager position with the Project on Impact Investing at Harvard Business School. The role blends research design, data development, and practitioner engagement to advance sustainable and impact investing scholarship and practice.

You will work with faculty and external partners, shaping research agendas, disseminating findings, and supporting conferences and events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in consulting, economic research, finance, or related analytically rigorous fields.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Proven ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and advance complex projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct quantitative and qualitative research in support of faculty projects on sustainable and impact investing.
• Use AI-enabled tools and LLMs to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret complex datasets.
• Develop and maintain novel datasets for ongoing academic research.
• Draft research memoranda, presentations, and reports for academic and practitioner audiences.
• Produce case studies and teaching notes for Harvard Business School courses.
• Coordinate multiple research projects, ensuring milestones and timelines are met.

Skills

Bachelor's degree

Project management

Analytical skills

Independent work

Written and verbal communication

Education

Master's degree in economics/finance/public policy

Tools

R

Python

STATA

Job description

Overview

Harvard University invites qualified candidates to join a vibrant community advancing Harvard's world-changing mission, fostering innovation, collaboration, and skill development in a diverse and welcoming environment.

Harvard Business School seeks a Manager, Project on Impact Investing to work closely with Professors Shawn Cole and Josh Lerner in advancing the HBS Project on Impact Investing. The Project combines rigorous academic research with engagement of investors, policymakers, and practitioners to deepen understanding of sustainable and impact investing and inform practice in the field.

Reporting to the faculty supervisors and administratively to the Research Staff Services (RSS) office, the Manager will play an integral role across all aspects of the Project's work: from designing and executing research, to building novel datasets, to supporting practitioner engagement and research dissemination.

This position suits candidates with experience in consulting, finance, economic research, or mission-driven financial services who want to deepen research skills while contributing to high-impact academic work. Past incumbents have advanced to leading PhD programs in economics and finance, and to careers in impact investing, financial services, and social enterprise. It offers exposure to cutting‑edge research and leading practitioners in sustainable and impact investing.

Primary Responsibilities

Research and Analysis

• Conduct quantitative and qualitative research in support of faculty research projects on sustainable and impact investing.
• Use AI-enabled research tools, large language models (LLMs), machine learning techniques, and traditional research methods to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret complex datasets.
• Develop and maintain novel datasets that support ongoing academic research.
• Perform data analysis, literature reviews, and other analytical work supporting research published in leading academic journals and practitioner outlets.
• Conduct interviews and code qualitative research data.
• Draft research memoranda, presentations, reports, and other written materials that synthesize findings for academic and practitioner audiences.
• Produce case studies, teaching notes, course materials, and other educational content for Harvard Business School courses.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen research methodologies, improve data collection processes, and apply emerging analytical tools.

Project Management

• Coordinate multiple concurrent research projects, ensuring milestones, deliverables, and timelines are met.
• Manage relationships with external collaborators, research partners, and practitioners, serving as a representative of the faculty and the Project on Impact Investing.
• Support the collection of research documentation and data through outreach to participating organizations and stakeholders.
• Coordinate research operations, including project budgets, research agreements (e.g., NDAs and DUAs), meetings, and project logistics.
• Plan and support conferences, research convenings, webinars, and other events that advance the Project's research and practitioner engagement.

Research Dissemination and External Engagement

• Support dissemination of research findings through presentations, publications, digital platforms, and practitioner outreach.
• Maintain Project websites and digital resources in collaboration with HBS Marketing & Communications.
• Collaborate with colleagues across Harvard Business School to support research-related programming and communications.
• Represent the Project professionally in interactions with investors, company executives, policymakers, researchers, alumni, and other external stakeholders.

Other Responsibilities

• Build trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and constituents.
• Responsible for other duties as assigned.

Scope of the Role

Working closely with faculty, the Manager will have significant responsibility for advancing multiple research initiatives simultaneously. The role requires intellectual curiosity, strong analytical judgment, and the ability to independently translate complex research questions into actionable work plans.

The Manager will have opportunities to contribute to academic research, case development, and practitioner publications, including potential co-authorship on selected projects. This role also offers opportunities to learn new research methodologies, develop expertise in emerging analytical technologies, and take advanced coursework at Harvard.

Because the Project regularly collaborates with senior leaders across finance, investing, academia, and the nonprofit sector, the successful candidate must demonstrate professionalism, sound judgment, and excellent interpersonal skills in representing Harvard Business School externally.

The Manager is expected to work independently with general guidance from faculty while ensuring compliance with University policies and applicable research requirements.

The internal and official job title for this role is Project Manager, Project on Impact Investing. If you are hired for the role, your title will be Project Manager, Project on Impact Investing.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in consulting, economic research, finance, investment management, impact investing, nonprofit financial services, public policy, or another analytically rigorous field required.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Proven ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and proactively advance complex projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex information into clear, well-structured written products for diverse audiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Additional Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will demonstrate many of the following:

• Master's degree in economics, finance, business, public policy, or a related discipline preferred.
• Experience conducting rigorous quantitative and/or qualitative research, including collecting, cleaning, analyzing, and interpreting complex data.
• Strong interest in impact investing, sustainable finance, financial markets, or economic development.
• Experience working in consulting, finance, investment management, economic research, nonprofit financial services, or another research-intensive environment.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build productive relationships with faculty, researchers, practitioners, investors, and organizational partners.
• Experience with statistical or programming software such as R, Python, or STATA is preferred.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled research tools, large language models, and modern research workflows is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated intellectual curiosity, initiative, and enthusiasm for learning new research methods and analytical techniques.

The successful candidate will possess exceptionally high standards for quality, accuracy, and attention to detail, along with a genuine enthusiasm for collaborative research. They will thrive in an environment that values initiative, continuous learning, and thoughtful engagement with complex questions at the intersection of finance and social impact.

Additional Information

• Appointment End Date: June 30, 2027. This is a full-time term appointment starting as soon as possible through June 30, 2027, with potential for re-appointment for the following year. All HBS research roles are structured as one-year appointments.
• Standard Hours/Schedule: 40 hours per week
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Education, Identity
• Other Information:
  • This is a hybrid position which we consider to be a combination of remote and onsite work at our Boston, MA based campus. HBS expects all staff to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per week and departments provide onsite coverage Monday – Friday. Specific hours and days onsite will be determined by business needs and are subject to change with appropriate advanced notice.
  • We may conduct candidate interviews virtually (phone and/or via Zoom) and/or in-person for this role.
  • A cover letter is required to be considered for this opportunity. All candidates will be expected to submit a writing sample, transcript, and at times a code sample to be reviewed by an HBS statistician.

Salary Grade and Ranges: This position is salary grade level 056. Please visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view the corresponding salary range and related information.

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support work-life balance and wellbeing. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

Learn more about these and additional benefits on the Benefits & Wellbeing Page.

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes. Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.