Senior Associate, Climate Finance & Partnerships

Rocky Mountain Institute; Sacramento (CA); Remote; USD 84,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid / remote work options

Learning & development opportunities (

Professional development budget

Paid sabbatical leave

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) seeks a Senior Associate, Investments & Fund Partnerships for Third Derivative (D3), a climate-technology accelerator. The role focuses on connecting startups with capital, developing fundraising strategies, and building new capital solutions.

It sits at the intersection of startup finance, investor engagement, and capital innovation across a global portfolio. The Senior Associate will work with founders and investors to tailor capital pathways, track financing

Qualifications

• 4+ years of relevant professional experience in venture capital, impact investing, investment banking, private credit, project finance, startup finance, entrepreneurial support, or related field.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, with comfort interpreting company financials, capitalization structures, investment terms, and financing scenarios.
• Experience working directly with startups, investors, or other capital providers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex financial concepts for different audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams independently and operate effectively in ambiguous or evolving environments.
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work effectively across entrepreneurs, investors, technical experts, and internal teams.
• A systems-oriented mindset: ability to identify patterns across individual situations and translate them into repeatable tools, processes, or solutions.

Responsibilities

• Deliver capital solutions to D3 startups.
• Work directly with D3 startups to understand their financing needs, readiness, and potential capital pathways.
• Advise founders on fundraising strategy, including the appropriate type and timing of capital, investor targeting, financing trade-offs, and preparation for investor conversations.
• Connect startups with relevant investors and capital providers across venture equity, strategic capital, debt, project finance, non-dilutive and catalytic capital, and other financing pathways.
• Help companies understand investor requirements and what needs to be true to successfully access different forms of capital.
• Track portfolio financing needs and outcomes to identify recurring challenges and opportunities for D3 to provide additional support.
• Build and activate the capital ecosystem
• Develop and deepen relationships with investors and capital providers relevant to D3 startups.
• Build a strong understanding of investor mandates, investment criteria, and emerging areas of interest to enable targeted, high-quality introductions.
• Create opportunities for meaningful engagement between D3 startups and capital partners, including curated introductions, investor sessions, and other targeted programming.
• Use insights from investors and startups to identify gaps between the capital available in the market and the financing needs of climate technology companies.
• Support D3’s investment and capital solutions strategy
• Support the deployment and management of D3’s existing investment vehicles and contribute an investor perspective to startup selection and portfolio strategy.
• Track portfolio financing needs and outcomes to identify recurring capital gaps and opportunities for D3 to provide additional support.
• Where relevant, research and evaluate potential new capital solutions, partnerships, or investment vehicles that respond to portfolio needs.
• Support the design, fundraising, structuring, and implementation of new capital initiatives as opportunities emerge.
• Turn company- and portfolio-level experience into insights, tools, and recommendations that strengthen D3’s broader approach to supporting startups’ capital needs.

Skills

Venture capital

Impact investing

Financial analysis

Startup finance

Investor engagement

Communication

Portfolio strategy

Job description

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) seeks a Senior Associate, Investments & Fund Partnerships for Third Derivative (D3), a climate-technology accelerator. The role focuses on connecting startups with capital, developing fundraising strategies, and building new capital solutions.

It sits at the intersection of startup finance, investor engagement, and capital innovation across a global portfolio. The Senior Associate will work with founders and investors to tailor capital pathways, track financing