NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Position: Vice President of Business Development and External Affairs

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts with travel up to 35 percent of the time

Organization: Root Capital is a nonprofit social investment fund that provides credit and financial education to grassroots organizations—such as farmer and artisan associations as well as private businesses—in developing countries that have socially and environmentally responsible practices. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Root Capital currently has field offices in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Kenya. By offering loans and financial training to small and growing businesses in rural areas of the developing world, Root Capital aims to fill the “missing middle” of finance—serving organizations caught in the gap between microfinance and traditional banking. Root Capital’s support enables borrowers to take advantage of good business opportunities and rising demand for their products by providing loans and technical assistance needed to grow operations, invest in infrastructure, or manage cashless periods before harvest time.

Description: Reporting directly to the Founder/CEO, the Vice President will lead the business development and external affairs functions both strategically and operationally. The Vice President’s specific responsibilities will include fundraising, representing Root Capital externally, developing internal management and information systems to help make Root Capital’s fundraising more effective, broadening its donor and investor base, and increasing revenues. S/he will manage an eight-member team that includes individual and institutional fundraisers, marketing and communications professionals, and impact assessment staff. The ideal candidate will be creative and resourceful, with an established reputation in impact investing, social enterprise, international economic development, financial services, and/or corporate social responsibility.

See the attached job description for more details, including information on how to apply. More information on working with Root Capital can be found on their web site.