CIM | Community Investment Management

Head of Portfolio Strategy, US

Community Investment Management (CIM) is looking for a head of portfolio strategy to join and lead our US investment team. CIM is a global institutional impact investment manager that provides strategic debt funding to scale and demonstrate responsible innovation in lending to underserved borrowers. Our work aims to advance financial inclusion by partnering with select tech-enabled lending partners, improve financial health and drive widespread adoption of such fintech innovation by the financial mainstream.

Position Summary

CIM seeks a seasoned investment executive who can join our team in leading the firm’s investment activities in the US. The head of US Portfolio Strategy will report to the Managing Partner / Chief Investment Officer and be based in CIM’s San Francisco headquarters.

This leadership position will require the management both of existing positions and new investments, as well as the management of the team, resources and processes commensurate with the growth of CIM’s US investment activities. The position will involve frequent travel within the US and may also involve occasional travel to global CIM office locations. A passion for impact at scale, strong analytical skills, experience managing teams, and comfort with a high degree of autonomy in a collaborative, small but global organization are essential for success in this role. This role will have significant responsibility for determining the future of CIM’s core US strategy as CIM establishes itself as the primary debt partner for fintechs with a social impact in the US.

The head of US Portfolio Strategy is a new position at CIM. Key responsibilities of the role are currently being handled by the Managing Partner. The successful candidate will embrace these responsibilities, providing leverage to the Managing Partner. As such, it will be important to quickly establish a rapport with the Managing Partner and other members of the team.

Responsibilities will include:
  • Manage a pipeline of fintech credit investment opportunities, build a strong sourcing referral network and oversee the conducting of thorough due diligence and financial analysis on prospective investees.
  • Lead the investment team in investment negotiations, documentation, and execution. Proactively explore and participate in structuring solutions that fit market and product needs.
  • Build upon existing and construct new investment theses by analyzing and assessing new markets and fintech verticals.
  • Oversee the investment team in synthesizing findings, develop perspectives on companies in an analytical way with limited information, and create detailed investment memos and make recommendations to the investment committee.
  • Work closely with all teams in other CIM office locations on investments, investor reporting, risk reporting and technology coordination.
  • Oversee the monitoring of existing investments with periodic analytical reviews.
  • Amplify CIM’s brand, presence, and influence in target markets by deepening CIM’s networks and curating high impact events/workshops, etc.
  • Manage and build out the team of investment professionals. This will involve hiring, managing and coaching members of the team. This requires a blend of earned respect, experience, a willingness to lead people and a commitment to the organization’s culture.
  • Build and cultivate strong external relationships with industry peers, equity fund managers and other stakeholders.
  • Contribute to CIM’s fund-raising efforts, its brand recognition and overall CIM positioning in the market. This includes portfolio reviews, due diligence meetings and representing the firm among investors, allocators and consultants.
  • Contribute to CIM product development, overall firm strategy, cementing existing and creating new partnerships as well as setting up new initiatives or joint ventures within or adjacent to CIM’s core investment strategy.
The ideal candidate:

Successful candidates for this role should be experienced in both investing, managing teams across different locations and setting up structures and processes. CIM is looking for someone who possesses sufficient investment experience to manage from start to finish complex investment transactions, someone with sufficient credibility to build trust with the team and with our partners, and someone with sufficient vision to cement CIM’s role as the premier strategic long term debt partner in the US. Intellectual curiosity is essential.

Particular experience and qualities for the Head of Portfolio Strategy US include:
  • Passionate about financial inclusion, relentlessly inquisitive about identifying emerging fintech trends, and constructively obsessed about assessing the best emerging teams and companies.
  • 15-20 years of previous work experience, ideally with a background in fintech, debt financing and structuring. Domain knowledge in fintech verticals and business models preferred.
  • Solid track record of investments and of leading rapid growth at an asset management firm.
  • Organized leader, with a mindset and a focus on results and processes and ability to work across functional areas and different teams.
  • Excellent understanding of financial modeling and structuring skills and experienced in negotiating.
  • Excited to work in a small, fluid, ambitious, and highly collaborative global team with a high degree of autonomy, self-motivation, and discipline.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, collaborative mindset, self-starter, and an exceptional work ethic.
  • Detail-oriented, without losing focus on the big picture.
  • Comfortable working to highest standards of performance and ethical behavior.
  • Committed to building relationships internally and externally in concert with the firm’s core values.
  • Experience working in emerging markets a plus.
Compensation:

For this position, we offer a competitive base salary in the range of $250,000 to $350,000 depending on qualifications and experience as well as discretionary performance-based bonuses. In addition, employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans.

If you are interested in learning more about the role or applying, please send your resume and an email cover letter to jobs@cim-llc.com.

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Our Values

At Community Investment Management, we are committed to maintaining an environment that fosters personal and collaborative working relationships. Our people:

  1. Appreciate every voice and cultivate constructive dissidence
    We believe seeing things differently is a key strength
  2. Encourage each other to take chances
    We believe that people produce their best ideas when they feel comfortable putting themselves out there
  3. Stay humble and intellectually curious
    We believe that remembering that we all are deeply flawed enables a learning mindset which empowers us to discover new solutions and grow
  4. Seek alignment
    We believe that we are best set up for success when we share the same goals with our partners
  5. Find a better way
    We believe that we can figure out any problem with enough persistence and creativity

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are directly aligned with our core values. We know that a diverse workforce allows us to see problems in more nuanced ways, building the thought leadership needed to have outsized positive impact on the world. We actively recruit, develop, and retain people from a diverse candidate pool. We strongly encourage women, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities to apply. CIM is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace and equal opportunity for all applicants, as well as employees. All applicants for positions at CIM will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, parental status, ancestry, disability, veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other protected status. Qualified applicants with prior criminal records will be considered for employment consistent with federal, state, and local laws, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

About Community Investment Management

FOCUS

Since 2014, Community Investment Management has played an integral role in the development of responsible and transparent innovation in digital finance. CIM seeks to deliver positive social impact by partnering with innovative credit providers aligned to their mission.

STRATEGY

Through a comprehensive investment process developed from significant expertise in small business and consumer lending and structured finance, CIM identifies and invests in responsible financial solutions for inefficient market segments underserved by traditional lenders.

CIM’s strategy demonstrates and scales innovative financial products, bringing transparent, responsible solutions into the financial mainstream.

CIM focuses on partnerships with innovative credit providers that demonstrate a commitment to responsible, transparent, and customer-centric practices. CIM’s deep engagement model, impact orientation, and long-term investment focus makes them a preferred investment partner for innovative credit providers

IMPACT

Through their investments and industry leadership, CIM delivers impact on three levels and in line with select UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Enabling Environment: Shaping Policy & Lending Practices

CIM has established itself as a leading voice for responsible lending practices. Their advocacy work in the sector has centered on developing a set of responsible practices and codified behavior within FinTech lending, including co-founding the Small Business Borrowers’ Bill of Rights.

Market Building: Scaling Responsible Fintech Leaders

CIM provides strategic debt financing to scale and demonstrate responsible innovation in credit products and drive widespread adoption by the financial mainstream. CIM’s partnerships cultivate an ecosystem for responsible and transparent products that advance financial inclusion and improve financial health of communities.

Borrower Access: Reaching Underserved Communities

CIM believes that responsible financial inclusion for small businesses and individuals is critical to equitable economic growth, job creation, and the health and sustainability of local communities. CIM works closely with its partners to deliver responsible financing solutions for underserved communities, including small businesses, students, and low-income households. A majority of the businesses funded by CIM are owned by women, people of color, or military veterans.