Position Announcement - Director of Financial Partnerships

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIPS

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Role: Director of Financial Partnerships
Organization: Apparel Impact Institute
Reports To: President & CFO
Location: Remote (United States or Europe Preferred)

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
Aii identifies, funds and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the apparel and footwear industry. Aii programs focus on areas that result in positive environmental impact from the production of apparel and footwear products to improve the industry.  Our current strategic focus in climate action is helping the industry reach their Science Based Targets commitment.  

To date, Aii’s flagship Clean By Design programs have removed over 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions in the supply chain and unlocked over $70M in sustainable finance for factory improvements, (e.g. water stewardship, chemical management and energy efficiency).  Our work has been recognized in Vogue, Business of Fashion, Forbes and many other globally recognized publications.  We are a fast-paced, entrepreneurial organization in growth-mode.  

POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Director of Financial Partnerships will play a critical role in the Apparel Impact Institute’s strategy to leverage our $250M Fashion Climate Fund to partner with financial capital providers and pioneer new financial tools that combine funding from foundations, corporations, concessionary capital and traditional financial capital, to drive a total of $2B across asset classes into supply chain optimizations.

The Director of Financial Partnerships will be responsible for two primary areas:

• Steward the organization’s partnerships with blended capital providers, including commercial banks, venture capital funds, development banks, family offices and philanthropic institutions.
• Play a key role in shaping the organization’s strategy to unlock an additional $1.75 billion of blended finance, aligned to our $250M in grantmaking in the apparel supply chain, including develop innovative financial tools, overseeing research reports and case studies

The position is critical to the fulfillment of Aii’s mission as we execute our strategic plan to help the apparel ecosystem address the climate crisis and other critical environmental impacts. The successful candidate must be able to build relationships with key strategic partners and effectively manage projects across functional teams. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Steward the organization’s partnerships with blended capital providers, including;
  • Join Aii’s leadership team (CEO, CFO and CIO) in strategic conversations with blended capital providers, including commercial banks, venture capital funds, development banks, family offices and philanthropic institutions.
  • Develop new relationships with financial institutions, including fielding inbound requests, attending conferences (remote and in person), reaching out to new leads, and periodically hosting working groups and sending newsletter updates
  • Understand the needs of blended capital partners and connect them with funding opportunities within Aii’s ecosystem of projects
  • Coordinate efforts with third-party organizations and existing forms of blended capital
  • Track the effectiveness of strategic relationships, key fundraising efforts and other initiatives relating to unlocking financing for the apparel and footwear supply chain
• Play a key role in shaping the organization’s strategy to unlock $1.75 billion or greater of blended finance, including;
  • Work with the Aii team and blended finance partners to develop innovative financial tools to address the financing needs of the apparel supply chain
  • Create concept notes and presentation materials to effectively communicate Aii’s program offerings and partnership opportunities
  • Develop research reports and case studies to further the industry’s understanding and promotion of blended capital opportunities 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
This position pays a base salary of up to $140,000-170,000 USD/year, plus bonus, depending on location. The position is fully remote and open to all locations, but the United States and Europe are preferred. 

Benefits will vary slightly based on country but will include generous vacation, sick and holiday leave; health, dental and vision insurance; contributions to retirement plans. 

To apply please email your cover letter and resume to jobs@apparelimpact.org with Director of Financial Partnerships in the subject line.

Apparel Impact Institute is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

To learn more about Aii, visit https://apparelimpact.org and http://fashionclimatefund.org