Co-Managing Director, Entrepreneur Backed Impact Foundation, Berlin, Germany

About our client

Our client is a charitable foundation established by a group of prominent entrepreneurs and investors to tackle inequality and improve opportunities for children in Germany. The foundation takes a systemic, long-term approach to addressing inequality. It partners with selected social entrepreneurs, providing sustained financial support, tailored governance structures and active guidance to help them develop and scale their work. Its ultimate objective is lasting social impact rather than financial returns.

The Board is looking to appoint a co-managing director who will complement the existing leadership with strong financial and analytical expertise. One of the immediate priorities is to strengthen portfolio controlling and data management, establishing robust processes that enable rigorous quarterly reporting and provide the Board with a clear, evidence-based view of organizational performance and social impact.

Alongside this, the co-managing director will play a central role in identifying and engaging new social entrepreneurs, expanding the foundation’s portfolio and developing effective frameworks, supporting, and scaling its investments.

As the foundation continues to evolve, the role offers considerable scope to shape its strategy, establish effective processes and build the organizational capabilities required to achieve its long-term ambitions.

What The Role Involves

• Co-leading the foundation: Share responsibility for strategic and operational leadership, organizational development, team growth and culture, complementing the existing managing director’s expertise with a private equity-inspired approach
• Driving strategy and Board reporting: Shape the foundation’s strategy, translate objectives into actionable priorities and establish structured quarterly Board reporting
• Strengthening portfolio controlling and impact measurement: Develop robust KPIs, data management and reporting processes to improve transparency around portfolio performance, resource allocation and social impact, while reflecting the realities of nonprofit organizations
• Overseeing finances and resources: Contribute to financial planning, budgeting, cost control and effective resource allocation
• Building the portfolio: Develop a strong pipeline of promising social entrepreneurs and organizations. Refine the existing sourcing framework, establish new channels and leverage personal networks
• Evaluating and selecting opportunities: Assess potential portfolio organizations based on strategic fit, leadership, operating models, financial requirements and potential for scalable social impact
• Actively managing and scaling portfolio organizations: Partner closely with leadership teams to strengthen strategy, governance, operations and performance, helping organizations overcome challenges and maximize their impact
• Building trusted partnerships: Foster open, constructive relationships with portfolio organizations, creating an environment of mutual trust, transparency and collaborative problem-solving
  
  

Who We Are Looking For

• Relevant investment and financial background: Significant professional experience in private equity, investment management or a comparable environment, such as an industrial holding company or family office, ideally with exposure to active ownership and portfolio management. Experience in impact investing would be an advantage but is not essential
• Strong financial and analytical capabilities: Proven ability to analyse financial and operational performance, develop meaningful KPIs, manage budgets and translate complex data into clear insights and actionable recommendations, including at Board level
• Track record in driving growth and managing portfolios: Demonstrated success in evaluating investment opportunities, setting performance objectives and working with management teams to improve organizational effectiveness, execute growth strategies and scale businesses or organizations
• Origination and relationship-building skills: A proactive approach to identifying promising opportunities, building trusted relationships and developing a strong pipeline, supported by an established network and sound investment judgement
• Board and governance experience: Experience working with or serving on advisory boards or other governance bodies, ideally within mid-sized companies, combined with the ability to engage credibly with senior stakeholders
• Entrepreneurial mindset and leadership capabilities: Comfortable operating in a pioneering environment, taking ownership, building structures and processes from the ground up and contributing to organizational development. Experience leading small teams or building early-stage organizations would be an advantage
• Analytical rigour combined with empathy: A performance-driven approach balanced with an understanding of the dynamics and resource constraints of nonprofit organizations. Able to challenge constructively, build trust and foster open, collaborative relationships
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills: Confident engaging with entrepreneurs, investors, Board members and nonprofit leaders, translating between commercial and social impact perspectives and building lasting partnerships
• Genuine commitment to the mission: Strong personal identification with the foundation’s ambition to address inequality and create equal opportunities for children in Germany, alongside a willingness to embrace the specific conditions of the nonprofit sector
• Additional assets include professional experience in the nonprofit or impact investing sector, leadership of small entrepreneurial teams and experience building or scaling start-ups
• Location: Berlin preferred, with flexibility for a hybrid working arrangement
• Language: fluent in German and English