Director

ABOUT US:

CareQuest Innovation Partners works together with our ecosystem of leading industry partners, startups, and investors, to validate and scale transformative solutions that make care more accessible, equitable, and integrated. Join us on that mission — to improve overall health, through oral health, for all!

We drive market impact through three primary focus areas:

• Programs, including our SMILE Health accelerator, to catalyze emerging innovation and connect innovators across the healthcare ecosystem.
• Innovation services – advisory services encompassing innovation strategy, market analysis, real-world pilot design and evaluation, and insight generation.
• Impact investing – direct investments in select early to growth-stage startups.

Your work will be used to elevate the visibility of oral health by generating a portfolio of credible innovation use cases to be adopted more broadly and increase awareness about CareQuest Innovation Partners’ impact with the larger ecosystem of partners.

CareQuest Innovation Partners is a for-profit, mission-focused subsidiary of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, the largest foundation focused on improving oral health. You will work in a multi-disciplinary Innovation Programs & Services team and in close collaboration with key functions across the enterprise including Analytics & Business Intelligence, Business and Ecosystem Development, and Ventures/Investing. You will also collaborate with marketing and PR teams to further grow our ecosystem and positioning through relationship activation with key industry partners and the development of thought-leadership that elevates the visibility of oral health within overall healthcare, advancing our mission and driving meaningful impact.

JOB SUMMARY:

As the Director of Impact Investing, you will play a pivotal role in sourcing, evaluating, executing, and managing investments that align with our mission while simultaneously delivering competitive financial returns. This includes (but is not limited to) driving our impact investing strategy, portfolio monitoring and management, investor community relationships, and synergies between the SMILE accelerator program and the investment portfolio.

This position requires a blend of strategic vision, financial acumen, and relationship-building skills to drive successful outcomes and maximize the impact of our investment portfolio. You will also work closely with key finance, legal, and clinical leaders from CareQuest Institute.

ROLE OBJECTIVES:

• Drive an impact investment strategy that fully aligns with CareQuest Innovation Partners’ mission and goals.
• Proactively source investments through new and existing avenues, including active coordination with the SMILE accelerator program.
• Effectively manage our portfolio to deliver mission impact and financial returns.
• Engage the investor community to strengthen our partner network and raise the profile of oral health investing overall.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Investment Management and Performance Monitoring:

• Drive an impact investing strategy that aligns with the organization’s mission, goals, and financial objectives.
• Manage and monitor the investment portfolio (including exit planning) by tracking performance and other KPIs and leveraging data-driven insights to optimize investment outcomes.
• Create written quarterly reports for the Board summarizing progress, insights, and performance of the investment portfolio.
• Create investment recommendation memos and related supporting documentation for proposed new and follow-on investments for BOD and other governance committees.
• Provide strategic guidance to the portfolio companies, offering advice on business strategies, financial planning, operational improvements, and growth opportunities.

Investment Sourcing:

• Lead investment sourcing, evaluation, and execution of potential investments aligned with the organization's mission and investment criteria.
• Identify new and follow-on investment opportunities and negotiate terms for optimal financial returns and impact.
• Actively engage with SMILE Accelerator as a pipeline source and contribute to shaping the startup selection guidelines and criteria.
• Continuously develop our investment and industry network for sourcing new investment opportunities and potential co-investments.

Due Diligence:

• Conduct rigorous due diligence on potential new and follow-on investments, including financial analysis, market research, risk management, legal review, and evaluation of mission alignment.
• Engage internal leaders, external partners, and external support as appropriate.

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• 7+ years’ experience in venture capital/investment management, including experience evaluating and vetting investment opportunities, structuring investments, developing and managing an investment portfolio, and stewarding investments over time.
• Experience working with start-ups in an investment and/or operations capacity.
• Advanced financial certification (e.g., MBA, CFA, CPA) or equivalent real-world experience in investment finance.
• Experience working on a small team with a highly collaborative, “all hands on deck” approach.

The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to successfully perform this position.

** In accordance with CareQuest Institute for Oral Health’s Compliance Plan, all employees must conduct CareQuest Institute for Oral Health business and activities in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, professional standards and ethical standards and report potential compliance or ethical issues to CareQuest Institute for Oral Health’s designated Compliance Officer. **

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health’s Affirmative Action Program affirms our commitment to make reasonable accommodation for known physical or mental limitation of otherwise-qualified individuals with disabilities or special disabled veterans, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business and activities. Please see Human Resources for additional information regarding this program.

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