Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives. Established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, the organization invests in and helps scale innovative organizations to catalyze economic and social change. Omidyar Network has committed more than $1 billion to for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations that foster economic advancement and encourage individual participation across multiple initiatives, including Education, Emerging Tech, Financial Inclusion, Governance & Citizen Engagement, and Property Rights.
Omidyar Network’s US education team is focused on improving a critical aspect of individual, family and community empowerment – early childhood education, with a two-generation lens. Our goal is to increase kindergarten readiness for all children to 80% by the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026 across all socioeconomic groups (currently less than half of low-income children show up to kindergarten ready to learn). We invest in early-stage entrepreneurs building for-profit and non-profit organizations. We lead influence activities that seek either to improve life outcomes for children from birth to age five, and / or to improve completion of quality post-secondary credentials linked to a career for parents of young children. Together, these activities strive to increase educational and economic attainment for the entire family unit.
The Investment Professional will report to the US Education lead and drive activities in post-secondary education & two-generation approaches. The Senior Investment Professional will be an integral team member of a lean and passionate team that has currently three dedicated team members.
POSITION SUMMARY – Responsibilities include:
- Drive ON’s activities in post-secondary education & two-generation approaches, with an emphasis on parent students, including:
- Investments: source, evaluate, negotiate, close and manage investments
- Influence: drive intellectual capital, network/convening activities and strategic communication to build networks, raise awareness on critical topics and learn/disseminate learnings
- Actively participate in all facets of the US Education team’s activities, including early learning activities
- Otherwise contribute to the firm’s overall success
SKILL, EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
- 10+ years experience in the U.S. education sector in leadership position(s), with prior meaningful and successful experience in post-secondary education strongly preferred. Experience in early learning will also be highly valued
- Experience in private sector, with 5+ years in technology, an investment firm, venture capital/private equity and/or a corporate development role
- Prior investing experience strongly preferred
- Experience with governance roles and with multi-stakeholder groups strongly desirable
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, resourcefulness, sound judgment, and ability to work in a fast-paced environment with employees around the globe across all departments, requiring high degree of flexibility and adaptability
- Passion for social impact and diversity & inclusion, as well as strong interest in entrepreneurship
- Creative and independent self-starter, entrepreneurial spirit, humble and strong team player
If interested, please apply here.
