Position: Social Impact Research Associate
Location: Remote | Anywhere in the United States
Salary: $95,000
Reports to: Social Impact Manager

Who we are:
The International Foundation for Valuing Impacts (IFVI) is a newly formed organization building upon the work incubated at the Impact-Weighted Accounts project at Harvard Business School. Our mission is to build a global impact economy, which brings solutions to the great social and environmental challenges we face, by integrating impact valuation in financial analysis, capital allocation, and decision-making.

The role:
The Social Impact Research Associate will be part of the IFVI Research Team, responsible for developing a comprehensive and standardized approach to corporate impact valuation in alignment with the vision of IFVI.

Reporting to the Social Impact Manager, the Social Impact Research Associate will research and develop IFVI’s methodologies for measuring and valuing the social impacts of corporations — for example, the impact of corporations on the wellbeing of employees and value chain workers, health and safety of consumers, and spillovers affecting society at large. Future work will also explore the application of our methodologies for impact accounting by firms and investors. The Associate will work closely with the Social Impact Manager, the Research Team, and our partners at the Value Balancing Alliance to adapt and iterate the methodology based on an evolving corporate disclosure landscape and ongoing learning from market testing of impact valuation.

Who you are:
You are an early career professional with demonstrated research and critical thinking skills and a passion for social issues and corporate impact measurement. You are intellectually curious and can ask tough questions to get to a thorough understanding of a problem. You can effectively communicate complex work to broad audiences, synthesizing diverse perspectives. You enjoy working independently and as part of a small, dynamic team. You share a commitment to IFVI’s mission and want to take an active role in our organization’s success.

What you’ll do:

Research social impact pathways, the logical sequence of events that link a corporation’s actions with its various effects on society

  • Review relevant research literature and assess the evidence base behind different impact pathways
  • Review relevant industry standards and recommend areas for alignment


Develop quantitative methodologies for measuring and valuing the social impact of corporations, striking a balance between rigor and feasibility

  • Conduct reviews of the social science and business research literature
  • Consult with relevant internal and external methodologists and subject matter experts, with guidance from the Social Impact Manager
  • Identify and apply results from the research literature, including vetting for research quality and relevance to context
  • Identify and apply estimates from relevant data sets, including any necessary data wrangling


Collaborate with the Research Team and others at IFVI to:

  • Achieve conceptual clarity and consistency across methodologies
  • Engage with experts from industry and academia to ensure methodologies are comprehensive and feasible
  • Support other research related to the mission of IFVI, such as researching trends and insights from the application of impact accounting at scale
  • Support the Market Development and Communications teams in driving the adoption of impact accounting - for example, through market testing and the development of education materials
  • Create an inclusive and positive workplace culture


What we are looking for:

  • 2-3 years of experience in a field relevant to social impact measurement and valuation
  • Excellent critical thinking skills, including ability to examine issues from multiple perspectives, ask tough questions, and reason through unstructured problems
  • Demonstrated ability to synthesize and critically assess the quality of social science research, including academic journal articles and grey literature
  • Strong understanding of probability, statistics, econometrics, and research design; any experience with data cleaning and analysis using software like R, Python, Stata is a plus
  • Introductory competency in microeconomics; any training in welfare economics, cost-benefit analysis, or environmental economics is a plus
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel (or other spreadsheet software)
  • Ability to communicate technical material clearly, in written and verbal form, to a variety of audiences (e.g., investors, corporates, academics, public sector)
  • Familiarity with impact measurement and management (IMM) principles and approaches and with social impact topics like labor rights, consumer protection, and human rights
  • Familiarity with sustainability standards and standard-setting bodies like the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the EU Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), etc.
  • A demonstrated commitment to supporting and enhancing an inclusive workplace environment
  • Experience or willingness to work within a flexible and entrepreneurial environment and responsiveness to feedback
  • International experience, working across cultures, and foreign language competency is a plus
  • Flexibility to hold meetings across multiple time zones as necessary

 

There are many backgrounds and combinations of skills and experiences that could be an excellent fit for this position. We are looking for exceptional people and highly encourage you to apply.

What we offer: 

  • Ability to shape IFVI’s culture and strategy
  • A workplace that prioritizes health and wellbeing and personal growth
  • Generous PTO and competitive benefits, including paid parental leave
  • Access to coworking space or stipend for home office arrangements
  • Flexible work hours

 

The starting salary for this position at the Associate level is $95,000. During the interview process, we will consider a candidate’s full experience and may adjust the job title and starting salary as appropriate.

Please note that IFVI does not file petitions with USCIS for new hires at this time.

The International Foundation for Valuing Impacts is an equal opportunity employer. At IFVI, we celebrate differences and hire individuals based solely on a person’s skills and qualifications directly related to the key attributes and experience required to be successful in the role. IFVI does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, (or related condition) or any other basis protected by law. If you require a reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please reach out to contact@ifvi.org.

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