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Investment Associate, Oceans
Builders Initiative/Builders Vision
Accounting & Finance
Chicago, IL, USA
USD 140k-170,500 / year + Equity
Posted on Mar 7, 2026
Investment Associate, Oceans
Builders Bridge Team
Classification: Full-time, Exempt
Position Reports to: Director, Investments
Location: Chicago, IL or San Francisco, CA
About Builders Vision
Builders Vision is a team of investors and philanthropists that deploys flexible capital and pursues innovative solutions to expedite the transition of the Oceans, Food and Agriculture, and Energy sectors.
We aim to build stronger, more resilient systems within these three sectors while remaining nimble and innovating within emerging solutions and community initiatives. Our coordinated solutions span market development, incentivizing innovation, and delivering market-rate investments. We help investors, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and frontline changemakers access the resources, insights, and expertise they need to succeed.
Notable accomplishments include helping mitigate, sequester, or avoid over 4 million metric tons of CO2e, generating 42,000 jobs, and supporting the development of more than 170 sustainable products, technologies, or solutions.
Who We Are
With more than 80 people driving our work forward, our teams include diverse and impassioned experts across investment, philanthropy, strategic communications, legal, and general operations.
Builders Vision’s commitment to people and the planet is rooted in our workplace and culture.
- We have best-in-class total rewards and benefits programs, including competitive compensation, a generous 401k program, and an industry-leading long-term incentive program that rewards our team for their performance, financial returns, and the impact we achieve in the world.
- We also offer generous health, wellness, employee training and development opportunities, and charitable match programs.
- We know how to have fun! We host enriching and inclusive team events and retreats to help our staff feel connected to nature, each other, and our mission.
- We were named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2023 and voted one of Chicago’s Best Places to Work by Crain’s Chicago Business in both 2023 and 2024.
- The company headquarters, located in Chicago’s vibrant West Loop, achieved Gold-level certifications from both the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the International WELL Building Institute.
A long-term and deep commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) is core to our mission and values. We recognize that a diverse workforce drives innovation, enhances collaboration, and strengthens the leadership needed to achieve meaningful impact and financial returns. That's why we are dedicated to proactively recruiting, developing, and retaining top talent from a broad and dynamic candidate pool. It’s with these goals in mind that we aspire for our team to reflect the diverse communities we serve.
Position Summary
Builders Vision is seeking an Investment Associate to join the Builders Bridge Team, with a focus on the Oceans sector. Builders Bridge makes catalytic impact investments in private impact funds and early-stage ventures and businesses. Builders Bridge focuses on three key themes (Oceans, Food & Agriculture, and the Energy Transition) and has invested in more than 70 companies and innovative fund impact managers since 2020. The 9-person Builders Bridge team works closely with teams across Builders Vision and serves as a thought leader in impact investing and our thematic sectors. Given Builders Vision’s mission to shift markets and minds for good, new ideas, new structures, and new partnerships are often created through our investment work in an effort to offer new private sector solutions to the world’s pressing climate problems.
The Investment Associate will focus their efforts on supporting the Ocean Health sleeve of Builders Bridge and all aspects of its investment-related activities. The candidate will primarily support a Director who leads investing across multiple parts of the portfolio and will work alongside a Vice President and other Investment Associates. The candidate is expected to support the underwriting and monitoring of investments and actively engage with senior staff at Builders Vision and organizations with whom Builders Vision partners.
Ideal Candidate:
- 4-6 years of work experience in an investment-related field (such as venture capital, asset management, etc.), investment banking, or consulting. Experience underwriting investments into early-stage ventures and/or fund managers is highly desired.
- Demonstrated interest in impact investing, ESG, and ocean health.
- Familiarity with all aspects of the investment process ranging from sourcing to screening, underwriting, closing, and post-investment monitoring and support.
- Interest in utilizing a wide range of tools: direct investment, allocating to fund managers, and creating bespoke investment vehicles.
- Strong attention to detail, excellent project management skills, and drive to deliver high-quality work.
- Must be able to communicate effectively with others. Familiarity and comfort in writing full form documents and investment memoranda.
- Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Comfort in a fast-paced and team-based environment.
- College/University degree or equivalent practical experience.
- Mastery of business tools such as Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; comfort with database/CRM tools.
Primary Responsibilities
Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the candidate in this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may evolve or change over time. Responsibilities will also vary depending on if the candidate is hired as an Investment Associate or Senior Investment Associate.
- Carry out investment processes and projects, with direction and collaboration from senior colleagues.
- Support investment pipeline management activities, including notetaking, sourcing, and managing our pipeline systems.
- In collaboration with investment and grantmaking team members, conduct investment due diligence, including quantitative and qualitative analysis of impact fund managers and direct investments and synthesizing findings in investment memoranda.
- Work closely with Builders Vision’s Impact Measurement & Management (IMM) team to develop and implement IMM frameworks, tailored to Builders Vision’s impact goals and theories of change.
- Produce written and presentation materials to communicate the investment and impact analysis to various stakeholders and decision-makers.
- Conduct market research, industry landscaping, and portfolio construction analyses, under direction of senior colleagues.
- Contribute to ongoing monitoring for the portfolio, including collecting and reviewing regular financial and impact reporting, conducting regular check-in calls/meetings with investees, and attending annual meetings for managers.
- Develop mastery of Builders Bridge and Builders Vision tools, systems, and processes.
- Be a team player – collaborate with and support the success of other team members.
Personal Attributes that Support your Success
- You are a caring and conscientious team player who develops strong relationships and loves to collaborate; you adapt your behaviors to work effectively with a range of people and situations
- You bring positive energy to your work and workplace; you care to show up as your authentic self and measure your personal success as the success of those around you.
- You are results and detail oriented and take pride in striving for excellence; you design and execute with the “why” and what success looks like in mind; you also understand when “perfect” can be the enemy of “good enough”
- A lifelong learner, you are inquisitive and like to solve problems with bold thinking and innovation; you view “feedback” as an opportunity for growth
- You display flexibility and openness in daily work and encourage others to stay open to change and improvement; You accept and readily adapt to changing priorities, new ideas, strategies and methods.
There are several factors taken into consideration in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; specific job-related experience and training; job location, licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At Builders Vision, we apply a total rewards philosophy where all aspects of compensation and benefits are taken into consideration in determining compensation terms. Expected annual base salary range for this role is $140,000–$155,000 (Chicago) or $154,000–$170,500 (San Francisco), plus this role is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary long-term incentive award, and benefits.
Builders Vision is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to apply, including women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected status under applicable laws and regulations.