Dovetail Impact Foundation Hiring Investment Director (International): Lead Transformational Investments Across Africa

Professionals with a passion for fighting extreme poverty through strategic philanthropy and social impact investing now have an exceptional opportunity to join Dovetail Impact Foundation as an Investment Director, International.

Based in Africa, this influential leadership position offers the opportunity to identify, support, and accompany extraordinary nonprofit and social enterprise leaders working in some of the world’s most challenging environments. The successful candidate will help cultivate a portfolio of high-impact organizations and provide the strategic capital, guidance, and partnership needed to accelerate their growth and impact.

For experienced leaders in venture philanthropy, social impact investing, nonprofit leadership, and development finance, this role presents a unique opportunity to help transform lives while shaping the future of mission-driven organizations serving people experiencing extreme poverty.

About Dovetail Impact Foundation

Dovetail Impact Foundation exists to fuel extraordinary organizations that serve people living in extreme poverty.

The Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations and social enterprises that are addressing poverty and injustice with integrity, innovation, and scalable solutions. Rather than simply providing funding, Dovetail works closely alongside its partners, offering a combination of:

• Capital
• Strategic support
• Capacity building
• Thought partnership
• Long-term accompaniment

The Foundation describes itself as a high-touch funder that seeks to walk alongside leaders with humility, care, and excellence.

Its mission is rooted in supporting organizations that are creating meaningful and lasting change for vulnerable communities around the world.

Position Overview

Position Title

Investment Director, International

Organization

Dovetail Impact Foundation

Reporting To

Chief Operations Officer

Location

Africa (West Africa Preferred)

Employment Requirement

Applicants must already possess legal authorization to live and work in an African country.

Visa sponsorship is not available.

The Opportunity

The Investment Director will oversee a strategic portfolio of international nonprofit and social enterprise partners, helping them scale impact and maximize outcomes for people experiencing extreme poverty.

This role combines:

• Strategic philanthropy
• Investment management
• Due diligence
• Portfolio leadership
• Relationship management
• Ecosystem building
• Thought partnership

The successful candidate will serve as both an investor and trusted advisor to organizational leaders working on the frontlines of poverty alleviation.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Portfolio Management

The Investment Director will:

• Build a portfolio of high-impact venture-stage grant partners.
• Identify organizations where catalytic capital can unlock significant growth.
• Occasionally evaluate impact investment opportunities.
• Manage a portfolio of more than 25 strategic partners.
• Ensure investments align with Dovetail’s mission, values, and strategy.

2. Investment Assessment and Due Diligence

Responsibilities include:

• Conducting rigorous organizational assessments.
• Evaluating growth potential.
• Reviewing organizational strategy and leadership.
• Assessing financial sustainability.
• Making high-conviction investment recommendations.

The Foundation seeks professionals with exceptional judgment and strong pattern-recognition abilities.

3. Partner Accompaniment and Support

Beyond funding decisions, the Investment Director will:

• Serve as a trusted advisor to portfolio organizations.
• Provide strategic thought partnership.
• Support organizational growth and scaling efforts.
• Help leaders navigate critical moments in their development journey.
• Strengthen organizational capacity and effectiveness.

4. Strategic Learning and Ecosystem Development

Working alongside the Director of Strategic Learning and Insights, the successful candidate will:

• Identify emerging leaders and organizations.
• Detect opportunities for systems-level impact.
• Develop deep sector expertise.
• Analyze trends and opportunities across focus areas.

5. Relationship Building

The role requires cultivating relationships with:

• Peer funders
• Philanthropic organizations
• Development experts
• Social enterprise leaders
• Nonprofit executives
• Strategic partners

These relationships will support partner growth and strengthen funding opportunities.

6. Foundation Representation

The Investment Director will represent Dovetail Impact Foundation in:

• Conferences
• Strategic gatherings
• Partner meetings
• Philanthropic networks
• Funder coalitions
• Industry events

The role will help advance the Foundation’s reputation and influence within the global social impact ecosystem.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Dovetail is seeking a leader who demonstrates:

Mission Alignment

• Deep commitment to serving people experiencing extreme poverty.
• Passion for supporting early-stage and growth-stage organizations.
• Strong belief in human flourishing and social impact.

Leadership Qualities

• Exceptional judgment.
• High emotional intelligence.
• Strong self-awareness.
• Excellent self-management.
• Humility and curiosity.
• Commitment to continuous learning.

Relationship Excellence

Candidates should be known for:

• Building trust quickly.
• Managing complex relationships effectively.
• Providing valuable advice during critical moments.
• Exercising patience and wisdom under pressure.

Strategic Thinking

The ideal candidate can:

• Connect seemingly unrelated information.
• Recognize emerging patterns.
• Identify leverage points for impact.
• Make informed decisions despite uncertainty.

Travel Requirements

The position includes approximately:

• 20% travel commitment.
• 3–4 international trips annually.

This travel supports portfolio management, partner engagement, and representation of the Foundation.

Qualifications

Applicants should possess:

Experience

• 8+ years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience in venture philanthropy, social impact investing, or organizational leadership.
• International and cross-cultural experience.

Education

Preferred qualifications include:

• MBA
• Master’s degree
• Other advanced degree in a relevant field

Technical Skills

Candidates should demonstrate:

• Financial analysis expertise.
• Ability to interpret organizational financial statements.
• Understanding of operational efficiency and cost structures.
• Investment assessment skills.

Language Skills

Strong preference will be given to candidates who are fluent in:

• French (spoken and written)

Faith-Based Requirements

As a Christian grantmaking foundation, Dovetail asks applicants to:

• Identify as followers of Jesus Christ.
• Affirm the Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed.
• Demonstrate commitment to Christian values and service.
• Support broad and diverse communities regardless of faith background.

The Foundation emphasizes service, humility, and love for neighbors as central aspects of its organizational culture.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

This is more than a traditional investment role.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to:

• Influence organizations serving some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
• Help scale innovative poverty-alleviation solutions.
• Partner closely with visionary nonprofit and social enterprise leaders.
• Shape strategic philanthropy across Africa and beyond.
• Join a mission-driven organization focused on long-term transformational impact.

For experienced professionals seeking a career that combines investment expertise, social impact, faith-based leadership, and global development, this role offers an extraordinary opportunity to make a lasting difference.

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