The Investments & Strategic Initiatives (I&SI) team at the College Board is a highly visible and prestigious group that offers tremendous opportunities for professional development. This is a team of four that is committed to delivering top-notch financial and strategic analysis to support critical business and investment decisions. This team has unique exposure to the fast-growing EdTech and impact investing sectors and will collaborate closely with other divisions, including the well-known Advanced Placement (AP), SAT, and BigFuture programs. This team is at the forefront of EdTech investments and will help to drive meaningful change that transforms the lives of students across the globe.
About The Opportunity
As an Associate on the I&SI team, you will play an integral role in driving financial excellence at the College Board. Your responsibilities will include building sophisticated financial models, developing compelling business cases, and evaluating equity investments and strategic initiatives that align with the College Board’s mission. You will be instrumental in identifying new areas of growth and making significant contributions to preserve the College Board’s financial strength, ensuring that all students have access to a bright and prosperous future. In this role, you will collaborate closely with senior leaders from the Finance, Strategy, and Executive Leadership teams to evaluate and execute strategic initiatives and impact investments. We encourage applicants who aspire to attend a top Business School to pursue their MBA after 2-3 years, in the past, this has differentiated previous Associates from those who follow a more conventional path.
In This Role, You Will
Lead Corporate Finance Projects (50%)
- Partner with business and finance leaders to provide analytical support to optimize strategic decisions.
- Build and maintain complex financial models including 3-statement forecast models, buy-versus-build analysis, and financial return analysis.
- Evaluate financial impact of acquisitions and strategic partnership opportunities.
- Prepare effective presentation materials and memos that summarize financial analysis and recommendations for senior executives.
- Develop deep expertise in College Board programs and new markets that are of strategic importance to the College Board.
Grow our Impact Investment Portfolio (50%)
- Originate investments in mission-aligned private companies for the College Board’s growing impact investment portfolio via industry research and meetings with Edtech investors and entrepreneurs.
- Participate in due diligence process to evaluate mission impact potential, financial return, and strategic benefits of investments in early-stage education technology companies.
- Lead all aspects of the financial analysis to evaluate investment opportunities.
- Support portfolio management and reporting process for impact investment portfolio.
- Prepare investment memos and participate in Investment Committee approval meetings.
- Research public and private companies in the education technology sector and prepare company overviews for College Board executive leadership.
About You, You Have
- A minimum of 2 years of experience in financial analysis, in investment banking or a principal investing role.
- Exceptional attention to detail.
- Professional training in financial modeling and valuation, and a strong understanding of accounting.
- Strong quantitative skills with a finance, accounting and/or related background.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including facilitating meetings and presenting remotely and in-person to senior executives.
- The ability to learn quickly and take on new responsibilities when given the opportunity.
- Strong work ethic along with a high level of enthusiasm, initiative, and leadership aspirations.
- A strong interest in expanding educational opportunities for all students.
- A bachelor’s degree (finance, accounting, or business preferred).
- Ability to work in the US without sponsorship.
About Our Process
- Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
- While the hiring process may vary, it generally includes: resume and application submission, recruiter phone screen, hiring manager interview, performance exercise and/or panel interview, and reference checks. This is an approximate 8-week process.
About Our Benefits & Compensation
College Board offers a competitive benefits and compensation program that attracts top talent looking to make a difference in education. As a self-sustaining non-profit, we believe in compensating employees equitably in relation to each other, their qualifications, their impact, and the relevant market.
The hiring range for a new employee in this position is $80,000-130,000.
College Board differentiates salaries by location so where you live will narrow the portion of this range in which you can expect a salary. Your salary will be carefully determined based on your location, relevant experience, the external labor market, and the pay of College Board employees in similar roles. College Board strives to provide our best offer up front based on this criterion.
Your salary is only one part of all that College Board offers, including but not limited to:
- A comprehensive package designed to support the well-being of employees and their families and promote education. Our robust benefits package includes health, dental, and vision insurance, generous paid time off, paid parental leave, fertility benefits, pet insurance, tuition assistance, retirement benefits, and more.
- Recognition of exceptional performance through annual bonuses, salary growth over time through market increases, and opportunities for merit raises and promotions based on increased scope of responsibility.
- A job that matters, a team that cares, and a place to learn, innovate and thrive.
