Investment Managing Director

At the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we first listen to the communities we serve, tap into our learnings and relationships, and bring everyone together to build and support programs that improve education, boost entrepreneurship, and help Kansas City thrive.

The Investment Managing Director, reporting to the Chief Investment Officer, has a leadership role on the Investment Team. The team’s goal is to grow the Foundation’s endowment so funds are available for grants and operations now and in the future. The Managing Director works collaboratively across asset classes and investment strategies, focusing on equity allocation, and contributes to portfolio decisions across all asset categories.

• Providing strategic vision and insight that contributes to portfolio returns and the management of risk, specifically the equity allocation.
• Developing recommendations, reports and presentations for the Chief Investment Officer and the Investment Committee of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of market opportunities, risks, economic variables, manager portfolios, and performance.
• Evaluation of external investment management organizations, including assessment of staff, resources, investment philosophy and process, compensation structures, operations and control procedures.
• Ongoing due diligence and monitoring of investments, validating asset ownership and valuation, and identifying material changes that may affect the Foundation’s assets.
• Reviewing legal documents (in conjunction with legal counsel), financial statements, and manager reports.
• Pitching in on administrative activities, including managing electronic files and documentation, coordinating and tracking cash flows, establishing new accounts, and managing vendor relationships.
• Helping to design and implement efficient systems that exploit technology to enhance productivity and data‑driven decision making.
• Managing and developing other associates.

• Education:
  
  An MBA or Master’s degree in a related field or a CFA charter required.
• Experience:
  
  Minimum of fifteen years practical experience in an investment‑related field.
• Travel:
  Up to 33% business travel.

• Highly motivated, capable of self‑directed work, detail‑oriented, and able to work collaboratively across teams and departments.
• Experience with asset allocation and manager selection in a multi‑manager portfolio context or as a portfolio manager or analyst in public or private equity institutional investment strategies.
• Experience investing in managers across an array of asset classes including public and private equity and hedge funds.
• Tenacious work ethic, reliability, sense of urgency, dedication to meeting deadlines, and strong time‑management skills.
• Exceptional problem‑solving and analytical skills, with a focus on attention to detail and process improvement and solid judgment and decision‑making abilities.
• Prioritizes and multi‑tasks effectively using excellent organizational skills with keen attention to detail.
• Intellectual curiosity and appreciation for the process of research and serendipitous learning.
• Read and understand audited financial statements and legal documents (in conjunction with legal counsel). Easily understand, integrate, and communicate performance measurement, complex financial models, and computational tools.
• Excellent communication skills, including well‑developed interpersonal, written, and listening skills.
• Thoughtfully engages collaboratively as a team member with a singular goal of enhancing portfolio performance while demonstrating independence and self‑sufficiency in exploring opportunities.
• Maintains confidentiality and handles confidential material appropriately.
• Develops a solid understanding of the Foundation’s activities and overall objectives to act as an ambassador of the Foundation.
• Passion for “doing what is right,” with unquestioned integrity, positive ethics, and values reflective of the Kauffman Foundation.
• Committed to the Foundation’s credo, standards, and values in alignment with our racial equity, diversity, and inclusion statement, and prioritizing racial equity, diversity,…