Project on Impact Investing

Harvard Business School seeks a Manager, Project on Impact Investing to work closely with Professors Shawn Cole and Josh Lerner in advancing the Harvard Business School Project on Impact Investing. The Project on Impact Investing combines rigorous academic research with close engagement with investors, policymakers, and practitioners to deepen understanding of sustainable and impact investing and inform practice in the field.

Reporting directly to the faculty supervisors, and administratively to the Research Staff Services (RSS) office, the Manager, Project on Impact Investing will play an integral role across all aspects of the Project's work: from designing and executing research, to building and maintaining novel datasets, to supporting practitioner engagement and research dissemination.

This position is well suited to candidates with experience in consulting, finance, economic research, or mission-driven financial services who are looking to deepen their research skills while contributing to high-impact academic work. Previous individuals in this role have gone on to leading PhD programs in economics and finance, as well as careers in impact investing, financial services, and social enterprise. The role offers exceptional exposure to cutting-edge research and leading practitioners in sustainable and impact investing.

Primary Responsibilities

Research and Analysis

Conduct quantitative and qualitative research in support of faculty research projects on sustainable and impact investing.
Use AI-enabled research tools, large language models (LLMs), machine learning techniques, and traditional research methods to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret complex datasets.
Develop and maintain novel datasets that support ongoing academic research.
Perform data analysis, literature reviews, and other analytical work supporting research published in leading academic journals and practitioner outlets.
Conduct interviews and code qualitative research data.
Draft research memoranda, presentations, reports, and other written materials that synthesize findings for academic and practitioner audiences.
Produce case studies, teaching notes, course materials, and other educational content for Harvard Business School courses.
Identify opportunities to strengthen research methodologies, improve data collection processes, and apply emerging analytical tools.

Project Management

Coordinate multiple concurrent research projects, ensuring milestones, deliverables, and timelines are met.
Manage relationships with external collaborators, research partners, and practitioners, serving as a representative of the faculty and the Project on Impact Investing.
Support the collection of research documentation and data through outreach to participating organizations and stakeholders.
Coordinate research operations, including project budgets, research agreements (e.g., NDAs and DUAs), meetings, and project logistics.
Plan and support conferences, research convenings, webinars, and other events that advance the Project's research and practitioner engagement.

Research Dissemination and External Engagement

Support dissemination of research findings through presentations, publications, digital platforms, and practitioner outreach.
Maintain Project websites and digital resources in collaboration with HBS Marketing & Communications.
Collaborate with colleagues across Harvard Business School, including the Dean's Office, Career & Professional Development, Alumni Relations, and student organizations to support research-related programming and communications.
Represent the Project professionally in interactions with investors, company executives, policymakers, researchers, alumni, and other external stakeholders.

Other Responsibilities

Build trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and various constituents.
Responsible for other duties as assigned.

Scope of the Role

Working closely with faculty, the Manager, Project on Impact Investing will have significant responsibility for advancing multiple research initiatives simultaneously. The role requires intellectual curiosity, strong analytical judgment, and the ability to independently translate complex research questions into actionable work plans.

The Manager, Project on Impact Investing will have opportunities to contribute meaningfully to academic research, case development, and practitioner publications, including potential co-authorship on selected projects. This role also offers opportunities to learn new research methodologies, develop expertise in emerging analytical technologies, and take advanced coursework at Harvard.

Because the Project regularly collaborates with senior leaders across finance, investing, academia, and the nonprofit sector, the successful candidate must demonstrate professionalism, sound judgment, and excellent interpersonal skills in representing Harvard Business School externally.

The Manager, Project on Impact Investing is expected to work independently with general guidance from faculty while ensuring compliance with University policies and applicable research requirements.

Please note the internal and official job title for this role is Project Manager, Project on Impact Investing. If you are hired for the role, your title will be Project Manager, Project on Impact Investing.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree required.
Minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in consulting, economic research, finance, investment management, impact investing, nonprofit financial services, public policy, or another analytically rigorous field required.
Demonstrated experience managing projects involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
Proven ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and proactively advance complex projects.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex information into clear, well-structured written products for diverse audiences.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Additional Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will demonstrate many of the following:

Master's degree in economics, finance, business, public policy, or a related discipline preferred.
Experience conducting rigorous quantitative and/or qualitative research, including collecting, cleaning, analyzing, and interpreting complex data.
Strong interest in impact investing, sustainable finance, financial markets, or economic development.
Experience working in consulting, finance, investment management, economic research, nonprofit financial services, or another research-intensive environment.
Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build productive relationships with faculty, researchers, practitioners, investors, and organizational partners.
Experience with statistical or programming software such as R, Python, or STATA is preferred.
Familiarity with AI-enabled research tools, large language models, and modern research workflows is highly desirable.
Demonstrated intellectual curiosity, initiative, and enthusiasm for learning new research methods and analytical techniques.

The successful candidate will possess exceptionally high standards for quality, accuracy, and attention to detail, along with a genuine enthusiasm for collaborative research. They will thrive in an environment that values initiative, continuous learning, and thoughtful engagement with complex questions at the intersection of finance and social impact.

Appointment End Date: June 30, 2027. This is a full-time term appointment starting as soon as possible through June 30, 2027, with potential for re-appointment for the following year. All HBS research roles are structured as one-year appointments.
Standard Hours/Schedule: 40 hours per week
Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
Pre-Employment Screening: Education, Identity
Other Information:
This is a hybrid position which we consider to be a combination of remote and onsite work at our Boston, MA based campus. HBS expects all staff to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per week and departments provide onsite coverage Monday – Friday. Specific hours and days onsite will be determined by business needs and are subject to change with appropriate advanced notice.
We may conduct candidate interviews virtually (phone and/or via Zoom) and/or in-person for this role.
A cover letter is required to be considered for this opportunity. All candidates will be expected to submit a writing sample, transcript, and at times a code sample to be reviewed by an HBS statistician.

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Work Format Details

Salary Grade and Ranges

Benefits

Generous paid time off including parental leave
Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
Retirement plans with university contributions
Wellbeing and mental health resources
Support for families and caregivers
Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

Manager, Project on Impact Investing at Harvard University — Boston, MA

Full job description

Benefits