Director, Research and Origination, Fund Ecosystem

Renaissance Philanthropy’s mission is to fuel a 21st-century renaissance by increasing the ambition of philanthropists, scientists, and innovators. We aim to activate a virtuous loop of increasing ambition and impact between philanthropists and innovators by identifying frontier experts in science and problem-solving, engaging emerging philanthropists, and building multi-sector initiatives that harness philanthropy, markets, and governments. We advance this mission by advising philanthropists, surfacing breakthrough ideas, and incubating ambitious initiatives.

About the role

As the Director, Research and Origination, Fund Ecosystem, you will play a central leadership role in building Renaissance Philanthropy’s work to advise major donors and design, launch, and evaluate new, thesis-driven philanthropic funds. The Fund Ecosystem program seeks to strengthen the ecosystem of thesis-driven philanthropic funds through three focus areas:

• Advising major philanthropists
• Building public goods to support the philanthropic fund ecosystem
• Origination (testing structured approaches to developing new fund ideas)

The ideal candidate is a technically sophisticated polymath and proven builder who thrives on breadth (surveying possibilities across multiple spaces), depth (conducting intense diligence on specific ideas), and agency (proactively filling gaps). This role focuses primarily on pressing health and development challenges in low- and middle-income countries (70%) but also spans topics like math education, climate policy, and biomedical R&D (30%).

Responsibilities

• Evaluation (~75%):
  • Evaluate existing thesis-driven philanthropic funds and initiatives, producing clearly argued, written fund/don’t-fund recommendations for philanthropists
  • Source funds and initiatives for evaluation in key areas, building and managing philanthropic dealflow
  • Conduct shallow reviews to identify “cruxes”—critical open questions most likely to shift recommendations (expect 25–30 shallow evaluations annually)
  • Interview fund leaders and outside experts to assess a project’s theory of change, approach, and team suitability
  • Build independent cost-effectiveness analyses, benchmarking against metrics like disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of doubled consumption, and tons of CO₂e averted
• Origination and Incubation (~25%):
  • Research high-impact opportunities addressable through new thesis-driven philanthropic funds
  • Develop and execute systematic processes for identifying and originating new funds, including vetting talent to lead them
  • Support and incubate early-stage projects and fund directors to refine or disprove a thesis and prepare it for funding and scaling
  • Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across topic-area ecosystems, including policymakers, scientists, and technical experts in low- and middle-income countries

Across both areas, you will support Renaissance Philanthropy’s donors and partners by preparing research, analysis, briefing materials, and compelling investment cases. Success in this role means helping launch 20+ high-impact philanthropic initiatives within two years, building a robust pipeline of fund opportunities, and establishing Renaissance Philanthropy as a trusted partner for ambitious philanthropists and field-leading experts.

Requirements

• 10–25 years of experience in nonprofit or for-profit entrepreneurship, science/social science research, investing, philanthropic grantmaking, project design/incubation, policy entrepreneurship, or topic-relevant government program leadership
• Evidence of both depth (e.g., leading an organization, building a portfolio, executing at scale) and breadth (e.g., working across multiple topics or sectors)
• Substantive experience working with researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in low- and middle-income countries, including on-the-ground engagement, with a demonstrated passion for global health and development
• Exceptional research and analytical skills, including quantitative analysis (e.g., cost-effectiveness modeling), understanding scientific research frontiers, and uncovering high-impact opportunities
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to translate complex concepts for diverse audiences
• Entrepreneurial instincts and investor discipline: ability to generate ideas and discard them when evidence demands it
• Demonstrated ability to self-direct: owning consequential decisions end-to-end without micromanagement and being accountable for outcomes, not just outputs

Values

You will thrive in this role if you:

• Exhibit high agency: proactively identify and solve problems without waiting for direction
• Inspire others and collaborate effectively: motivate teams and value collective progress
• Value exceptional talent and networks: recognize and nurture top talent and leverage the power of networks
• Thrive in fast-moving, ambitious environments: comfortable with ambiguity and a rapid pace

Pay

Base compensation range: $180,000–$240,000, with a comprehensive benefits package and 401K contribution.

Schedule

This is a remote role open to candidates anywhere, including Africa and Asia, with a preference for location in New York or Washington, D.C., to facilitate in-person work.