Senior Associate, Pathways to Capital

About the Organization

The Milken Institute is a globally minded, publicly supported, non-partisan, and nonprofit think tank headquartered in Santa Monica, with offices in Washington, DC, New York, London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore. For the past three decades, the Milken Institute has served as a catalyst for practical, scalable solutions to global challenges by connecting human, financial, and educational resources to those who need them. Guided by a conviction that the best ideas, under-resourced, cannot succeed, we conduct research and analysis and convene top experts, innovators, and influencers from different backgrounds and competing viewpoints. We leverage this expertise and insight to construct programs and policy initiatives designed to help people build meaningful lives, in which they can experience health and well-being, pursue effective education and gainful employment, and access the resources required to create ever-expanding opportunities for themselves and their broader communities.

The Milken Institute’s events and programmatic activities involve the exchange of ideas with leaders from around the world. The Institute hosts more than 200 events each year, including our annual flagship event, Global Conference, which brings together 4,500+ participants from around the world, featuring more than 900+ speakers throughout 200+ sessions.

About Pathways to Capital

Pathways to Capital is a portfolio of programs at the Milken Institute transforming how capital reaches people and communities so they can build, grow, and thrive. Talent is ubiquitous, but our financial systems concentrate capital and opportunity in certain geographies and networks. The three signature Pathways to Capital Programs—10,000 Communities, Initiative for Inclusive Entrepreneurship, and Inclusive Capitalism—identify high-potential people, places, and businesses historically locked out of opportunity and arm them with the resources, education, and networks needed to harness the power of capitalism and achieve the American Dream.

About the Role

Reporting directly to the Director of Inclusive Capitalism (ICAP), the Senior Associate will play a vital role in advancing the Milken Institute’s mission to foster inclusive financial markets and economic growth on the Pathways to Capital team within Milken Finance. This position offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience supporting impactful programs, coordinating strategic initiatives, and supporting marquee events at the Milken Institute. The Senior Associate will be deeply involved in supporting transformative research and programs led by the Inclusive Capitalism team that create pathways to opportunity and economic equity. The role will contribute to the design, coordination, and execution of initiatives engaging emerging talent and key stakeholders while tracking progress and impact to ensure meaningful outcomes. This role provides a strategic learning environment to develop expertise in program management, stakeholder engagement, research and analysis, and impact assessment skills essential for driving social innovation and systemic change.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to research and thought leadership to advance inclusive capitalism in the capital markets, including work on inclusive financing models and next-generation managers.
• Deepen ICAP’s engagement with institutional investors, market participants, and other stakeholders working to expand access to financial markets and economic opportunity.
• Support key ICAP programs and initiatives, including the HBCU Strategic Initiative and Fellowship Program.
• Coordinate Fellow and program logistics, supporting recruitment and engagement activities, tracking and analyzing progress and outcomes, and helping expand the broader HBCU network stakeholders.
• Contribute to KPI tracking, impact measurement, and the development of written collateral, such as insight articles, impact assessments, and other communications to tell the story of ICAP’s work and impact.
• Provide core operational and convening support across the ICAP team, including project management and opportunities to improve workflows.
• Support the execution of convenings, roundtables, HBCU program events, and other stakeholder engagements, working closely with internal teams on logistics, materials, communications, and participant management.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Knowledge of financial markets, asset management, and an interest in financial inclusion or HBCUs are advantages.
• 2-5 years of professional working experience, preferably in financial services or economics.
• Positive personal attitude that includes being proactive, entrepreneurial, detail-oriented, impact-driven, accountable, flexible, with a willingness to adapt to changing situations.
• Comfortable taking ownership, leading, and reporting out on projects.
• Excellent writing, editing, and analytical skills.
• Effective communicator, both oral and written.
• Experience and proficiency in AI for data analysis, visualization, and workflow automation is a strong plus.
• Willingness and ability to travel, work across time zones, and work evenings and weekends as needed.
• Experience with Microsoft Office suite and other modern productivity software; excited to learn and use new tools.

Schedule

This position works in a professional office environment on a hybrid schedule consisting of three (3) days per week reporting in-person to your respective office location (Tuesday–Thursday), with the remaining two (2) days working remotely. This schedule is subject to change at the Institute’s sole discretion. Occasional travel to other offices and/or venues to assist with events may be required, including work outside of traditional hours. Domestic travel is possible. The role also requires regular virtual interaction with Milken Institute staff based in other U.S. locations and around the world.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan - 403b (5% match)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Personal, Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Fertility Support
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account (FSAs)
• Pet Insurance Discount
• Training & Development: LinkedIn Learning – over 15,000 self-guided classes offered
• Annual Mentor Program
• Wellness Resources: Employee Assistance Program, CALM app membership