About Impact Catalysts

Who We Are

Impact Catalysts is a partner to social enterprises and philanthropies. We’re here to help people who have dedicated their lives to social impact develop the systems, tools, and processes that catalyze impact. We spun off from Root Cause’s consulting practice in October 2016 to focus on the organizational health of social enterprises.

Who We Serve

We work in partnership with leaders of social enterprises and their stakeholders. We’re issue agnostic—we believe that there is no single social issue that improves communities. There are many levers for change, and they all matter to us.

How We Work

We start every consulting relationship with an exploration of the challenges the client faces. Sometimes the client has a clear idea of what they need—a business plan, a performance measurement framework, a sustainability strategy—and sometimes we use the inquiry phase to determine what sort of process is needed. Either way, there is no cookie cutter. Each client engagement builds on our previous work but is uniquely adapted to the client’s circumstances.

How We Got Here

We’ve led nonprofit organizations and gotten our hands dirty in direct service work domestically and internationally. All of us got into consulting because we want to pay forward the lessons we learned the hard way. We expect our clients to do things better than we did when we were their age—even if they’re already older than we are.

The Role

Impact Catalysts analysts work in close partnership with consultants on our projects. A typical project involves research and analysis on a client’s current situation and external environment. From this analysis, we develop a menu of strategic options for the client, guide the client through the selection of options, and map out a clear path to implementation of the strategy. The analyst is responsible for managing the project workplan and developing assessments that advance the development of options for the client. A successful analyst will act as a thought partner to the consultants while keeping the trains running on time as the project advances.

The Context

We believe that building a society based on the principles of justice and equity requires that we pull many levers, not just one.

While we draw on our experience working on specific social issues, we’re not issue experts. Our clients know more than we will ever know about the issues they’re working on.

We’re functional experts. We know how to frame a complex strategy in terms that mean something to your stakeholders. We know how to build a financial model that’s rooted in market research, not aspiration. We know how to create a framework for monitoring your performance that allows you to act on data, not drown in it.

Impact Catalysts aims to attract a team of passionate, smart, and collaborative employees who come from a diverse range of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. Our work culture is collegial, entrepreneurial, and flexible.

You

Impact Catalysts is looking to add an ambitious, compassionate, critical thinker to our team who is willing to learn while doing, and eager to grow into the role and the organization. We are looking for someone whose passion for social impact aligns with their drive to shape big-picture thinking in the sector.

Your Background

• Bachelor’s degree
• 1-3 years of professional work experience
• Demonstrated commitment to and/or work experience in the nonprofit sector (volunteer or paid)
• Strong research, analytical, writing, and presentation skills
• Ability to connect daily tasks to the big picture
• Excellent organizational skills, ability to manage multiple projects, and attention to detail
• Experience in team-based environments
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Willingness to engage with, and learn about, cultural competency and equity-related issues
• Ability to take initiative and operate with limited oversight
• Strong Microsoft Office skills (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), including experience using Excel for data analysis and/or financial modeling
• Experience with WordPress, Mail Chimp, and online survey tools (e.g., Survey Monkey) are a plus

Your RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage projects, including meeting planning and scheduling, task management, and development of workplans to keep multiple projects running effectively
• Conduct primary and secondary research, engage in rigorous quantitative and qualitative analyses, synthesize findings, and develop insights to move projects forward
• Draft, edit, and format materials (in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) in preparation for client meetings and finalize high-quality internal and external deliverables with support from team leaders
• Analyze financial information and build financial models
• Develop, execute, and analyze surveys using online survey tools
• Develop strong relationships, and communicate as needed, with clients and other stakeholder groups
• Operational support as needed (e.g., development of project pricing models, printing final deliverables)
• In addition, analysts participate in strengthening Impact Catalysts in the following ways:
  • Support business development
  • Contribute to building the infrastructure and capacity of the organization
  • Research and write content for internal and external publications

 Location

• Boston, MA

Benefits

• Salary range $50-55K commensurate on experience
• Plus healthcare stipend
• Unlimited vacation policy

To apply

Submit your cover letter and resume to Amanda Zieselman, Consultant at [email protected]

Impact Catalysts works with clients to build a more just and equitable society. We want to walk that walk in our own workplace, and we invite qualified candidates of all backgrounds to apply.