Associate Director, Investments (US)
Location: Negotiable
Reporting to: Director, Investments
New Forests(www.newforests.com.au)seeks a qualified candidate for the position of Associate Director, Investments (US). This role will be critical in supporting the growth of New Forests’ US investment strategy. The ideal candidate will have experience leading teams that successfully execute transaction processes from identification of opportunities to closing. In this role you will be primarily responsible for leading transaction teams on behalf of New Forests’ timberland and forest carbon investment strategies in the United States, including the identification of potential investment opportunities, undertaking due diligence, and leading transactions to closing. The position is based either in our San Francisco office, or in a remote arrangement, with frequent domestic travel. Remote arrangements would still involve attendance at the San Francisco office as agreed, as well as travel associated with role-specific responsibilities.
New Forests is an investment management business offering leading edge strategies in forestry, land management, and conservation. We seek to manage sustainable landscapes for production and conservation and to generate shared value for our clients and the communities where we operate. Founded in 2005, we offer institutional investors dedicated investment strategies in Australia-New Zealand, the United States, Southeast Asia, and Africa and have more than AUD 8.7 billion in assets under management, covering 1.1 million hectares. We manage sustainable forestry assets, forest carbon projects, agricultural assets, rural land, and timber processing infrastructure such as ports and mills. New Forests is headquartered in Sydney, with offices in San Francisco, Melbourne, New Zealand, Singapore, and Nairobi.
New Forests believes that sustainably managed forest and agricultural landscapes can play a significant role in mitigating the impacts of climate change, while also providing valuable economic, social, and environmental returns.
Responsibilities:
In this role you will work closely with the Investments team and with teams across our US and global business to successfully execute New Forests’ US investment strategy.
Specifically, this position will be responsible fortransaction and project management related to:
• Management ofspecific transactions, which will require:
o Leading a transaction team made up of a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders
o Coordination with the Investment Analytics and Operationsteamsin due diligence.
o Management of due diligence consultants.
o Establishing appropriate acquisition valuation and underwriting assumptions.
o Transaction structuring, price and contract negotiation, due diligence and closing.
o Preparation and presentation of analysis and materialsforthe investment committee.
o Coordination with the Investor Relations team in preparation and presentation of client-facing
investment materials
o Collaboration with the Sustainability, Impact & Advocacy team regarding compliance with New
Forests ESG investment requirements
• Origination and pipeline development of forestry and carbon acquisition opportunities
• Contribution to internal and external reporting, and process improvement related to acquisitions workflow.
• Communication with current and prospective clients, including supporting the Investor Relations team
in marketing and capital raising efforts.
• Collaboration with the Impact & Advocacy team to align investment functions with New Forests'
impact objectives and comply with New Forests' ESG requirements
We encourage candidates with the following qualifications:
Demonstrated experience independently leading teams that manage transactions (timberland, agriculture, real estate), including origination, valuation, transaction negotiations and structuring, and closing
• Self-motivated with a demonstrated ability to collaborate across multiple teams
• Demonstrated experience in project management, with a focus on managing concurrent timelines and meeting deadlines
• Demonstrated personal commitment to land conservation and/or climate change mitigation OR a demonstrated and knowledgeable interest in sustainability and responsible investment
• 5-15 years of experience in forestry, environmental markets, conservation, agriculture, real assets,
private equity, or impact investing, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in business, economics, finance, forestry, environmental management/
science, agriculture or equivalent. Advanced degree a plus.
• Demonstrated experience with real asset purchase and sale agreements, and other transaction
documentation
• Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills with ability to communicate complex information
through presentations, briefing notes, investment committee papers and other media; able to work across
teams in New Forests to develop these materials in a timely and high-quality manner.
• Flexibility towards extra hoursin busy periods
• Ability to adapt to change quickly and effectively. Can work in a variety of environments and achieve goals
with a diverse range of counterparties
• High degree of proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Willingness and availability to travel
• Currently eligible to work in the United States
What can we offer?
Our environment is active and supportive, with a focus on work life balance. New Forests’ team boasts an impressive range of professionals that prefer to operate in a relaxed business setting. If you join us, you will be joining a growing, fast paced business which is a leader in sustainable forestry and landscape investment globally. You will also be working with professionals who are passionate about their work! We offer professional development opportunities that will help accelerate your career.
To apply, please provide your resume and cover letter, explaining your interest and qualifications for the position, in PDF format, to careers@newforests.com.au
Phone calls will not be accepted.
New Forests is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity and inclusion. We offer flexible working arrangements to all employees to support their work/life balance. We are also a Certified B Corp.
