Sr. Associate - Strategy & Impact

NLV Overview

NextLadder Ventures is a time-bound venture with one goal: empower millions of Americans to reach their potential by 2040. Backed by over $1 billion in capital, the organization invests in breakthrough technologies that remove barriers to economic success and put people in control of their futures. NextLadder Ventures is trailblazing a new market for Navigation Technology — tools that help people navigate pivotal moments and access the resources they need — by offering flexible, risk-tolerant capital to entrepreneurs building these transformative tools today, while creating a pipeline of tech, talent, and capital for the long run.

Position Summary

This role serves as a critical member of the small team driving strategy and impact priorities for NextLadder. In this capacity, you will be responsible for partnering across NLV's team and partners to drive firm level strategic projects that are critical for NLV's mission. You will also lead key impact workstreams to size and report on the impact NextLadder is having - often in deep collaboration with internal and external partners and through newly developed AI-native tooling.

Operating within a new and dynamic investment firm, the Senior Associate must be nimble, adaptable, and ready to address emerging and unpredictable needs as NLV scales. This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

Firm Strategy & Strategic Projects Strategy Development

• Partner with NLV leadership and principals on firm-level strategy and emerging priorities with structured thinking and quantitative rigor, e.g., investment thesis development; demand activation and market enablement strategies
• Lead key workstreams in emergent strategic projects, taking end-to-end ownership from structuring ambiguous, open-ended questions, to scoping clear analytical workplans and stakeholder engagement, through synthesis and decision-ready recommendation
• Build the analyses and materials that inform firm-level decisions, including market maps, sizing, competitive landscapes, and portfolio construction questions

Ex-Ante Impact Analysis

• Be accountable for the impact modeling workstream during active diligence, including intake assessment, impact pathway development, literature review, building the ROI model, and providing impact summaries that facilitate decision making. Facilitate external partners that conduct the hands-on modeling work
• Drive continuous improvement in partnership with key external partners (e.g., AI Labs) of agentic AI tooling that NLV and partners use to efficiently generate accurate and robust impact models 

Portfolio Impact Management & Reporting

• Partner with portfolio relationship owners to onboard new investments into the impact reporting framework, including identifying measurement capacity gaps and how to address them
• Develop and help coordinate/deploy external partners (e.g., Opportunity Insights, 60dB) to support portfolio company’s measurement capacity and impact validation
• Support relationship owners as needed as they monitor portfolio reporting, and delivers standard and ad hoc portfolio-level roll-ups, board reporting, and strategic analysis
• In partnership with the Principal, Strategy & Impact, refine and implement impact data and reporting architecture

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Genuine commitment to NextLadder Ventures' mission, values, and focus on expanding economic opportunity — bringing both conviction and humility to the work
• High ethical standards, sound judgment, and discretion; handles sensitive information and situations with integrity and professionalism
• Takes ownership of their work with a strong sense of accountability — follows through on commitments, communicates proactively, and treats setbacks as information, not failure
• Hands-on, entrepreneurial work style with the ability to operate both collaboratively and independently, navigate ambiguity, and adapt quickly in a fast-paced, evolving environment. Brings urgency to the work without losing care for how it's done
• Curious and actively seeks out new information from the field, the frontier, and the people we serve, and changes course readily when something isn't working
• Kind, intentional, and warm. Listens generously, leads with humility, and assumes good intent

• Strong client-service orientation when partnering with deal teams and firm leadership
• Ability to structure ambiguous, open-ended strategic problems and translate analysis into a clear point of view
• Comfort moving between deep technical impact work and broader firm-level strategy questions

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree plus at least 4–5 years of relevant experience in strategy consulting, impact investing, corporate or investment strategy, research/analytics, or social impact professional services
• Comfort with empirical research and econometric concepts
• Demonstrated ability to develop and utilize agentic AI tools in analytical contexts
• Strong quantitative modeling skills using spreadsheets and other data tools
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage multiple workstreams
• Experience producing polished, decision-ready deliverables
• Demonstrated experience scoping and delivering strategic projects (e.g., market landscaping, competitive analysis, business or investment strategy), not only impact or research analysis

Preferred

• Graduate degree in economics, public policy, or a related field
• Experience with social ROI and other impact measurement frameworks (e.g., Impact Multiple of Money ROI analysis)
• Familiarity with economic mobility domains (housing, workforce, financial inclusion, education, health)
• Experience in venture capital, private equity, or grant-making environments
• Experience in a strategy consulting or in-house corporate strategy function
• Proficiency with data visualization or analytical tools (Python/R, Tableau, or similar)

Benefits

Compensation & Benefits

NLV offers competitive compensation for this position, determined based on several factors, including the scope and responsibilities of the role, relevant experience, professional accomplishments, internal equity, geographic location (where applicable), and market benchmarking.

In addition to base salary, eligible employees may participate in short- and long-term incentive programs, including annual bonus and equity opportunities where applicable. NLV also offers a comprehensive benefits package, which includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement savings benefits, paid time off, and other employee programs.

Physical Requirements | Work Environment

This position is fully remote and requires the ability to work effectively from a home office or other suitable remote workspace. Occasional travel and attendance at Company meetings, events, or other business activities may be required. 

The employee must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods, use a computer and other standard office equipment, and communicate effectively with colleagues and external partners in person, by phone, and through electronic communications. 

NLV is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position, consistent with applicable law. 

Equal Opportunity Employer

NLV is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Work Authorization

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire. NLV is unable to provide employment sponsorship for this position unless otherwise specified.

At-Will Employment

Employment with NLV is at will. This means that either the employee or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice, subject to applicable law. Nothing in this job description or the hiring process creates a contract of employment.

Background Check

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check appropriate for the position and conducted in accordance with applicable law.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals in this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Responsibilities may change based on business needs.