Impact Investment Analyst

LOCATION: SAN FRANCISCO, CA OR SEATTLE, WA

Laird Norton Wetherby (LNW) is seeking a full‑time Impact Investment Analyst to join our team.

Nature of the Role

As part of the 10‑person Investment Team, the Impact Investment Analyst position supports the Chief Impact Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Director of Private Equity Strategies, Portfolio Management & Investment Committee (PMIC), as well as our clients and internal client‑facing professionals. This role combines investment research, asset allocation, and portfolio and risk‑management skills, with a focus on researching and Orion private impact investment strategies (impact private equity, venture capital, etc.) and impact‑first, catalytic investment strategies across alternative asset classes. The Analyst is expected to source and diligently evaluate impact investment strategy ideas, monitor existing portfolio investments, maintain domain expertise in the private impact markets, build and maintain strong relationships within the impact‑investing industry, contribute to portfolio and risk‑management efforts, and work closely with Client Service colleagues and external clients.

Your Role and Responsibilities & Skills and Attributes

• Source and lead the due diligence of impact private investment strategies that may be new to portfolios or upgrades to existing investments, focusing on thematic impact‑investing opportunities.
• Conduct and complete searches and due diligence on a timely basis; analyze and form opinions on both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of investment firms’ strategies and the firms that manage them.
• Evaluate how private capital managers integrate environmental, social, and governance considerations in their investment processes and, for thematic impact strategies, how they report on impact outputs and outcomes.
• Shepherd investment recommendations through the due‑diligence process, ending with presenting a formal recommendation to the PMIC.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with third‑party asset managers and LNW’s network of industry contacts.
• Research and maintain a continuous understanding of relevant asset‑class dynamics and contribute to the firm’s asset allocation, portfolio construction, risk management, and capital‑market update processes.
• In partnership with the Director of Private Equity Strategies, develop a clear, understandable process for decision‑making within private markets, supported by relevant and maintainable indicators.
• In partnership with the Director of Private Equity Strategies, produce and maintain updated expected‑return estimates for private markets.
• In partnership with the Director of Private Equity Strategies, monitor the current macro‑economic environment, near‑term trends, and asset‑class metrics including fundamentals, valuation, sentiment, and liquidity factors.
• Provide formal firm‑wide quarterly reviews (written and verbal) of investment performance and attribution for the Investment Analyst’s coverage universe and contribute to the Investment Team’s macro‑economic updates.
• Participate in client meetings as requested.
• Create internal investment communication and client‑friendly investment‑related publications as needed.
• Participate in PMIC meetings as needed in support of specific conversations.

More About You

• Have at least 7 years of relevant experience in private capital markets and in impact investing and manager research/capital allocation, with a relevant industry network.
• Display excellent organizational, analytical, critical‑thinking, communication, and social skills, and take immediate ownership of your work.
• Be able to work with others and show resourcefulness in navigating an organization.
• Possess a strong work ethic and stand out as a colleague.
• Exhibit intellectual curiosity.
• Have strong presentation skills and comfort with client‑facing interactions.
• Demonstrate proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (with an emphasis on Excel).
• Experience with Morningstar Direct, Bloomberg, Evestment, Preqin, Cobalt is a plus.
• Have strong computing skills and the ability to parse, process, and analyze large datasets.
• Experience with programming languages, databases, and tools; knowledge of Python is a plus.
• Hold a higher degree (e.g., MBA or similar) or participate in the CFA program – a plus.

Compensation and Benefits

We provide a competitive salary commensurate with your experience and skills, and offer an annual bonus program based on company and individual success, business‑development incentives, and company equity opportunities. The hiring salary range for this position is $175,000‑$225,000, depending on location and experience. The salary range applies to the current posting and ignoring changes.

The posted salary range may vary for key factors including, but not limited to, education, job‑related knowledge, experience, skill set, and geographic location.

We offer excellent benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; generous time off; flexible spending plans for health care and dependent care; a 401(k) plan; and educational reimbursements. For details of all benefits, please visit our website here.

Our Team

You will join a team dedicated to helping our clients achieve their goals by providing exceptional investment management and wealth planning services. The culture and decision‑making are guided by putting our clients first, fostering long‑term, caring, and trusted relationships.

We enjoy a professional yet relaxed environment. We encourage openness,outside listening, mutual respect, candor, and integrity. We cultivate a diverse and inclusive work environment, invite a work/life balance through an generous PTO policy and flexible work hours, and are a hybrid in‑office/remote approach.

About Us

Laird Norton Wetherby (LNW) serves exceptional families and individuals seeking to activate the full potential of their wealth. To help turn lifelong ambitions and multigenerational aspirations into reality, LNW brings a high level of care combined with deep expertise in wealth and legacy planning, investments, and trust and estate services.

Offering both RIA (Registered Investment Advisor) and trust services, LNW is committed to providing clients with unbiased, independent guidance and solutions. LNW has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, as well as an affiliated trust company in South Dakota, empowering clients across the United States and around the world.

LNW is owned by employees and majority owned by Laird Norton Company, one of the longest‑sustained family enterprises in the United States. To learn more, visit LNWAdvisors.com.

Additional Information

Our firm aims to cultivate an inclusive environment and culture that fosters growth, collaboration, and acceptance; where we celebrate the diverse voices and perspectives of employees; and where employees feel empowered to bring their full, authentic selves. Our diversity drives us forward and helps us build deeper relationships with our clients and our community.

The firm is an equal‑opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination against employees, applicants, individuals providing services under contract, unpaid interns, volunteers, and individuals providing services in the workplace based on sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, marital status, registered domestic partner status, military and veteran status, civil air patrol status, national origin, immigration status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), lactation, or medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics).