Head of Social Investment

About the Henry Smith Foundation

The Henry Smith Foundation is one of the UK’s largest independent charitable funders. Established in 1628, we support organisations helping people through some of life’s most difficult transitions.

Our role is to elevate the impact of those delivering change by backing bold ideas, strengthening organisations and standing beside the people driving lasting change. We provide long-term, flexible funding and work with partners to improve the services and systems that shape people’s lives.

We have four funding priorities:

• Getting Started: supporting families to give their young children a strong start
• Building Independence: helping young people move into adulthood with confidence, skills and hope
• Safer Futures: supporting people to rebuild their lives after abuse, displacement or prison
• Opportunity Fund: backing bold thinking before it has been proven

The Opportunity

We have made a significant commitment to social investment and are looking for our first Head of Social Investment to turn that ambition into investments that improve people’s lives and create wider change.

This is an opportunity to build something from the ground up, with the backing of our Board and freedom to shape the approach.

Social investment gives us another way to support the organisations and communities at the heart of our work. That might mean a loan to help a charity buy a building, patient finance to grow a promising service, or a guarantee that brings other investors on board.

Our ambition goes beyond individual investments. We want to be catalytic by supporting opportunities that might be overlooked, sharing risks that others cannot take alone, and showing how investment can help improve services and create wider change.

Our independence, resources and long-term outlook allow us to put social benefit at the centre of our social investment decisions. We are prepared to take risks where the potential impact justifies them, while maintaining rigorous investment standards.

You will lead an initial two-year phase, building a portfolio, testing different approaches and learning where Henry Smith can make the greatest difference. There is no established portfolio or fixed strategy to inherit. You will work closely with our programme teams, CEO, trustees, and others across the sector to develop a long-term strategy. Initially, you will be our core investment specialist, with the opportunity to build a team as the work grows.

Key Responsibilities

What you will do

This is a hands-on role, combining investment delivery with establishing a new function. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Develop investment opportunities: build a strong pipeline of direct investments, co-investments and fund opportunities aligned with our priorities. Develop relationships with charities, social enterprises, intermediaries and co-investors, including organisations that existing investment networks often overlook.
• Make investments and manage the portfolio: lead the full investment lifecycle, from identifying opportunities and conducting due diligence through to structuring, approval, completion and ongoing management. Balance financial risk with the potential for social impact, working with investees to address challenges as they arise.
• Establish the investment function: develop the policies, systems and processes needed for responsible investment. Prepare recommendations for our Social Investment Committee and Board, establish clear reporting and governance, and help build the team and expertise needed as the portfolio grows.
• Work across the Foundation: work closely with colleagues in grantmaking, finance, research and leadership. Explore where grants and investment can work together, drawing on the Foundation’s knowledge of organisations, communities and the challenges they face.
• Shape the long-term strategy: lead our approach to learning from the initial portfolio. Understand what works, where our investment would make the most difference, and how we could encourage wider change. Use these insights to develop a clear, credible long-term investment strategy.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for someone with sound investment judgement, imagination and a strong sense of purpose.

You will understand both the financial realities organisations face and what they are trying to achieve. You will know how to structure finance around their needs, judge when a risk is worth taking, and recognise how an individual investment might contribute to wider change. If you have ever looked at an investment and thought the numbers worked but the impact did not, or seen a worthwhile opportunity struggle because the available finance did not fit, we would like to hear from you.

Essential experience and skills

• Strong experience in social investment, impact investment or mission-led finance, including experience across the investment lifecycle.
• Excellent financial analysis skills, including modelling, due diligence and risk assessment.
• Experience preparing and presenting investment recommendations to senior decision-makers.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills across organisations and sectors.
• Experience developing new investment activities, teams, systems or functions.
• Sound judgement, with the ability to balance social ambition and financial discipline.
• A commitment to impact-first investment and the Foundation’s values.

Experience with patient or concessional capital, blended finance or charitable foundations would be an advantage.

Personal Specification

You will be comfortable working independently, making decisions in uncertain situations and building something new. You will combine strategic thinking with a practical, hands-on approach, communicate clearly and work well with colleagues who bring different expertise. Above all, you will be motivated by what investment can achieve for people.

We welcome applicants from different backgrounds and recognise that relevant skills and experience can be gained in different ways. Please consider applying even if you do not meet every criterion.

How to Apply

Read the strategy behind the role: Elevate Your Impact

Please send your CV and Cover Letter (up to one A4 page) to Careers4Change – see below

For more information and the full Job Description please click here

Requesting reasonable adjustments

We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you during the application or interview stages, please let us know. You can share your needs at any point in the process. Adjustments can be tailored to suit both physical and mental health needs. Our team will work with you to ensure you have what you need to perform at your best.

Our approach to candidates using AI in applications

We recognise that technology, including AI tools, can be helpful when preparing job applications, and we welcome the use of tools that support you in presenting your experience clearly. However, it’s important that your application genuinely reflects your own skills, experience, and voice. We therefore recommend reviewing any AI-generated content carefully to ensure accuracy and authenticity.

If you are invited to interview, we’ll want to hear directly from you about your skills and experiences. Any significant differences between your application and how you present yourself in person may negatively affect your application.