Investment Director, Bridges Evergreen (2024)

Background

Bridges is a specialist private markets investor founded in 2002, focused on the transition to a more inclusive and sustainable economy. Bridges has raised over £1.7bn across our platform of private markets verticals (Private Equity, Property, & Outcomes Contracts) and is recognised internationally for our 21-year track record and ongoing thought leadership in impact investing.

Bridges is seeking an Investment Director for the Evergreen Private Equity strategy to support the head of strategy and lead on day-to-day transaction execution and portfolio management.

Bridges Evergreen provides patient, flexible capital for impact-led businesses that are solving challenges in social inclusion in the UK. The strategy utilises a specialist impact-led, outcomes-driven approach to identify and invest in proven EBITDA-positive, cash-generative businesses with UK HQ, serving UK-based beneficiaries (C: Contribute to Solutions per IMP ABC framework).

Bridges supports these companies with longer-term, flexible capital (5+ years) to enable the business to manage their growth in a more sustainable way that does not compromise the quality of outcomes. The strategy aims to deliver measurable social outcomes for some of the most vulnerable groups in the UK and attractive returns for investors.

The opportunity and priorities

• Rare opportunity to build on Bridges’ deep social impact heritage, having pioneered place-based investing and social outcome contracts in the UK, and shape a social-inclusion-focused private equity business.

• Joining a business with a proven track record of investing in the lower-midmarket segment of the UK

• Being part of an organisation that is at the absolute forefront of impact investing globally

• Working with highly impactful businesses that tackle important social challenges

• Working with high performing senior management teams

• Developing and maintaining excellent stakeholder relationships – engaging with and building strong relationships with multiple stakeholders linked to the investment process

• Building relationships and effective communication– internally with our investment teams and with our management teams

• Working with our best-in-class in-house impact management team to maximise impact in the portfolio

Key attributes that we're looking for

• Strong alignment with Bridges' values and culture

• An exceptional sense of purpose and interest in being part of a firm that makes a strong positive impact on people and planet. Affinity with sustainable and impact investing, and with the Evergreen mission

• A proactive self starter, who has a combination of financial, commercial and people skills

• Strong strategic, commercial and entrepreneurial judgement, to help drive investment decision making

• Intellectual rigour – attention to detail and technical expertise, strong financial analysis and modelling, problem-solving abilities, excellent written and oral communication skills

• Ability to build, develop and nurture strong relationships with a broad range of stakeholders (management teams, advisors, investors and colleagues)

• Comfortable with the ambiguity that comes with an entrepreneurial environment – willing and able to adapt to change

• Desire to work in a fast paced, growing environment

Your experience will include

• 7+ years of experience working as a private equity investor or advisor, preferably with experience of both successful investments and those that have been challenging.

• Strong technical deal experience and track record of leading on day-to-day transaction execution

• An accountancy qualification is desirable, combined with either transactional services experience or corporate finance advisor experience

• Experience of businesses in the healthcare sector is desirable

• Track record of working with management teams – high EQ and human capital skills

• Portfolio management and value creation experience is desirable

Compensation & Benefits

We are fortunate to have a high calibre, high performing team working across Bridges. You can expect to work in a vibrant, positive, inclusive, collaborative environment where the focus is on building successful and sustainable businesses with lasting economic value.

You can expect:

• Competitive base salary commensurate with role level

• Carried interest across all new PE funds

• 25 days annual leave, plus UK bank holidays

• 5% pension contribution

• A range of benefits, including enhanced family friendly policies, employee healthcare benefits (PMI and Dental), employee protection benefits (group income protection and life insurance), an employee assistance programme, alongside other initiatives to promote the wellbeing of our team and a healthier working environment.

Application Process

For the Investment Director role, we will initially advertise the role on a number of jobs platforms, accessible to a wide range of candidates (e.g. LinkedIn, Escape the City, Alumni Networks).

Applications will be submitted via the Applied platform, which is designed to reduce unconscious bias versus traditional CV-based methods of hiring. Candidates will be asked to respond to scenario based questions on the platform, which will be reviewed blind by a diverse panel of colleagues, before a traditional review of CVs.

Applications will be open until 30th July. We will filter applications from the 31st July, and will begin to arrange interviews shortly afterwards. We expect the interview process to take 2-4 weeks in total.

Bridges Fund Management is an equal opportunities employer and ensures that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments for any part of the recruitment process for candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the role.