Supervisor: Director, Marketing and Communications
Start Date: April 2010
Contact: Jen Stine
Director, Human Resources and Administration
SUMMARY
Root Capital seeks a talented and versatile Staff Writer to join the Business Development and External Affairs department. Working closely with the Director of Marketing and Communications as well as senior staff for investor relations, the Writer will be responsible for creating compelling content for marketing materials and grant proposals, while ensuring consistency in branding and messaging. In addition, s/he will develop a knowledge management system to capture and share organizational learning both internally and externally. Candidates holding a Master's Degree are especially encouraged to apply. In addition, candidates should possess: excellent written communication skills with a demonstrated command of grammar, punctuation, and style; four years of experience writing and editing a variety of content, including funding proposals; strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills; intermediate to advanced Spanish writing and conversational skills; the ability and desire to travel to rural areas in the developing countries in which we operate; and a passion for Root Capital's mission of building sustainable livelihoods in rural communities through socially and environmentally responsible investing.
MISSION AND HISTORY OF ROOT CAPITAL
Root Capital's mission is to pioneer finance for grassroots businesses that build sustainable livelihoods and transform rural communities in poor, environmentally vulnerable places.
Root Capital is a nonprofit social investment fund that is pioneering finance for grassroots businesses in rural areas of developing countries. We provide capital, financial education, and market connections to small and growing businesses that build sustainable livelihoods and transform rural communities in poor environmentally vulnerable places.
Through innovative approaches to development finance, Root Capital aims to fill the "missing middle" of finance - serving organizations caught in the gap between microfinance and traditional banking. We provide loans ranging on average from $25,000 to $1,000,000 to rural enterprises and agricultural entrepreneurs that link smallholder farmers and artisans to competitive markets. Since our launch in 1999, we have provided more than $150 million in credit to 254 grassroots enterprises in 30 countries, maintaining a 99% repayment rate from our borrowers and a 100% repayment rate to our investors. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Root Capital currently has associated offices in Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru and Kenya.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop clear and consistent content for fact sheets, annual reports, donor correspondence, website pages, and similar materials for external outreach activities.
- Write, review, and edit proposals and letters of intent for corporations, foundations, and government agencies in collaboration with relevant staff.
- Conduct research to support writing assignments. Collaborate with staff from different teams and interview clients in the field as needed to gather information for written materials.
- Assist in drafting and/or editing media materials, such as press releases, letters to the editor, briefing materials, and case studies. Assist in developing the messaging in response to relevant events and media coverage.
- Capture, synthesize, and share key organizational information.
- Develop an internal resource library and ensure it remains current with relevant fact sheets, industry reports, and other documents.
- Other responsibilities as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, or similar field plus four years of related professional experience, or equivalent combination. Master's degree is preferred.
- Excellent written communication skills with a demonstrated command of grammar, punctuation and style.
- Experience writing and editing grant proposals, plus one or more of the following: newsletter, magazine, press release, website article, fact sheet, presentation, or similar material.
- Ability to communicate complex, technical ideas in a compelling and succinct form for a variety of audiences, such as donors, investors, and partners.
- Strong verbal communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills; ability to gather targeted information from a diverse audience, ranging from partner organizations to smallholder farmers.
- Intermediate to advanced Spanish writing skills. Conversational Spanish skills in order to conduct interviews with clients. Proficiency in French is a plus.
- Ability to work independently and prioritize tasks appropriately.
- Awareness of international development issues and a general knowledge of fundraising. Familiarity with the fields of social enterprise, sustainable agriculture, impact investing, and finance is helpful.
- Experience in knowledge management systems is a plus.
- Ability and desire to travel to the rural regions of the developing countries in which we operate.
- Passion for Root Capital's mission of environmentally and socially responsible investing.
SALARY: Commensurate with experience.
APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS
More information about Root Capital is available at www.rootcapital.org
Applications are due by March 1, 2010. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Applications including a resume and cover letter describing your interest, qualifications, language abilities, salary requirements, and how you learned of the position should be sent to: jobs@rootcapital.org. Brief writing samples are welcome but not required. Please type "Staff Writer" followed by your name (Last, First) as the subject line of your email (e.g. "Staff Writer - Santos, Elizabeth"). Finalist candidates will be required to provide at least three work-related references.
Root Capital is an equal opportunity employer.
