About NextWorld

NextWorld is a unique private capital firm combining investments and philanthropic activities under one brand, with a common purpose of creating value for society.  NextWorld’s main philanthropic program is a strategic partnership with the Erol Foundation, a grantmaking entity with global reach and operations. NextWorld provides the Erol Foundation with strategic consulting, research capabilities, operational solutions in the US, and various management services.

About the Erol Foundation

Erol’s mission is to invest in effective organizations and courageous leaders with the potential to move our world toward a more sustainable, just and prosperous future.  It aims to do this through strategic grantmaking in the following funding areas: Climate Action, Climate Solutions, Better Business, Wildlife Protection and Equality of Chances. 

Informing its funding areas and grantmaking decisions, Erol relies heavily on external research and expertise to provide an understanding of the issue landscape as well as the role of each individual grantee and its projects.  Erol’s strategy is thoughtful and at the same time responsive to critical moments in time, seeking opportunities to dramatically accelerate change.

Erol is managed by a small team providing the opportunity for immediate and meaningful impact.  There will be exposure to all areas of grantmaking including foundation strategy, research, sourcing, due diligence, proposal review, measurement and evaluation.

For more detail visit: nextworld.com and erolfoundation.org.  

The Erol Foundation’s strategy is ever-evolving as it seeks to fund effective and relevant projects in support of its mission.  In addition to a core five-year strategy, the team is always evaluating additional funding themes, processing new information and responding to global events.  To adapt its giving with speed, effectiveness and confidence, the addition of a Research Associate is critical to scaling Erol’s impact.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide on demand issue research and organization summaries to inform funding decisions
• Conduct in-depth strategic research and analysis, both quantitative and qualitative, utilizing literature reviews, interviews with issue experts and stakeholders, and data collection
• Draft and design clear and engaging materials for Foundation leadership and stakeholders including written summaries, presentations and graphics
• Respond to requests for reporting, including an annual report for all stakeholders, as well as an activity report for compliance purposes
• Participate in grantee sourcing and due diligence activities through targeted networking and research
• Support broader NextWorld’s philanthropic activities as needed
• Become an engaged member of the NextWorld team, adhering to its core values and cultural practices

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• 2-4+ years in a role with comparable or complementary responsibilities; experience conducting research is preferred
• An understanding of, and passion for environmental issues particularly pertaining to climate science, movement building, wildlife protection, sustainable business, multilateral collaboration, conservation strategies and/or climate justice
• Ability to work on a remote team with minimal supervision
• A growth mindset with a commitment to curiosity and learning from outside perspectives
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively communicate with senior management and external stakeholders
• Excellent writing skills
• Proficiency in MS Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint

This is a full-time position located in San Francisco, California. NextWorld offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience.