Current Openings

• Associate, Ratings Operations
• Financial Institutions Rating Analyst

Job Title: Associate, Ratings Operations
Supervisor: Associate Director, Operations and Ratings
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Philadelphia, PA/Remote

Position Summary

Aeris is recruiting associates with a passion for social and environmental justice who are self-starters, quick-learners, collaborators, and into data and details. As an Aeris Associate, you will support our financial and impact ratings of community development loan funds (CDFIs). These financial institutions provide loans for affordable housing development and homeownership, women and minority-owned small businesses, and the development of community facilities for historically marginalized communities and underserved people. Aeris Associates work in a collaborative team environment and learn new skills, content, and ideas to help guide capital to good.

We are looking for team members who have prior experience interpreting and analyzing financial statements (preferably of lending institutions). The Associate position is designed to provide a foundation for other opportunities in the company and the community development finance industry. You will need to manage your performance against scheduled workloads, demonstrate flexibility as you work with the team in response to changing business needs and priorities. You will be collaborating closely with the Aeris team, our rating analysts, and the CDFIs we rate and collect data from.

You will:

• Manage CDFIs’ data and document submissions to the Aeris Cloud (Aeris’ proprietary data collection platform) and verify the accuracy of the data they submit.
• Produce calculated ratios and related tables and graphs for Aeris’ rating analyses or quarterly performance reports on individual CDFI, as well as proof and finalize quarterly financial statements and reported performance metrics. Accuracy is critical!
• Prepare detailed financial and narrative report templates for Aeris Analysts.
• Communicate with CDFIs and Aeris Analysts when clarification or additional data is needed about the materials CDFIs have submitted.
• Lead demonstrations of the Aeris Cloud for external users.
• Promote Aeris by participating in industry convenings/events, both virtual and in-person.

Your professional experience should include

• Bachelor’s Degree in business, finance, or related fields;
• 1-3 years of professional experience in financial services;
• Demonstrated accounting experience and education;
• Familiarity with nonprofit financial statements is a plus.

Your knowledge and skills should include

• Strong accounting knowledge and skills, proficiency in production and analysis of lender financials, nonprofit financial reporting experience a plus.
• Timeliness, focus on detailed work for accuracy, thoroughness, self-motivation, and initiative
• Excellent written and verbal communication of a professional quality
• Superior professional interpersonal skills, ability to work both independently and in teams and with diverse constituents
• Advanced Excel and Word skills, familiarity with customer relationship management (CRM) systems desired; preferably Salesforce.com
• Alignment of personal goals with Aeris’ mission and the field of impact investing

No extraordinary physical requirements beyond ability to travel (5%). ADA/EOE

A Short Introduction to Aeris
Aeris is the leading expert in the financial and impact performance of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and other private impact loan funds. These mission-driven financial institutions make loans and investments to generate deep social and environmental impact in communities. Drawing upon our in-depth knowledge, Aeris guides capital to good by providing indispensable tools and solutions to more than 200 corporate, government, and philanthropic CDFI investors and other stakeholders. Since 2004, Aeris® Ratings, analyses, and data have grown to cover more than 150 CDFIs managing more than $19 billion in loan capital.

To apply:

Applicants should send resume and cover letter as email attachment to careers@aerisinsight.com, with subject line “Search: Associate, Ratings Operations.”

Title: Financial Institutions Rating Analyst
Term: Full-time or part-time contractor
Supervisor: Director of Ratings and Analysis
Work Location: National remote

Position Summary
Aeris offers mature financial professionals the opportunity to use your financial analysis and credit skills for social good. We are seeking qualified candidates to join our team of experienced financial analysts. We provide rating reports on community development (CDFI) loan funds across the country that support impact investing.

• The impact management rating is an assessment of how well a CDFI pursues and achieves positive change related to its mission and impact goals.
• The financial rating assesses CDFI strength from the perspective of an unsecured investor with a 3- to 5-year investment horizon.

You will

• Be assigned rating analyses of specific CDFIs.
• Analyze the most recent five years of financial information, including audits, portfolio performance reports, and Aeris standardized financial spreads, ratios, tables, and charts.
• Review written policies and narrative documents relating to impact, financial performance, and management, such as strategic plans, board minutes, and underwriting policies.
• Conduct one to two days of interviews with management and board members.
• Write the rating report, averaging 50 pages in length, including opinions on the significant strengths and weaknesses, descriptions of programs and processes, Aeris standardized tables and charts, and explanations for changes.
• Present the rating report and recommended rating to the Aeris rating committee.

Analysts are supported by an operations team that produces initial financial spreads, and a quality review team to ensure credit analysis and writing standards.

Aeris management and experienced analysts are rating committee members. You will have the opportunity to qualify as a rating committee member after completion of several rating analyses, based on management’s assessment of your skills and Aeris experience.

Your professional experience and skills should include

• Extensive experience underwriting financial institutions or structured funds for investment, including qualitative aspects of organizations.
• Sound judgement of financial strengths and weaknesses.
• Solid understanding of accounting concepts.
• Writing skills of publication quality.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Work well with rote processes, standard conventions, and project deadlines.
• Proficiency in MS Office Word and Excel; experience with Salesforce is a plus.
• Understanding issues, trends, and operations of CDFIs and other impact sectors is a plus.

Aeris analysts are mostly drawn from mid-career to semi-retired financial services professionals.
No extraordinary physical requirements beyond ability to travel. ADA/EOE

A Short Introduction to Aeris

Aeris guides capital to good. We are a rating and information service in the impact investing field, which has grown into a $500 billion industry over the last decade. Impact investments aim to address some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges as well as yield a financial return. Aeris provides ratings, analysis, information, and consulting services that bring accountability and transparency to impact investing.

Aeris was established in 2004, focusing first on rating private community development loan funds (CDFIs). These loan funds invest in women and minority-owned small businesses, commercial real estate, affordable housing, and community facilities in socially and economically challenged communities throughout the United States. In 2013, Aeris built a cloud-based platform to collect and manage impact and financial information on CDFIs to further support Aeris services and to provide impact investors with timely data.

More recently, Aeris began applying our knowledge, expertise, and tools to the broader impact investment world. Today, we are expanding the functionalities of our platform to offer impact fund managers a highly reliable SaaS product that supports the collection, management, and analysis of impact and financial performance data of their investments.

Part- Time Contract Terms

For part time Contractor positions, qualified analysts are assigned a minimum of three CDFI analyses per year when fully onboarded. Rating assignments typically complete over a period of four to five months with total analyst hours ranging between 80 to 120 per assignment. Some training time should be factored into the first three to four assignments.

Analysts scheduling is done roughly six months ahead although some scheduling flexibility is required to accommodate unforeseen changes. Site visits for management interviews are periodically scheduled; currently all interviews are being done remotely.

Compensation is based on scope of analysis and complexity of organization.

Full-time Analysts
Full-time analysts on staff work a regular 40 hour week with paid time off and benefits.

Submission of Applications
Please send applications electronically to Helen Leung, Chief Operating Officer at Careers@AerisInsight.com

To be considered, applications must include:

1. A cover letter stating how your interest and relevant experience fit this opportunity, and
2. A full resume or CV.