Position Announcement : Director, Investments

Director, Investments, Sobrato Capital; Mountain View, CA

About Us

Sobrato Capital is the securities investment office for The Sobrato Organization (TSO), a large, family-owned real estate development and securities investment company in Silicon Valley that owns approximately 15 million square feet of office and multi-family properties. Sobrato Capital oversees and manages more than $3.5B in non-real estate assets for The Sobrato Organization, composed of both public and private equity securities. Included in this are the assets of Sobrato Philanthropies, one of the most generous charitable organizations in the Bay Area. Sobrato Capital commits capital to a growing, global portfolio of leading venture capital and private equity funds. In addition, Sobrato Capital has occasionally deployed capital in direct / co-investments alongside its fund relationships and expects that it will increase such investments in the future. The Sobrato Capital team considers itself long-term, out-of-the-box and, at times, contrarian investors. A fundamental component of Sobrato Capital’s mission is to grow and build the resources of Sobrato Philanthropies. More details on The Sobrato Organization can be found at www.sobrato.com.

The Role

Sobrato Capital is interested in recruiting a Director, Investments who can round out the investment team and help position the portfolio for the future. Under the supervision of the Chief Investment Officer, the Director, Investments is a critical contributor to the implementation of a multi-billion portfolio as part of a small team with a collaborative decision-making process. This position requires a candidate to be interested in working across investment strategies. This includes analyzing, monitoring, sourcing, diligencing, selecting and recommending investments with both existing and new investment opportunities. The Director, Investments is also responsible for maintaining an ongoing and meaningful dialogue with a subset of existing investment managers; assisting in the day-to-day monitoring of the overall investment portfolio; assessing new and ongoing investment strategies by researching and keeping abreast of current economic trends; assisting in the preparation of investment presentation materials for TSO; and sharing insights, information, and opinions with others at TSO.

The Director, Investments will work closely with the CEO/CIO managing a global securities investment platform with an emphasis on (i) helping to manage the public equities portfolio, (ii) assessing private equity fund and occasionally direct / co-investment opportunities (including so-called impact investments from the Sobrato family’s philanthropic portfolios) and (iii) providing analytical, research and reporting support. The investment office is seeking to meaningfully grow its public and private equity portfolio in the coming years and this investment professional will contribute and participate in all decisions related to manager selection, portfolio construction, direct investments, etc. The role will be expansive in its day-to-day responsibilities.

In addition to supporting the securities portfolios, the role may include research and analytical support for the entire organization, including the real estate holdings working in partnership with TSO’s Enterprise Operations organization. Also, the role may support impact investment activity by Sobrato Philanthropies, which is expected to increase over time and consists of both fund and direct investments.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain tools to track and monitor prospective and existing securities investments.
  • Compose investment recommendations, serving as a thought partner to the CEO/CIO, and assist in preparation of Investment Committee materials and performance reports.
  • Conduct research projects and investigate investment themes in various asset classes and sectors.
  • Lead portfolio level analytics and enhance existing reporting formats.
  • Represent Sobrato Capital at industry events and manager meetings.
  • Assist in the evaluation, selection, and monitoring of private equity fund and direct / co-investment opportunities.
  • Assist with day-to-day management and running of the investment office.
  • As appropriate, assist and interface with the other enterprise groups of The Sobrato Organization, including the real estate development organization and Sobrato Philanthropies.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will possess investment experience preferably as an allocator with an endowment, foundation, family office, OCIO, investment management firm, or fund of funds. This experience should include three to five years of direct institutional investment experience involving investments and asset allocation decisions, as well as knowledge of institutional investment practices and procedures and experience interpreting quantitative and qualitative data to make strategic investment recommendations.

Leading candidates will likely bring top academic credentials and ideally an MBA or CFA, as well as be a proficient user of software tools such as PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Bloomberg, etc.

Skills and Interests

  • Detail-oriented with strong analytical skills and quantitative capabilities.
  • Interested in an expansive role that spans the spectrum of securities investment transactions.
  • Intellectual curiosity and strong critical reasoning skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong work ethic and the ability to juggle multiple tasks and respond to changing priorities.
  • High ethical and professional standards.
  • Team player who is willing to roll up sleeves and work independently with minimal guidance.
  • Ability to know when to act independently on decisions and when to share and seek feedback as a team.
  • Comfortable in a family office environment.
  • Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Background Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from a top-tier institution.
  • 5-7 years total work experience.
  • Endowment & foundation, investment management, or investment consulting background.
  • Capital markets and/or private equity transaction experience a plus.

Opportunity

This is an outstanding professional opportunity to have impact within a sophisticated investment program, participate in shaping the next chapter in the Sobrato Capital’s evolution, work with highly talented and committed colleagues at The Sobrato Organization, and contribute to the growth of its financial assets.

Contact:

Russell Reynolds Associates has been exclusively retained for this search and prospective candidates are invited to contact Russell Reynolds Associates directly. To apply for the role, please reach out to Jeff Warren (jeffrey.warren@russellreynolds.com) and Anjelica Zalin (anjelica.zalin@russellreynolds.com).