Portfolio Manager - Romania

Portfolio Manager, Romania

Organization Profile

NESsT is an international non-profit organization with offices in Latin America and Europe and a global leadership team based in the U.S. NESsT supports social enterprises that provide dignified employment in emerging-market countries, helping people overcome poverty. We invest in enterprises that create employment opportunities for communities facing isolation, discrimination, limited job skills, and poor education. Our investments help communities become self-sufficient and empowered to determine their own futures.

We believe locally based social enterprises are uniquely positioned to transform low-income, excluded, and environmentally vulnerable communities because they understand and serve the needs of the people they support.

Learn more at www.nesst.org.

Position Overview

The Portfolio Manager will support the investment strategy for a portfolio of high-impact social enterprises in Romania.

The role will oversee due diligence, assess financial sustainability and social impact potential, and prepare investment recommendations for review and approval by NESsT's Investment Committee.

The Portfolio Manager will support portfolio enterprises in validating their business models and strengthening their management, governance, systems, networks, and growth strategies. The role will also identify local mentors, facilitate advisory support, and help enterprises leverage additional investment and donor funding, including blended capital.

Additionally, the Portfolio Manager will lead communications activities to increase NESsT's visibility and strengthen its positioning among key stakeholders. The position reports to the Country Director in Romania and collaborates with local and international teams to improve NESsT's business services and impact methodology and contribute to the development of the social enterprise sector.

Employment type: Full-time, remote, based in Bucharest, Romania. Employees work from a home-based office.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Portfolio Development

• Lead the evaluation of potential portfolio enterprises, including preliminary assessments of business potential and social impact.
• Proactively identify prospective portfolio enterprises and build relationships with partners who can refer suitable candidates.
• Conduct due diligence and financial modeling, develop investment packages (grants, recoverable grants, and patient loans), and prepare Investment Memos for the Investment Committee.
• Work with portfolio enterprises to establish annual financial and social goals and develop business services plans.
• Deliver business services to strengthen management and governance, marketing and sales, operations, financing, and social and environmental impact, leveraging external mentors and NESsT corporate partners.
• Coordinate volunteer engagement and learning opportunities for corporate partners and help identify employers who can hire beneficiaries trained by portfolio enterprises.
• Organize portfolio-related events, including retreats, site visits, exchange visits, webinars, mentoring and coaching sessions, and local and regional conferences.
• Monitor and evaluate investments, measure impact, prepare reports, and recommend improvements.
• Oversee financial and legal operations, including contract development, grant disbursements, and follow-up on activities and expenditure variances. Maintain internal knowledge and data management systems.
• Work directly with entrepreneurs and management teams to identify business challenges, develop practical solutions, support implementation, and monitor progress against agreed goals.
  

2. Communications and Stakeholder Engagement

• Support portfolio enterprises in developing communications strategies that strengthen their positioning with existing and potential clients and within the broader social impact sector.
• Promote NESsT as a social impact investor with a strong track record of growing social enterprises and creating dignified employment.
• Produce press releases, articles, blogs, newsletters, publications, photo essays, and videos highlighting NESsT's portfolio and initiatives.
• Monitor media coverage and maintain communications through Facebook, newsletters, and the NESsT website, as required by projects and in coordination with the global team.
• Respond to general inquiries about NESsT and support media outreach in Romania.
• Represent NESsT at external meetings, conferences, and other relevant events.
• Identify, research, and build relationships with potential corporate, government, foundation, and other investor and donor partners to secure financial support for NESsT.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 3–5 years of progressively responsible experience in strategy, consulting, finance, or impact investing. Experience in investment banking, private equity, or venture capital is an advantage.
• Strong analytical skills, financial modeling experience, and a highly organized, logical, and diligent approach to work.
• Demonstrated commitment to social impact, including through volunteer experience. Experience with social enterprises is an advantage.
• Experience working in emerging markets, particularly Central and Eastern Europe.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both Romanian and English.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and deliver high-quality work within tight deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with local and international teams.
• Flexibility, resourcefulness, and innovation in a small, dynamic non-profit environment.
• Familiarity with Microsoft applications. Salesforce experience is an advantage.

Location and Working Arrangements

Location: Bucharest, Romania — fully remote, working from home.

Schedule: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Due to NESsT's international operations, online meetings, training sessions, and conferences may occasionally take place outside these hours.

Travel: Occasional national and international travel, including visits to portfolio enterprises and representation of NESsT at events.

Employment Details

Start date: January 2027.

Contract: Full-time, 12-month fixed-term employment contract, including a 30-working-day probationary period, with the possibility of extension subject to funding, performance, and applicable law.

Salary: RON 16,000–18,000 gross per month, depending on skills and experience.

Benefits: Meal vouchers, private medical insurance, and life insurance.

Application deadline: November 15, 2026.

Please click on the green "Apply for this job" button to apply. We ask for the following:

• A thoughtful cover letter explaining why you're the right fit for this role
• Your available starting date
• Your resume
• Salary expectations (Gross monthly amount in RON)

Note: All application documents must be written in English. NESsT is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds. In our ongoing effort to strengthen and diversify our team, we want to inform you that this position is affirmative for women, Indigenous people, people of colour, or the LGBTQIA+ community. If you identify with any, we encourage you to apply.