Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Director, Business Development and Investor Relations

at Corus International

🏢 About Corus International

Corus International is an impact-first investment fund that has already generated over $50 million in incomes for low-income rural families and helped farmers adapt 50,000 acres to climate change. Their ambitious goal to put $1 billion into the hands of low-income rural families makes them a leader in mission-driven investing, offering a rare opportunity to combine financial acumen with tangible social and environmental impact.

About This Role

As Senior Director of Business Development and Investor Relations, you will lead a $20 million capital raise for Ground Up Investing's second fund and architect the strategy for a subsequent $75 million fund. This role is pivotal in scaling Corus's impact, managing relationships with high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and DFIs, and building a high-performing team to drive resource acquisition.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve a morning call with a DFI partner to discuss due diligence for the new fund, followed by a strategy session with your team on targeting HNWIs. Afternoon could include preparing impact reports for existing investors, then a late meeting with a foundation interested in the $75M fund. Evenings might be reserved for networking events or drafting a quarterly investor newsletter.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Corus International Is Looking For

  • Proven track record of raising seven-figure to $10M+ investments from HNWIs, foundations, impact investors, and DFIs, ideally within impact investing, ESG, or private credit.
  • 10+ years of experience in fundraising or sales with a Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, International Development, Public Policy, or Communications.
  • Strong leadership skills with experience building and managing teams in Business Development, Investor Relations, and Marketing & Communications.
  • Deep understanding of impact measurement and ability to articulate Corus's mission to diverse stakeholders, including sophisticated investors.

📝 Tips for Applying to Corus International

1

Quantify your fundraising successes: Include specific dollar amounts raised, number of investors secured, and types of investors (e.g., HNWIs, foundations, DFIs) in your resume and cover letter.

2

Highlight impact investing expertise: Emphasize any experience with ESG metrics, climate adaptation, or agricultural development to align with Corus's mission.

3

Tailor your cover letter to Corus's specific goal of $1B for rural families: Explain how your skills directly contribute to scaling their impact.

4

Prepare a brief narrative on your leadership style: Since you'll build a team, describe how you've recruited, mentored, and motivated teams in the past.

5

Showcase relationship management: Provide examples of long-term investor partnerships you've maintained and how you've handled transparent communication.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your passion for impact investing and alignment with Corus's mission to support low-income rural families and climate adaptation.", 'Specific examples of successful capital raises from HNWIs, foundations, or DFIs, including the size and impact of those funds.', 'Your experience in building and leading teams, especially in business development and investor relations.', "How you would approach the $20M raise and the subsequent $75M fund, including any innovative strategies you'd propose."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review Corus's portfolio companies and their impact metrics (e.g., income increases, acres adapted) to understand their investment thesis.
  • → Study Ground Up Investing's first fund: its size, strategy, and investor base to inform your capital raise approach.
  • → Research key trends in impact investing, especially in rural development and climate-smart agriculture, to discuss in interviews.
  • → Understand the competitive landscape: other impact funds targeting similar investors (e.g., Root Capital, Acumen) and how Corus differentiates.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through your experience raising capital from DFIs and foundations. What strategies worked best?
2 How do you measure and communicate impact to impact investors? Provide an example of a complex impact metric you've used.
3 Describe a time you built a team from scratch or turned around a struggling fundraising team. What was your approach?
4 What is your understanding of the current landscape for impact investing in agriculture and climate adaptation?
5 How would you prioritize between raising capital for the current $20M fund and planning for the $75M fund?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Failing to articulate your personal commitment to impact: This role requires genuine passion, not just financial expertise.
  • Overlooking the need for team-building experience: The job requires leading a new team; provide concrete examples of people management.
  • Being too generic about investor types: Specify which types (HNWIs, foundations, DFIs) you've worked with and how you approached each.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Corus International!

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