VP of Investments

Position: Vice President of Investments

Location: Raleigh, Hybrid

Relocation: Relocation support available for the right candidate

About the Role

A private markets investment firm focused on real assets is seeking a Vice President of Investments to serve as a senior deal lead within its core investment platform. This role owns transactions end-to-end, from sourcing and underwriting through investment committee approval, closing, and ongoing portfolio oversight.

Working closely with senior investment leadership, the VP will act as the deal quarterback, driving transactions forward, interfacing directly with operators, brokers, and counterparties, and translating complex asset-level dynamics into rigorous, institutional-quality investment decisions.

This role is suited for an investment professional who is highly agentic, comfortable operating independently, and equally effective in the field with operators and in the boardroom with senior leadership. A strong understanding of asset-level operating economics is essential, as the investment thesis extends well beyond traditional real estate modeling.

Key Responsibilities - Portfolio and Operations Intelligence

• Maintain a working command of asset-level operating economics and key performance drivers
• Monitor portfolio performance against underwriting assumptions and surface variances with clear analysis
• Serve as the primary investment interface with operators and property managers
• Translate field-level and operational data into portfolio-level insights for senior leadership
• Apply a disciplined investment mindset to buy, hold, and sell decisions using valuations, market intelligence, and risk analysis
• Act as a thought partner to senior leadership, constructively challenging assumptions and contributing to investment strategy discussions

Financial Modeling and Investment Underwriting

• Build, own, and pressure-test detailed financial models including IRR and MOIC analysis, cash flow projections, scenario analysis, and sensitivity tables
• Structure and analyze complex deal terms, including joint ventures, preferred returns, promote structures, and profit-sharing arrangements
• Prepare investment committee materials, underwriting memos, and asset valuations suitable for institutional review
• Use AI-assisted modeling and analysis tools to accelerate scenario testing and stress assumptions while maintaining high analytical rigor

Deal Execution and Transaction Management

• Own the transaction process end to end, from initial screening through due diligence, documentation, and closing
• Maintain and manage a live deal pipeline with clear prioritization and forward momentum
• Develop and manage sourcing relationships with brokers, operators, family sellers, and other counterparties
• Coordinate due diligence workstreams across operational, legal, environmental, and contractual areas
• Synthesize due diligence findings into clear, actionable investment recommendations
• Coordinate with internal and external advisors to drive transactions to close efficiently

Market Coverage and External Relationships

• Represent the firm in the field and in market-facing settings
• Participate in investor and limited partner interactions, presenting deals and portfolio performance with credibility
• Track market trends, transaction activity, and pricing dynamics using both traditional research and AI-powered tools

Technology and AI Focus

• Operate fluently with internal data platforms, reporting tools, and investment systems
• Bring an AI-forward mindset to investment workflows
• Identify opportunities to automate analysis, compress due diligence timelines, and improve underwriting quality and speed
• Apply agentic AI tools as a daily working resource with sound judgment and appropriate human oversight

Qualifications

• 5 to 10 years of experience in real assets investing, agricultural investments, agribusiness private equity, investment banking, or a related field
• Direct transaction experience across the full investment life cycle required
• Strong financial modeling skills including IRR, MOIC, waterfall structures, and scenario analysis
• Deep comfort owning deals independently and driving them forward in a fast-paced environment
• Strong communication skills with both internal leadership and external counterparties
• Agentic, intellectually curious, and operationally minded
• Advanced proficiency with AI tools used as a working capability, not an experiment
• Undergraduate degree required; MBA, CFA, or equivalent advanced credential a plus
• Exposure to REIT structures is a plus
• Background in agriculture, real assets, or operating-intensive investments strongly preferred

Role Highlights

• Senior investment role with full life cycle ownership
• Hybrid schedule with consistent in-person collaboration
• Willingness to relocate for the right candidate
• Direct partnership with senior investment leadership
• Strong emphasis on AI, automation, and process improvement
• Opportunity to shape investment strategy, tools, and workflows

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact HR@vaco.com .

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

For residents of Ontario, Canada only: to the extent the position for employment is not with Highspring or not otherwise noted as vacant above, candidate should be informed that this role is to replace a presently employed person at Vaco by Highspring's client.

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
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• Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

· the individual's skill sets, experience and training;

· licensure and certification requirements;

· office location and other geographic considerations; and

· other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).