Venture Manager

Job Summary

UBC Sauder School of Business is one of the world’s leading business faculties. The school consistently ranks among the top 100 in the world and is recognized internationally for excellence in research and learning, an outstanding faculty and unmatched global partnerships. A collaborative and respectful culture within which all members of our community can thrive is a key principle in our strategic plan, and one that underpins our educational mission.

We acknowledge that UBC Sauder at the Vancouver Point Grey campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam. We acknowledge that UBC Sauder at UBC Robson Square is situated on the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh.

Founders Lab is UBC Sauder's platform for supporting founders and ventures at every stage, from seed through scale up. It brings together the Creative Destruction Lab – Vancouver (CDL-Vancouver), Scale Up, and Connect programs to help ventures grow, succeed, and create real impact, while giving students hands on, experiential learning opportunities through direct exposure to real founders and ventures.

The Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a non-profit, objective based mentorship program that helps seed stage, science based startups commercialize breakthrough technology over nine months, guided by experienced entrepreneur mentors.

Scale Up is a cohort based program that helps growth stage ventures build the operating discipline needed to grow from early traction to institutional and corporate scale.

Connect is a program that strengthens the innovation ecosystem and gives students experiential learning through thought leadership, conferences, and custom challenges connecting corporate and government partners with vetted ventures.

The Venture Manager is responsible for several elements of day-to-day CDL operations, including identifying potential opportunities, venture recruiting, account management for the ventures in the cohort, and supporting the delivery of CDL programming.

Organizational Status
Reports to the Senior Venture Manager and works closely with other members of the Founders Lab team.

Work Performed

Venture Recruiting
- Identifies and creates lists of centres of innovation in Western Canadian and US Universities, venture capital funds, incubators & accelerators and tech associations to build a strong pipeline of CDL applicants.
- Proactively searches and creates new business relationships for CDL-Vancouver and works with Senior Venture Managers to engage current and future cohorts.
- Manages day-to-day facilitation between CDL, new ventures and other groups. Creates internal and external relationships to provide high level opportunities to the new ventures.
- Advises on the development of outreach strategy for recruitment of future CDL-Vancouver cohort based on past experience.
- Builds pipeline of CDL prospects and implements system for monitoring.
- Utilizes analytical tools and evaluation frameworks to assess fit for early-stage science and engineering-based start-ups that apply for the CDL program.
- Conducts initial screening of all CDL applicants and provides recommendations to decision committee.

Venture Management
- Supports Venture Managers and Senior Venture Managers with account management activities, including communications, research and overall client management.
- Provides business development support to CDL-Vancouver ventures, as required.
- Reviews and documents interactions between ventures, CDL Scientists, investors, and MBA/BCom students.
- Creates plans based on interactions with ventures and provides advice to different groups.
- Utilizes project management systems and generates reports for senior management on weekly basis

CDL Operations
- Supports strategic process improvement initiatives and makes recommendations the Senior Venture Managers to ensure business success.
- Reports on CDL-Vancouver KPIs and creates initial plans to present to the Senior Venture Managers and Director.
- Supports rollout of integrated communication strategy (social media, PR, etc.) in collaboration with CDL Toronto team.
- Provides ad hoc event planning support to CDL-Vancouver division.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Founders Lab is a high priority and high-profile initiative for the UBC Sauder School of Business and UBC. Program outcomes can be expected to have a significant impact on UBC Sauder’s and UBC’s public profile and standing in the eyes of universities, the startup and technology sector, and the general public in both Canada and the US. Lack of professionalism and poor decision making could lead to loss of support and fundamental damage to the reputation of the Founders Lab and UBC

Supervision Received
Reports to the Senior Venture Manager.

Supervision Given
N/A

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of four years of related experience with at least two years of experience in business analysis or project management, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Post-graduate degree in a relevant field, or equivalent professional experience is preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to establish a vision and plan strategically in a complex competitive environment.

• Experience in technology innovation and commercialization

• Experience leading teams and working in start-up/technology company in leadership roles.

• Strong understanding of business models and drivers of success in start-ups across several verticals.

• Deep financial literacy and experience with fundraising and venture deals.

• Experience and confidence working with senior tech executives and angel investors.

• Highly motivated with strong interest in all aspects of business development and relationship management.

• Demonstrated ability to raise operational funding from government agencies, corporations and individual donors.

• Ability to analyze and systematically evaluate ventures - proficient with financial modeling, conducting market analysis, and strategic planning.

• Previous experience founding a start-up is an asset.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and public speaking skills.

• Passion to consistently meet or exceed performance objectives. Strong, team-oriented work ethic with willingness to work independently and autonomously.

• Project management expertise, with strong tech stack abilities and experience managing inter-disciplinary teams.

• High level of professionalism.

• Strong people and relationship skills and ability to operate effectively with senior stakeholders, peers and to coach and empower their local team.

• Domain expertise in technology commercialization and early stage funding, and existing relationships with leaders in corporate innovation, seed stage investment and technology translation.