Venture Development Specialist - Skandalaris Center

Washington University in St. Louis

4d • $49,700 - $82,100 • Hybrid

About The Position

This position advises entrepreneurial students and supports founders and students interested in VC/investment careers and helps them connect with resources they need, including each other, to advance their ideas and develop their skills. The Venture Development Specialist implements multiple venture/ideation competitions and programs, designs inducements to engage innovators university-wide, and facilitates operational management of the Center’s investment portfolio including relationships with the WashU Venture Network, startups, and investors.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.
• Relevant Experience (3 Years)

Nice To Haves

• Graduate degree in business, finance, or entrepreneurship.
• Proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks and deadlines with varying degrees of pressure; ability to exercise judgment and take corrective action.
• Donor and volunteer management, including positive stewardship, experience.
• Investor and LP management.
• Background working in entrepreneurial support organizations or directly at a startup venture or venture capital firm.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite Package, AirTable Software Management, PitchBook, and Crunchbase.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, written and verbal; a service-oriented communicator who is a true team player.
• Strong creative and problem-solving skills, organizational skills, event management, attention to detail, and customer service skills.
• This position requires a self-starter with excellent project management, technical, communication (both written and oral), and interpersonal skills.
• Desire to work in environment of growth and change.
• Must be able to work independently in an environment of multiple and conflicting priorities and projects; anticipate and resolve problems and updates leadership on status of projects.
• The candidate should have good professional judgment, initiative, and confidence.
• The candidate will work independently but have the ability to function as part of a team, coordinating with multiple constituencies.
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• Master's degree
• Airtable (Software)
• Confidentiality
• Entrepreneurship
• Interpersonal Communication
• Microsoft Office
• Multitasking
• PitchBook (Software)
• Project Management
• Sound Judgment
• Start-Ups
• Team Player
• Venture Capital
• Verbal Communications
• Working Independently
• Written Communication

Responsibilities

• Meets with Washington University students, alumni, faculty, and staff to help advise founders, support early-stage venture development and connect participants with relevant campus, regional, and industry resources.
• Supports venture development competitions and programs such as the Student Enterprise Program, the Global Impact Award, the Skandalaris Venture Competition, IdeaBounce®, hackathons, and related founder support initiatives.
• Advises and prepares students/alumni participating in regional, national, and international startup competitions.
• Supports identification of promising WashU-affiliated startups that are seeking investment or preparing to raise capital.
• Works with and engages experts to evaluate investment readiness, business model strength, market potential, team capacity, intellectual property position, resource needs, and strategic partnership opportunities; and performs diligence and prepare recommendations for possible investment.
• Manages appropriate resources to support the Center’s WashU Venture Network, including the Startup Showcase series, investor engagement, investment funds, and venture growth pipeline.
• Recruits, trains, and supervises student analysts supporting the WashU Venture Network, ensuring high-quality diligence, professional standards, and appropriate engagement with startups and investors.
• Actively tracks metrics; manages CRM Platform and databases (AirTable) and designs custom research surveys.
• Ensures efficiencies and data analysis for the venture development and venture growth pipeline, including reporting program, competition, and gap funding success for all stakeholders.
• Collects and analyzes data for leadership updates, rankings, annual reports, and other institutional needs.
• May assistant in developing and tracks budget for Venture Development programs; provides general operational support for the Center and Venture Development and Venture Growth teams; Tracks the Center’s financial commitments, awards, and investments.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• Defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.
• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!
• 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child.
• Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs.
• Adult care resources.
• Covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level