Location

ST. LOUIS, MO 63130

Scheduled Hours

37.5

Position Summary

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.

Job Description

• 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.

Working Conditions:

The work environment is primarily an office setting with frequent events/programs where transporting of lightweight (15lbs) materials/tables/etc., will be required. Many Skandalaris events and programs are held in the evenings and on weekends, thereby requiring hours/activities outside the normal work-day as needed. Work will be conducted at both the Danforth and Medical School campuses and occasionally off-campus.

Job Location/Working Conditions

• Normal Office Environment
• Ability to travel to various on- and off-campus locations

Physical Effort

• Typically sitting at a desk or table
• Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement

Equipment

• Office equipment

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

Relevant Experience (3 Years)

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

Preferred Qualifications

• 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.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

Master's degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:

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

Grade

G10

Salary Range

$49,700.00 - $82,100.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [email protected] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.

• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.

• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.

• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.

• WashU 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.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.