Venture Associate

Venture Associate, Sustainable Ventures

Our team is growing and we’re looking for a purpose-driven, passionate individual to join the Venture Support Team, to help start-ups, SMEs and corporations develop solutions in response to resource and sustainability challenges. Our support works to progress technology development and commercial exploitation through several core areas: venture development, delivery of start-up/SME programmes, accelerators, special projects and corporate innovation programmes.

The role 

You will have great attention to detail, great interpersonal skills, feel comfortable taking ownership of your work and are able to work across programmes and projects that feature different requirements and stakeholders. The role is great for someone who appreciates variety in what they do and prides themselves on managing multiple tasks effectively, and building strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.

We’re especially interested in candidates that have experience in business support programme management or similar with a particular interest in supporting sustainable / cleantech / climate tech start-ups. We still encourage you to apply if you have not been involved in programme management previously, but believe you have the necessary skills to be successful in the role. Experience of building and scaling a business is a plus. This role is focused on project management, but opportunities will be provided to the right individual to allow them to upskill on providing advice to climate tech SMEs. 

Your key responsibilities:

Project Management

• Working closely with programme managers to ensure that their recruitment needs are being met;
• Ensuring a healthy pipeline of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), by direct outreach to SMEs and partners and by connecting and building our community of SMEs;
• Supporting the team in partner identification and management, leading to better SME recruitment;
• Quickly assessing SMEs business models and directing them to the right programme of support or referring to another SV team if relevant;
• Owning administrative programme management tasks and ensuring that they are delivered at high quality and on time, ensuring compliance and required evidentiary documentation;
• Ensuring our CRM system is properly updated; 
• Supporting in delivering events for our programmes, including organising pre-event logistics and providing on-site support on the day of the event; 
• Offboarding SMEs, collecting the necessary information and evidence and signposting them to further offerings within the company; and 
• Creating programme impact reports, collecting and analysing impact data, case studies and testimonials to effectively communicate a programme’s impact. 

Delivery Support

• Providing advisory support to SMEs across a broad range of business topics including but not limited to: business plans, investor pitch packs and investment readiness, route to market, strategy, etc. 
• Preparing and presenting webinars, workshops and clinics on a broad range of business topics.

Requirements

We expect you to have

• 2+ years’ of relevant experience - our people have worked at high growth startups, investments, started their own businesses, been in the armed forces. We encourage you to demonstrate transferable skill sets;
• Demonstrable attention to detail and organisational skills - you have previously been involved in planning and delivering projects with tight deadlines and delivered on time and with success;
• Proven organisational skills - for managing multiple projects/clients simultaneously, co-ordinating deliverables and meeting deadlines;
• Great interpersonal skills - you are comfortable dealing with internal and external stakeholders that have different motivations. Background in client-facing work is a plus;
• Ability to take ownership of your work - you can demonstrate that you are a self starter, bring fresh ideas to the table and can complete tasks on time and on budget; 
• Knowledge of, experience or passion for contributing to the sustainability sector. 

Desirable

• An undergraduate degree in business, technology or sustainability-related field;
• A postgraduate qualification in business, economics, technology or sustainability;
• Business support programme management - you have previously planned and delivered business support programmes, such as incubators, accelerators, etc.;
• Experience in venture development and/or sustainability innovation; 
• Motivation to learn about other Sustainable Ventures functions, for example investment, product design and venture development; and
• A commercial skill set - this might include business planning, financial modelling, product R&D, market research, market analysis/characterisation, customer proposition testing, go-to-market strategy, fundraising or anything related to successfully growing a business.

Benefits

Additional Details

• Hours: 40. Flexible working (with minimum 3 days in the office)
• Remuneration: £36,000-£42,000 per annum
• Based: Sustainable Workspaces, County Hall 5th Floor, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 7PB

Benefits include

• 25 days Holiday + Bank Hols
• Monthly Wellness Day (rest & recharge)
• Paid Sick Leave + Private Health Insurance Scheme
• Enhanced Pension Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme + Octopus EV Lease Scheme
• Discounts on sustainable brands in our ecosystem
• Monthly Lunch & Learns

As you grow with us, you can access additional benefits, including a Learning & Development allowance; enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave & pay from 2 years’ service); and a monthly sabbatical (every 5 years’ of service).

Diversity 

Our people are the heart of Sustainable Ventures. We’re an equal opportunity employer, committed to recruiting a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment where everyone can be themselves at work. The climate crisis is a social and inclusion issue, and we especially encourage applications from individuals underrepresented in the climate space. We welcome applicants with diverse experiences. We also welcome applicants who may have different experiences to those exactly specified in the application. 

About Sustainable Ventures

We’re Europe’s largest ecosystem of climate tech startups. Following our recent expansion of our Central London headquarters, we’re focused on our mission to develop 1000 new businesses by 2025, and expand our operations across UK regions.

Our impact on the planet’s climate and its natural resources is being felt more often and by more people than ever before. It is clear that significant changes must be made to achieve the targets set by the IPCC and reach Net Zero by 2050. This presents the world’s biggest challenge and it is something that SV has been addressing since 2011. We believe in the power of commercial innovation to address the twin challenges of climate change and resource scarcity.

/ Application Instructions

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

/ Recruitment process

• 30 min phone screening interview
• Two-stage, in-person interview, in person exercise that aligns with the work that you will be delivering