Director, Venture Capital and Impact Investing

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Sorenson Impact Institute’s Venture Capital & Impact Investing team seeks a Director to join our Salt Lake City-based, venture investing and student training program. The Director will be primarily responsible for managing the Joan and Tim Fenton Founders Fund, an early-stage venture fund housed within the Impact Investing program that is focused on catalyzing innovation in the Utah tech ecosystem. We’re seeking a team member with 7+ years of experience in venture or related fields and a commitment to training and mentoring students. The right candidate is a leader and a teacher – entrepreneurial, bold, creative, and can excel in a fast-paced, startup environment.

The Director will play a leadership role on the team and report to the program’s Managing Director. With a primary focus on the Joan and Tim Fenton Founders Fund, the Director will source new investments, lead due diligence, structure deal terms, and close investments – all while training and mentoring student interns.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned investment professional with experience across the lifecycle of an investment and a fund. This includes fundraising and portfolio construction; sourcing, underwriting, and executing new investments; and running portfolio operations. Candidates should have a strong commitment to impact and bring an entrepreneurial and innovative approach to the role. The Director should also have a passion for teaching and mentoring, as training and inspiring the next generation of venture capital and impact investing professionals is core to our work.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Mentor and Train Student Interns

• Mentor student interns as they gain exposure and experience in venture capital and impact investing
• Teach underwriting and due diligence processes to a rotating group of student interns
• Contribute to recruitment and training activities for new student interns

Early-stage Venture Investing

• Identify, maintain, and prioritize a pipeline of early-stage venture investment opportunities for the Joan and Tim Fenton Founders Fund
• Conduct comprehensive due diligence and investment analysis
• Oversee preparation and presentation of investment opportunity materials to the Joan and Tim Fenton Founders Fund Investment Committee

Portfolio Management

• Lead strategic initiatives to improve investment thesis and portfolio construction
• Develop and maintain relationships with portfolio companies
• Track performance for annual reporting and provide support as needed

Portfolio Operations

• Manage quarterly and annual financial reporting
• Liaise with service providers for audit, taxes, insurance, etc.
• Relationship Development and Management
• Build and maintain a network with investment professionals at other VC firms
• Support fundraising and strategic partnership initiatives

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree
• 7+ years of transactional experience in venture capital, private equity, or investment management; or 7+ years in relevant non-finance fields, including financial or operational experience in early-stage businesses or fund management, if the candidate has at least 3 years of transactional deal experience
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

PREFERENCES

• Experience across equity and debt investing
• Masters degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or related field
• Mentorship or teaching experience
• Demonstrated leadership experience
• Ability to collaborate and function effectively on a highly motivated and entrepreneurial team