Venture Partner, MEC

University of Melbourne; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Superannuation 17%

Salary packaging

Flexible work arrangements

Wellbeing support

Discounted services

Professional development

Job summary

The Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre (MEC) at The University of Melbourne seeks a Venture Partner to provide hands-on commercial leadership across a portfolio of ventures rooted in world-class university research. You will assess opportunities, validate markets, shape commercial strategy, and help assemble high-performance teams and governance structures.

You will work with researchers, founders, investors and industry partners to evolve the Venture Studio’s company-building model and, where

Qualifications

• Experience building companies or leading commercial growth, venture development or execution in startups or new ventures.
• Commercial judgment across customer discovery, market validation, and investment readiness.
• Ability to lead across multiple ventures and govern portfolio companies.

Responsibilities

• Assess emerging research and technologies to identify venture-scale opportunities.
• Guide customer discovery, market validation, and business model development for ventures.
• Shape commercial strategy and build teams to execute across stages.
• Attract and support founders, executives, advisers, and contributors.
• Serve as a director on venture portfolio companies and oversee governance.

Skills

Commercial leadership

Opportunity assessment

Market validation

Strategy development

Team building

Governance

Education

PhD or equivalent experience

Job description

Join the Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre’s Venture Studio in a two-year, full-time Senior Manager 1 role and help turn University research and emerging technologies into investable companies.

Help build the next generation of companies based on world-class University research.

Work at the intersection of research, entrepreneurship, investment and industry.

Shape a new model for university venture creation.

Investing in you: 17% superannuation, salary packaging, flexible work arrangements, wellbeing support, discounted services and professional development opportunities.

The University of Melbourne

We take pride in our people, who all contribute to our mission to benefit society through the transformative impact of education and research. Discover more via our website.

Your new team – Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre (MEC)

The Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre advances the University of Melbourne’s vision for innovation and entrepreneurship, helping transform research and ideas into ventures with lasting social and economic impact. MEC brings together researchers, founders and commercialisation expertise across the University’s innovation ecosystem.

Your next career opportunity

As a Venture Partner, you will provide hands‑on commercial leadership across a portfolio of emerging ventures—assessing opportunities, validating markets, shaping commercial strategy, building teams and maintaining momentum. You will bring together researchers, founders, investors and industry partners, help evolve the Venture Studio’s company‑building model and, where appropriate, serve as a director of portfolio companies.

What you will deliver

• Assess emerging research and technologies to identify opportunities with venture-scale potential and determine whether they are suited to the Venture Studio model.
• Help build and progress ventures through customer discovery, market validation, commercial strategy, business model development and evidence generation.
• Provide commercial leadership across multiple ventures, identifying the next critical steps, sequencing activities effectively and maintaining momentum through different stages of company development.
• Identify, attract and support commercial founders, executives, advisers and specialist contributors required to build successful companies.
• Build trusted relationships with researchers and commercial cofounders, that enable you to work closely together to shape opportunities and build successful companies.
• Act as a director on Venture Studio portfolio companies, contributing to governance, strategic direction and company stewardship.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of the Venture Studio's company-building practices, methods and operating model.

You may be a great fit if

• You have experience building companies or leading commercial growth, venture development or execution in startups, new ventures or other innovation-led environments.
• You are commercially curious and can identify and shape commercial opportunities around complex research or emerging technologies.
• You bring strong commercial judgement across customer discovery, market validation, commercial strategy, team formation and investment readiness, and can prioritise the next steps that will create momentum.
• You can work independently in ambiguity, make sound decisions with incomplete information and use evidence and rapid learning to reduce uncertainty.
• You are proactive and relationship-focused, with the confidence to build trusted networks, navigate complex stakeholders and bring the right people together.
• You bring sound judgement, professionalism and experience contributing to governance, strategic oversight or company stewardship.

Experience in one or more of the following would be highly regarded: venture building or venture studios; startups, scale-ups, entrepreneurship or company building, particularly in deep or emerging technologies; investment, venture capital or fundraising; sales and revenue growth; commercial partnerships and deal-making; innovation and commercial strategy execution.

A PhD or equivalent experience that demonstrates an ability to understand and work with complex science and deep technology would be advantageous but is not essential.

Be Yourself

The University of Melbourne is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a child‑safe organisation. The diversity of our community enriches us all, and we are committed to creating an inclusive and fair workplace where everyone is valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities and experiences. Discover more about Diversity and Inclusion at UniMelb.

We’re committed to a barrier‑free recruitment process and ongoing workplace support, providing adjustments throughout. We warmly encourage applications from people with disabilities. Learn more about how we support an accessible recruitment process.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Applicants

We aspire to be the University of choice for Indigenous Australians. Visit our Indigenous staff page to learn more about our investment and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.

Applications close

Sunday, 4th October 11:55 PM Melbourne time.

Position Description

PD - JR-017234 Venture Partner, MEC.pdf

PD - JR-017234 Venture Partner, MEC.docx