Investment Director

Vctavern; Halifax; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Innovacorp, Nova Scotia’s early stage venture capital organization, seeks an Investment Director to identify seed and early stage investment opportunities and provide strategic leadership for local tech companies.

The role involves managing portfolio companies, engaging with entrepreneurs, investors, government, and universities to accelerate growth and secure financing.

Qualifications

• Advanced science degree with 5–10 years of relevant business experience.
• Experience with portfolio management or working with entrepreneurs and investors.
• Strong written and verbal communication and ability to engage diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Generates deal flow by proactively identifying seed and early stage investment opportunities.
• Participates in all aspects of the investment review, approval and closing cycle.
• Manages portfolio companies, including serving on their boards, to aid growth and financing.
• Initiates and implements external services to support companies’ growth.
• Develops and advises on exit strategies to crystallize gains while supporting Innovacorp’s mission.
• Raises Innovacorp’s profile in the venture capital and academic communities.

Skills

Portfolio management

Deal sourcing

Strategic leadership

Education

Advanced science degree

Job description

Venor has partnered with Innovacorp for the recruitment of an Investment Director. Innovacorp is Nova Scotia’s early stage venture capital organization. It finds, funds and fosters innovative Nova Scotia start-ups that strive to change the world. The goal is to help those start-ups commercialize their technologies and succeed in the global marketplace. Target industries include information technology, life sciences, clean technology and ocean technology.

Early stage investment is at the core of Innovacorp’s business model. The organization also gives entrepreneurs access to world-class incubation facilities, expert advice and other support to help accelerate their companies.

Under the Vice President of Investment’s leadership, the Investment Director seeks seed and early stage investment opportunities that offer the best potential for financial success. Highly motivated and passionate about developing the region’s start-up community, the investment director provides strategic leadership to support the growth of promising local early stage technology companies. The successful candidate must demonstrate a broad knowledge of topics related to one of the following areas: clean technology, ocean technology, agriculture technology or industrial biotechnology. Ideally, the candidate has experience managing a portfolio of science-focused companies or through prior roles demonstrated the ability to work effectively with entrepreneurs, private industry, various levels of government, angel and institutional investors, academic institutions, and industry associations.

Other key activities of this role include:

• Generates deal flow by proactively identifying and attracting seed and early stage investment opportunities
• Participates in all aspects of the investment review, approval and closing cycle
• Manages portfolio companies, including serving on their boards, to assist in accelerating their growth, achieving milestones and securing additional financing
• Initiates and implements external services to support companies’ growth
• Develops and advises on exit strategies to crystallize gains on investments while fulfilling Innovacorp’s mission
• Raises Innovacorp’s profile in the marketplace and in the venture capital, business and academic communities

As the ideal candidate, you have a professional and/or advanced science degree with 5-10 years of relevant business experience, including domain or operational experience in at least one of the following areas: business development, sales, marketing, product management, and/or technology development. Experience in financial services, venture financing, or owning and/or managing the financial activities of a corporation would be an asset.

A superb communicator (written and oral), you are accessible, approachable and able to engage specific and broad audiences. You demonstrate confidence to operate independently in the marketplace, foster strategic relationships, and build respect in all dealings.

If you are a team player with proven leadership abilities, a results‑oriented approach, and the capacity to excel in a fast‑paced and ever‑changing entrepreneurial environment, this may be the career move for you.

Innovacorp is a client‑ and employee‑centric organization, guided by values of respect, integrity, cooperation and excellence. Other reasons you would want to join Innovacorp for this great opportunity include flexible work arrangements, comprehensive health and dental benefits, and of course the opportunity to work with a team committed to supporting amazing entrepreneurs and companies!

Innovacorp and Venor are committed to cultivating a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion, and to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. We value and promote equal employment opportunities consistent with the standards outlined in the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act. We encourage candidates to let us know in their cover letter if they are a member of a traditionally underrepresented group and if they need any accommodations during the recruitment process.