PARTNER, THRIVE VENTURE FUND, PRE-SEED

Business Development Bank of Canada; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Wellness and health benefits

Diversity and inclusion

Job summary

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is expanding Thrive Venture Fund and seeking a seasoned partner to lead its pre‑seed investment practice. You will drive strategy, identify opportunities, manage portfolio companies, and represent the Fund externally.

The role requires a strong network, rigorous due diligence, and a development‑oriented approach toward women entrepreneurs. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in venture capital or related fields, a collaborative leadership style,

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in venture capital, private equity, investment banking, corporate strategy, or as a manager/entrepreneur.
• Strong experience in investment research, execution, and management.
• Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative or analytical field; advanced degrees or certifications are assets.

Responsibilities

• Lead the pre‑seed investment cycle: strategy, sourcing, due diligence and portfolio management.
• Develop and implement the pre‑seed strategy with the Thrive Venture Fund.
• Build a pipeline of high‑quality deals through strategic relationships and industry engagement.
• Represent Thrive Venture Fund at industry events, conferences, and pitch days.
• Mentor and lead a team while coordinating with stakeholders and external partners.

Skills

Leadership

Financial modeling

Due diligence

Investment strategy

Networking

Mentoring

Bilingual English/French

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA

CFA

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

We are banking at another level. Choosing BDC as your employer means working in a healthy, inclusive, and skilled workplace that puts forward the best conditions to bring together unique teams where employees are empowered to act. It also means being at the centre of ambitious economic and financial projects to see further and to do things differently, to fuel the success of Canadian entrepreneurs. Choosing BDC as your employer also means: flexible and competitive benefits, including an Employee Savings and Investment Plan where BDC matches part of your voluntary contributions, a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, a $750 wellness and health care spending account, to name a few. In addition to paid vacation each year, five personal days, sick days as necessary, and our offices are closed from December 25 to January 1. A hybrid work model that truly balances work and personal life. Opportunities for learning, training and development, and much more. Explore the BDC Way in our Culture Book. Following the expansion of Thrive Venture Fund into Pre‑Seed, we are searching for an additional Partner to join the team to oversee the earliest stage of investing.

POSITION OVERVIEW

As the Thrive Venture Fund unifies and expands its mandate across the entire continuum from pre‑seed to scaling, the Fund is seeking a new partner to lead its pre‑seed investment practice—the most critical initial stage of the platform’s work with women entrepreneurs. This is a recently redefined role at a pivotal moment for the Fund: the pre‑seed program must be developed with the rigor, network, and investment discipline necessary to anchor the platform’s greatest ambitions. The partner will play a central role at every stage of the pre‑seed investment cycle: developing and implementing the pre‑seed strategy, identifying and evaluating investment opportunities, managing portfolio companies, and representing the Fund externally. He or she will interact with both clients and BDC team members. The successful candidate will be a key ambassador for the Thrive Venture Fund, generating a stream of high‑quality investment opportunities, leading a rigorous due diligence process, and helping to build the future of Canada’s innovation economy. Success in this role depends on the ability to build trusting relationships throughout the investment ecosystem—with women entrepreneurs, co‑investors, and limited partners alike—to position the Fund as the partner of choice for seed‑stage investments. The ideal candidate is a seasoned investment professional with a background in venture capital, private equity, investment banking, corporate strategy, or an operational/entrepreneurial track record, combining sharp financial and analytical judgment with a genuine, development‑oriented approach toward promising female entrepreneurs. This leader is equally comfortable steering a rigorous due diligence process as they are sitting down with an early‑stage entrepreneur as a mentor and trusted advisor, with the ability to build and lead within a collaborative team, while representing the Fund with poise among external stakeholders. For a seasoned investor ready to help redefine Canada’s tech landscape, this is an opportunity to shape the pre‑seed strategy of the country’s largest fund dedicated to female entrepreneurs and to empower the next generations of visionary female founders from the very beginning—the most critical stage in their companies’ lifecycles.

CHALLENGES TO BE MET

• Platform Development Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Engage stakeholders to facilitate sound and impactful investment decisions.
• Identifying Investment Opportunities Build and maintain strong networks within Canadian pre‑seed investment communities. Generate a pipeline of high‑quality deals through strategic relationships and active engagement in the ecosystem. Represent the Thrive Ventures Fund at industry events, conferences, and pitch days.
• Executing Transactions Take responsibility for and lead the entire pre‑seed investment process, from identification and initial evaluation through due diligence, structuring, and closing. Lead and conduct a rigorous and comprehensive due diligence process, including market and competitive analysis, evaluation of management, and review of the product and financials. Develop and present investment proposals to the investment committee, articulating a clear investment thesis, a risk‑return profile, and a rationale for capital deployment.
• Portfolio Management and Support for Female Entrepreneurs Provide practical support to portfolio companies, support female entrepreneurs, facilitate growth, and prepare for successful exits. Implement exit strategies that maximize returns and fulfill commitments to investors.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• Experience At least 15 years of experience in venture capital, private equity, investment banking, corporate strategy, or as a manager/entrepreneur. Solid experience in investment research, execution, and management. Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative or analytical field (e.g., business, economics, engineering, science); advanced degrees or certifications (MBA, graduate degree in STEM, CFA) are considered assets. Leadership skills to support and mentor a team, while simultaneously identifying pre‑seed investment opportunities and executing investments.
• Sector Expertise In‑depth understanding of the entire investment cycle. Sharp financial acumen and the ability to draw conclusions from financial and operational data. Advanced proficiency in Excel for financial modeling, scenario analysis, and data interpretation. Proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, and other productivity tools. Ability to solve problems in a structured manner and communicate clearly. Excellent writing skills for preparing investment memos. Technical proficiency (e.g., coding, engineering, scientific knowledge) is a plus. Operational experience in an industry sector is a plus. Bilingualism (French/English) is a plus for communicating with senior management.
• Personality Inspiring leadership and the ability to build teams. Open‑mindedness and a willingness to share knowledge, with a particular focus on mentoring. A collaborative approach to engaging stakeholders. Executive presence and compelling communication skills. Commitment to continuous learning and adaptability. Ability to thrive in fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environments.

Proudly one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible environment where all employees can thrive and feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work. If you require an accommodation to complete your application, please do not hesitate to contact us at [e-mail]. While we appreciate all applications, we advise that only the candidates selected to participate in the recruitment process will be contacted.

BDC is a bank unlike any other. We are the only bank dedicated exclusively to the development of Canadian businesses. The only institution whose purpose is to promote the growth of the Canadian economy by focusing on the success of small and medium‑size businesses, with a human touch and a genuine presence. At BDC, we’re changing people’s and businesses’ lives for the better. That’s what makes us unique as a bank. That’s why we are banking at another level.