Venture Manager - Creative Destruction Lab

University of Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 76,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Toronto is seeking a Venture Manager for the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL). This role involves managing operations, recruiting ventures, and analyzing program performances to foster growth and improvement. Ideal candidates possess a Bachelor's Degree, strong analytical and project management skills, and have experience working with startups. The position offers a full-time schedule with an annual salary ranging from $76,577 to $97,928.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in venture management or external relations.
• Experience working with high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Manage CDL-Toronto operations and venture recruitment.
• Analyze performance of programs and partnerships.
• Foster stakeholder engagement.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Entrepreneurial mindset

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master of Business Administration

Tools

SQL

Python

R

Job description

Date Posted: 07/24/2025
Req ID: 44410
Faculty/Division: School of Management
Department: Joseph L. Rotman School of Management
Campus:St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00049231

Description:

About us:

The Rotman School of Management is part of the University of Toronto, a global centre of research and academic excellence at the heart of Canada’s commercial and financial capital. Rotman is a catalyst for transformative learning, insights and public engagement, bringing together diverse views and initiatives around a defining purpose: to create value for business and society. We make a fundamental promise - Here’s where it changes - to our students, our partners and the broader community. Everyone at Rotman, faculty and staff, plays a role in bringing that promise to life.

Your opportunity:

Creative Destruction Lab (“CDL”), originated at the Universityof Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, is one of the world’s premier seed stage programs for massively scalable science-based ventures. The program has created more than $51 billion in equity in less than thirteen years targeting companiesthat have the potential to transform our social, industrial, and economic landscape. Its mission is to accelerate the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind. CDL is a global program with sites at Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Halifax, Paris, Seattle, Wisconsin, Estonia, Melbourne, Berlin, Texas, Milan and London.

The program’s objective-setting process enhances the performance of technical founders who learn from the insights of experienced entrepreneurs, increasing their probability of success. Each stream within each CDL site hosts a series of 4 annual objective-setting sessions that are the primary mechanisms by which the program is delivered. CDL sessions are complex, full-day events that may be hosted virtually or in person and that bring together participating startups, mentors, partners, and business students. At the end of each annual program cycle, CDL hosts an annual event called Super Session that brings together graduating startups as well as mentors, partners, and students from across the CDL network.

As the Venture Manager, you will be responsible for supporting CDL-Toronto operations; focusing on venture recruitment, managing a portfolio of CDL ventures participating in the program, managing CDL-Toronto's research database, and leading initiatives to support the growth and continuous improvement of the program.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Fostering stakeholder engagement and maintaining relationships with project partners
• Promoting programs and service offerings to internal and/or external contacts
• Determining which applications to refer to committee for selection
• Monitoring established key performance indicators of projects or products
• Analyzing statistical information to evaluate the performance of programs and/or partnerships
• Implementing plans and process improvements for project activities
• Analyzing and writing program scripts to extract, reformat and analyze data

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree, STEM degree or technology background; or acceptable combination of equivalent education and experience. Master of Business Administration or BComm in progress or completed is an asset
• Minimum three (3) years recent and relevant experience in external relations, strategic community development, business development, stakeholder relations, and/or venture management
• Experience and confidence working with high performing teams and multiple stakeholders
• Highly organized with strong project management experience
• Strong analytical ability and understanding of business models and drivers of success in startups across several verticals
• Ability to analyze and systematically evaluate ventures
• Entrepreneurial and highly motivated with a strong interest in startups and venture capital
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Passion to consistently meet or exceed performance objectives
• Strong, team-oriented work ethic with a willingness to work independently and autonomously
• Proficiency in programming languages such as SQL, Python or R and datavisualization tools

Assets (Nonessential):

• Experience working with startups, technology companies, or venture capital
• Proficiency with financial modelling, conducting market analysis, and strategic planning

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Achievement oriented
• Communicator
• Diplomatic
• Entrepreneurial
• Multi-tasker
• Self-directed

Notes:

This is a 1-year term.

Closing Date: 08/05/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW
Appointment Type: Budget - Term
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 11 -- $76,577. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $97,928. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.
Job Category: Research Administration & Teaching
Recruiter: Jen Salerno

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.