Venture Operations Director

Gamma Phi Omega International; Madison, Northern (WI, KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 96,000; Part time

Job summary

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is seeking a Venture Operations Director on a limited-term basis to design and implement the operational foundation for the state’s venture investment activities. This remote role supports the Wisconsin Investment Fund and drives scalable processes across divisions.

You will establish governance, reporting, and workflow controls, partnering with Finance, Legal, IT, and Strategy to build durable investment management capabilities and performance

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, economics, entrepreneurship, public administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Five or more years of experience in venture capital, private equity, investment management, fund operations, portfolio management, or a related field
• Experience designing and implementing operational frameworks, governance structures, reporting systems, or process improvement initiatives
• Demonstrated success leading complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and cross-functional teams
• Strong knowledge of investment operations, portfolio management, governance, and operational best practices
• Exceptional project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build consensus and drive organizational change
• Experience with venture fund operations, fund administration, organizational transformation, or business process design preferred

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and document investment operations, governance frameworks, and portfolio management processes that support WEDC’s venture investment activities
• Lead cross-functional efforts to develop standardized workflows, decision-making structures, reporting practices, and operational controls
• Partner with Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Finance, Legal, IT, and Strategic Investment & Evaluation teams to build scalable investment management capabilities
• Develop portfolio monitoring tools, dashboards, performance metrics, and reporting frameworks that support oversight and decision-making
• Create and maintain operating procedures, templates, work instructions, and documentation that support institutional knowledge and continuity
• Coordinate the evaluation and implementation of systems, technology tools, and workflow solutions that strengthen investment operations
• Lead stakeholder engagement, training, and change management efforts to support adoption of new processes and operating standards

Skills

Venture capital

Investment management

Portfolio management

Governance frameworks

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance/business/ economics/ entrepreneurship/public administration or related field

Job description

Venture Operations Director (Limited Term Employment)

Location: Remote (Wisconsin-based)

Employment Type: Limited Term Employment (LTE), 20-40 hours per week

Duration: Up to 6 months

Reports To: Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Innovation

About WEDC

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) works with businesses, communities, and partners statewide to foster innovation, support job creation, and strengthen Wisconsin’s competitive position. Driven by a mission to make Wisconsin the best place to live, work, and build a business, WEDC is a purpose-driven organization that values integrity, collaboration, and forward-thinking solutions, and invests in its people so they can help invest in Wisconsin’s future.

WEDC is a Wisconsin-based organization with a remote-work-first environment. Remote work is expected to be performed in the state of Wisconsin.

Role Overview & Key Responsibilities

The Venture Operations Director is a limited-term leadership role responsible for designing and implementing the operational foundation that supports WEDC’s venture investment activities, including the Wisconsin Investment Fund portfolio. This position will establish scalable processes, governance frameworks, reporting systems, and operational standards that enable effective investment management and long-term organizational success.

Working across multiple divisions, the Venture Operations Director will lead a significant organizational initiative to translate venture capital and investment management best practices into sustainable processes tailored to WEDC’s mission and operating environment. In this role, you will:

• Design, implement, and document investment operations, governance frameworks, and portfolio management processes that support WEDC’s venture investment activities
• Lead cross-functional efforts to develop standardized workflows, decision-making structures, reporting practices, and operational controls
• Partner with Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Finance, Legal, IT, and Strategic Investment & Evaluation teams to build scalable investment management capabilities
• Develop portfolio monitoring tools, dashboards, performance metrics, and reporting frameworks that support oversight and decision-making
• Create and maintain operating procedures, templates, work instructions, and documentation that support institutional knowledge and continuity
• Coordinate the evaluation and implementation of systems, technology tools, and workflow solutions that strengthen investment operations
• Lead stakeholder engagement, training, and change management efforts to support adoption of new processes and operating standards

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, economics, entrepreneurship, public administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Five or more years of experience in venture capital, private equity, investment management, fund operations, portfolio management, or a related field
• Experience designing and implementing operational frameworks, governance structures, reporting systems, or process improvement initiatives
• Demonstrated success leading complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and cross-functional teams
• Strong knowledge of investment operations, portfolio management, governance, and operational best practices
• Exceptional project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build consensus and drive organizational change
• Experience with venture fund operations, fund administration, organizational transformation, or business process design preferred

Benefits

WEDC is committed to supporting the well-being and growth of our team. We offer a remote-first work environment that promotes work-life balance, supported by a culture that values flexibility and collaboration. This LTE position provides a unique opportunity to contribute to a high-impact initiative that will help shape the future of Wisconsin’s innovation and investment ecosystem while working alongside experienced professionals across multiple business functions.

WEDC DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING STATEMENT

WEDC must be a diverse and inclusive organization reflective of the businesses, communities, and people in Wisconsin and beyond. We believe that diversity drives innovation and commit to create an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace where our differences are celebrated as drivers of our organization’s performance.

TO SUPPORT A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE AT WEDC, WE WILL WORK TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING GOALS:

• Increase WEDC’s racial diversity, specifically with Black/African American, Native American and Latinx populations;
• Increase LGBTQ representation across WEDC; and
• Increase the diversity of WEDC’s leadership.

TO MEET OUR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION GOALS, WEDC WILL TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:

• Create an intentional approach to recruit minority candidates by using targeted media channels to promote open positions;
• Ensure formal offers are made only after a diverse pool of candidates have been considered at each hiring stage;
• Identify and develop a variety of employee resource groups, including groups for African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, LGBTQ+ and more;
• Post signage to highlight WEDC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion; and
• Revisit EEO disclosures in our application process to highlight statements regarding WEDC’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution and EEO/Affirmative Action Employer committed to excellence through diversity. Employment offers are made on the basis of qualifications, and without regard to race, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

Veteran Declaration

Applicants for employment are invited to participate in affirmative action program by reporting their status as a protected veteran or other minority. In extending this invitation, we advise you that: (a) workers (applicants) are under no obligation to respond but may do so in the future if they choose; (b) responses will remain confidential within the human resource department; and (c) responses will be used only for the necessary information. Refusal to provide this information will have no bearing on your application and will not subject you to any adverse treatment.

PROTECTED VETERAN DEFINITION

Protected veteran means a veteran who may be classified as an active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran, disabled veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran or recently separated veteran.

Active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

Armed Forces service medal veteran means any veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985 (61 FR 1209, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 159).

Disabled veteran means (1) a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or (2) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

Recently separated veteran means a veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service.

EEOC RACE/ETHNIC IDENTIFICATION CATEGORIES

Hispanic or Latino – A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.

White – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East or North Africa.

Black or African American – A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa or other Pacific Islands.

Asian – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand and Vietnam.

American Indian or Alaska Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Two or more races – All persons who identify with more than one of the above races.