Connecticut Innovations (“CI”) is seeking a high-caliber professional to assist with the investment of bioscience venture capital from the $204 million Connecticut Bioscience Innovation Fund.
Qualified candidates must have, at minimum, a master’s degree in science and seven (7) years of experience in life science venture capital, or business development/commercialization experience in a high-growth, entrepreneurial biotechnology or pharmaceutical company, preferably venture-backed.
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the general experience. A doctorate degree in life sciences, bioengineering or a closely-related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the general experience. Candidates holding a graduate degree are preferred. To be considered, candidates must also have strong entrepreneurial experience.
This position will be responsible for performing a variety of complex professional tasks related to bioscience initiatives, and must be a consummate team player. Specific activities may include, but are not restricted to:
- Sourcing prospects and promoting/educating customers about CI;
- Conducting due diligence activities to obtain and analyze pertinent information relative to the prospect’s management, market, technology, products, competitive landscape, financial history and projections, business strategy and plan;
- Making recommendations on the technology or a company’s commercialization potential;
- Providing comprehensive evaluation and risk analysis of investment opportunities through completion of the due diligence process;
- Preparing written analysis of company business plans and strategy including recommended financial terms and structure;
- Structuring and negotiating financing terms of CI debt, equity and equity-like financing in approved investment opportunities;
- Syndicating with other angel and venture investors;
- Preparing funding recommendations to CI Advisory Committees and closing on approved investments accordingly;
- Participating as board director or board observer at portfolio company board meetings;
- Managing a portfolio of investments and tracking metrics and attainment of milestones;
- Raising the profile of CI, including dissemination of relevant information both internally and externally (e.g., participation in external seminars, meetings and other opportunities involving public speaking); and
- Analyzing key data including metrics for CI and assisting in development of methodologies to evaluate performance.
The mission of CI is to help speed early-stage breakthrough discoveries toward commercialization. CI supports the world’s finest scientists and entrepreneurs with the financial and strategic support necessary to move bioscience ideas from early stage ideas to high growth companies.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED / KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY:
The ideal candidate will possess considerable knowledge of, and experience in:
- Venture-backed company formation, operations and successful exits;
- Bioscience concepts and research techniques; competence in understanding various scientific and technological principles and applications;
- Process of new enterprise formation and investment with particular emphasis on emerging bioscience sector (i.e., pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, diagnostics, health IT); Venture capital investing;
- Commercialization of new technologies, business operations and management oversight;
- Interpreting financial statements, institutional management reports and other complex financial and legal documents; and
- Conducting market diligence; organizing and analyzing information obtained from the diligence process; and negotiating, closing and managing deals under a number of different instruments (e.g. grants, convertible debt, and equity).
Skills particularly relevant to one’s success on the CI team include:
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with management and others, at all levels, internally and externally;
- Strong verbal and written communication skills;
- Considerable ability to exercise judgment and critical thinking;
- Considerable ability and willingness to function constructively as a participant in an investment team of peers and associates within a small organization, and also the ability to act on own initiative as appropriate;
- Considerable ability to work directly with the senior executives of portfolio companies;
- Considerable ability to respond flexibly and adapt to changing circumstances;
- Ability to multi-task and manage multiple concurrent tasks or projects; and
- Ability to recruit outside investors to co-invest in CI companies.
If interested, please apply here.
