CSAA Insurance Group (CSAA IG), a AAA insurer, has a mission to innovate our future by building new products, services and ventures that generate $1B in new revenue in the next decade. Towards this aim, the Strategy & Innovation Division (SI) is developing growth initiatives through a combination of strategic partnerships, innovation, incubation and venture investing.
The Corporate Venture Capital & Labs (CVC & Labs) team will shift CSAA IG from systems of records to systems of intelligence in areas such as insurtech, autonomous vehicle / connected car, analytics and artificial intelligence, and applications of blockchain.
The CVC & Labs team is seeking a highly motivated self-starter to help build intelligence on focus areas and themes, identify startups and entrepreneurs, perform due diligence on potential investment opportunities and assist in portfolio company management and reporting. The Principal will play a critical role in developing and advancing thought leadership and domain strategy to expand CSAA IG’s business, foster new idea generation, synthesize the market landscape, and translate new innovative ideas into successful commercial outcomes.
This position, located in Silicon Valley, CA, reports to the Managing Partner of CVC & Labs and calls for a broad business acumen and venture ecosystem credibility to effectively nurture relationships in the start-up ecosystem, evaluate startup product road maps and foster relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including internal and external senior executives. Collaborates on investment opportunities. Drives POCs, pilots and commercialization opportunities. The Principal must be relentlessly curious, as well as passionate about championing change.
Job Description
- Refine investment theses; develop focus areas to identify opportunities.
- Identify and source potential strategic investment opportunities in relevant and compelling startups.
- Build a network and pipeline of leading startups that fit with the strategic investment themes.
- Maintain a pulse on market developments and the startup ecosystem.
- Develop market landscapes, points of views (POVs) on emerging trends and analyze value chains.
- Track portfolio company monitoring, reporting and feedback to Managing Partner, may include Board Observer positions.
- Collaborate with existing portfolio companies to assist in aligning their roadmaps to address CSAA IG’s challenges and to help them succeed in the market.
- Evangelize CSAA IG externally and demonstrate thought leadership; contribute meaningfully to CSAA IG startup ecosystem events.
- Represent CSAA IG at external events, conferences, Silicon Valley meetups, forums, etc.
- Help with discussions at internal Town Halls and other internal events to effectively represent view of the startup ecosystem.
- Foster collaborative relationships within the CSAA IG ecosystem.
- Maintain pipeline and portfolio management processes, tools and deal tracking.
- Recommend operational and financial metrics and help monitor the investment portfolio against those metrics.
- Develop due diligence plans, drive the due diligence process, write investment memos, presentations and guide opportunities end-to-end through the investment process.
- Advise in negotiating, structuring and executing investments, working with the Managing Partner.
- Prepare and review investment presentations to Managing Partner and Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer.
- May include people management.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Bring existing high quality, senior relationships in the venture capital ecosystem in Silicon Valley.
- Use your relationship management, communication, and interpersonal skills at all levels within or outside our organization.
- Create compelling presentations, write (narrative prose and slides), evangelize, influence, negotiate, and able to think quickly on your feet.
- Support and maintain KPIs across the entire team.
- Provide solutions, recommendations and answers; you can hit the ground running.
- Recruit other highly credible, self-motivated, top-talent, working with the Managing Partner.
- Thorough understanding of the high-tech startup and venture capital environment with trusted relationships across the ecosystem.
- Curious with an open-mind for disruptive technology trends, products and business models, across multiple different domains and areas.
- Structure business development partnerships and develop value proposition, positioning and fit
- Trusted executive presence, maturity and discretion.
- Team player with an extraordinary collaborative working style, adaptable and flexible.
Required Experience & Qualifications
- MBA from prestigious school or equivalent work experience
- 10+ years of relevant high-tech industry experience
- 5 – 10 years’ experience in venture capital with a leading venture capital firm, or in a corporate venture setting
- 3 – 5 years’ experience with people responsibility in a VC backed startup
Preferred
- BS in engineering/technical disciplines from prestigious school
- Successful previous investment track record of sourcing, negotiating and managing a portfolio of venture investments with demonstrable strategic and financial return on investment
- Additional experience in corporate strategy, strategy consulting, or investment banking with a focus on technology, is a plus
If interested, please apply here.
