Techstars is seeking a Head of Accelerator Investments reporting directly to the CEO who will empower Techstars’ new phase of growth and help it pivot to become the leading city-wide accelerator.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced executive that can oversee and lead an accomplished group of :50 existing MDs that currently deploy about $1M in capital per investment period. Generally, MDs act as entrepreneurs themselves with an area of expertise and connections that allow them to identify, due diligence, fund and help advise startups as they onboard into Techstars programs.
MDs set the strategic direction and investment thesis for their programs, including developing a curated team of mentors, investors and business advisors. They partner with program teams to create a holistic strategy and delivery plan and then own overall responsibility for the successful execution of the program. Additionally, MDs are responsible for partnering with internal Techstars’ teams to create and drive the pipeline and recruitment of new companies across the entire Techstars network.
The Head of Accelerator Investments will bring deep general management experience at scale and a track record for accelerating growth. Operating leadership and experience are key requirements for this person, who will be the single point of leadership for the group of :50 Managing Directors across the United States and will enable the group to grow in line with Techstars new vision ambitions.
The ideal candidate has achieved excellence as an operator, investor and/or entrepreneur before and will be able to inspire confidence, build relationships, and create impact through people and strong team leadership. S/he should be a purpose driven individual that gets energized by impacting the world through technology and entrepreneurship.
Key Competencies
- Collaboration and Influencing: The successful candidate will possess superior communication and relationship-building skills, the ability to listen, distill complex information, and the capacity to act as a trusted team member to stakeholders. They must encourage an open exchange of ideas and engage openly and frequently to seek alignment on goals and objectives. They must be a confident and persuasive communicator, high on emotional intelligence, who can motivate and deliver results through others.
- Strategic Orientation: The candidate must have a track record for thinking and communicating in business terms. They will be capable of partnering with senior executives in a data-driven and insightful manner regarding people and organizational challenges. This person needs to clearly articulate the impact of organizational initiatives on company performance. They should have demonstrated success in translating ambiguous business needs into strategies and concrete organizational, team, and individual development actions.
- Results Orientation: The successful candidate will have the ability, determination, and tenacity to successfully move multiple initiatives within a complex organization. They will have proven the ability to set clear expectations and hold subordinates accountable for a wide range of activities. They will look outside for external benchmarks and lead the Sales organization to world-class capabilities.
- People Development: The successful candidate will be an engaging leader with a history of building, training and motivating talented teams, instilling and promoting enthusiasm for the business among colleagues and teammates. They will foster an “open-door policy” based on respect, integrity, and teamwork, focusing on creating a learning environment that challenges team members to reach their full potential.
Qualifications
- Minimum 10 years’ professional experience
- 10+ years of experience in fast-paced environments within technology, startups, entrepreneurship and venture capital
- Operating experience leading organizations at scale
- Demonstrative leader of leaders and core understanding of servant leadership
- Effective communicator and good listener with strong interpersonal skills
- Shows character under pressure, professional and ethical in all business dealings
- Must be a self-starter, entrepreneurial, and resourceful
- Authentic is their leadership style, strives to help others succeed
- Proactive and fearless, moves beyond their comfort zone in pursuit of the organization’s vision
Nice to Haves
- Prior entrepreneurial experience
- Leadership experience in a global, multi-cultural environment
- Good understanding and command of investment type models, term sheets and negotiations
- Experience setting foundations, processes and leading in a consultative manner
Compensation range: $250,000 – $300,000 + 10% Bonus + Equity
US Benefits
About Techstars
The Techstars worldwide network helps entrepreneurs succeed. Founded in 2006, Techstars began with three simple ideas—entrepreneurs create a better future for everyone, collaboration drives innovation, and great ideas can come from anywhere. Now we are on a mission to enable every person on the planet to contribute to, and benefit from, the success of entrepreneurs. In addition to operating accelerator programs and venture capital funds, we do this by connecting startups, investors, corporations, and cities to help build thriving startup communities. Techstars has invested in more than 2,200 companies that today have a combined market cap valuation of $29 Billion. http://www.techstars.com
If interested, please apply here.
