Investment Associate – Impact U

Investment Associate – Impact U
Investments and New Ventures Team

Fixed Term role (18 months)

With one foot in academia and the other in industry, Oxford University Innovation’s professionals undertake a wide variety of tasks, from licensing university ideas, consultancy and finding investment for spinout companies to setting up social enterprises and supporting student entrepreneurship. The Investments and New Ventures team (OUI-INV) acts as the growth catalyst for companies emerging from Oxford University through early-stage investment and support. The main responsibilities of the team include translational funding, supporting new company formation, fundraising, fund management and portfolio management. The team manages the shareholdings in over 200 companies created by the University of Oxford, valued at over £200m. The Social Venture team is a cross-disciplinary team in the OUI Licensing and Ventures team. The Social Ventures team supports mission-driven companies in the university ecosystem. This role will sit within the Social Venture team, but report to the Head of OUI-INV.

ImpactU is an exciting new pan-university project, led by Oxford, seeking to provide Pathfinder awards to English social ventures and training across the UK. This initiative aims to propel interventions and technologies in diverse settings, such as low-resource or community-led environments, ensuring ventures mirror the values and methodologies inspired by founders. The project builds on the London School of Economics’ Aspect-funded Social Venture Pathway project and Impact 12, a collaboration for social ventures including Cambridge Enterprise, Coventry University Social Enterprise (CUSE), and Northampton University. The group welcomes new collaborators University of Exeter, the University of Reading, Kingston University, the University of York and Anglia Ruskin University.

The Opportunity

We now have a unique opportunity for a dynamic and motivated Investment Associate to join our team. Reporting to the Head of Investments and New Ventures and Social Venture Lead, the successful candidate will demonstrate knowledge and enthusiasm for university innovation. They will possess the right skills to deploy early-stage awards that will help companies across ImpactU flourish. The successful candidate will have an undergraduate degree (or equivalent), and ideally have experience working in a financial or business environment as well as an interest in social entrepreneurship.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

• Working with ImpactU partners, including the London School of Economics training programme lead, to upskill companies and scout potential applicants for Awards.
• Supporting the management of the ImpactU Pathfinder Award.
• Activities will include supporting companies applying for funding, attending investor events, and identifying new partner organisations.

Supporting companies with introduction to investors following Pathfinder Awards.

• Assisting in the management of the portfolio post-award.
• Travel, where required, including (but not exclusively) to member Universities of ImpactU, such as the London School of Economics, University of Cambridge, Coventry University, and the University of Northampton.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate proven competence in the following:

• Relationship with others – the ability to contribute to build relationships within OUI, across external partners, and ImpactU members, and an ability to work with diverse entrepreneurs from different industries.
• Self-starter – the ability to use your initiative to find solutions to problems.
• Communication – a team player with excellent interpersonal skills and strong communication skills, both verbally and in writing.
• Data management – effectively manages data and possesses high levels of attention to detail in all areas of their work.
• Early-stage investment – an interest in the UK early-stage investment market.
• Commercial analysis – make considered decisions that demonstrate good analysis of the key issues.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for this role, please download the application form from the OUI website and send it together with a copy of your CV and cover letter to Roy Bennett at roy@adlib-recruitment.co.uk Information about our culture and working life at OUI can be found here https://innovation.ox.ac.uk/about/careers/

The closing date is midday on January 8th 2024

The salary for this role is commensurate with experience and will be in the range of £32,000 – £35,000.

Oxford University is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone is able to be themselves and is empowered to reach their full potential. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

Oxford University Innovation is an Equal Opportunities Employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive culture which promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a supportive working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff are respected and where everyone is able to be themselves and is empowered to reach their full potential. This commitment is linked to and reinforces the OUI values of integrity, collaboration and empowerment. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures.

Our approach to hybrid and flexible working:

We believe that our employees are our most valuable asset, and we are committed to attracting and retaining the very best talent. We also appreciate that the UK workforce is becoming increasingly diverse and includes a high percentage of parents and individuals with caring responsibilities, as well as those whose interests and aspirations impact on their time.

We recognise the importance of helping our employees balance their work and home lives by offering flexible working arrangements that enable them to balance their work commitments with other priorities. This includes hybrid working and flexible working.

We are accredited with the Investors in People Silver status.