ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL, THRIVE VENTURE FUND

We are banking at another level.

Choosing BDC as your employer means working in a healthy, inclusive, and skilled workplace that puts forward the best conditions to bring together unique teams where employees are empowered to act. It also means being at the centre of ambitious economic and financial projects to see further and to do things differently, to fuel the success of Canadian entrepreneurs.

Choosing BDC as your employer also means:

• Flexible and competitive benefits, including an Employee Savings and Investment Plan where BDC matches part of your voluntary contributions, a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, a $750 wellness and health care spending account, to name a few   

• In addition to paid vacation each year, five personal days, sick days as necessary, and our offices are closed from December 25 to January 1

• A hybrid work model that truly balances work and personal life

• Opportunities for learning, training and development, and much more... 

POSITION OVERVIEW

BDC’s Thrive Venture Fund (TVF) is the largest of its kind globally, investing in Canada’s leading female entrepreneurs to drive transformative impact.  The $300M fund was launched in 2022 with a focused objective of investing in women-led, high growth, innovative technology companies in Canada.

Our investments in female entrepreneurs are bringing game changing solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges across industries and sectors.  We seek highly driven founders and teams who are leveraging breakthrough innovations in technology with triple bottom line vision: focusing on people, planet and profit. TVF is sector agnostic and invests in late seed to Series B companies with strong growth and highly scalable market potential, that bring together the best innovation, team, and resources to transform today’s markets.

As an Associate Principal, you will be an integral member of our investment team and involved in all aspects of the investment and portfolio management process. You will assist the team in building and managing an existing and growing portfolio of investments, work on new investments and help us build the next fund to support even more women in tech in Canada.  The next generation of exceptional Canadian technology champions will be led by women, and funded by BDC’s Thrive Venture Fund.

CHALLENGES TO BE MET

Deal Sourcing

• Lead initial assessment of companies by coordinating initial business plan reviews, managing initial communications with entrepreneurs, referring sources, and preparing initial interview guides and alignment memoranda with recommendations to pursue or decline deals

• Stay on top of the current portfolio, identifying companies that are likely to raise funds, and discussing potential new or follow-on investments with Partners

• Build and maintain networks within the investment community, acting as an ambassador for the fund, BDC Capital and BDC

Deal Making

• Coordinate due diligence for new and/or existing investment opportunities by orchestrating analyses such as market, competition, management, sales, products, cap table, and anything that is relevant to determining potential business value and exit strategies

• Conduct reference calls with competitors, clients, industry experts, and prospect companies’ current or past employees

• Develop and maintain appropriate information resources and subject matter expertise in various industries, markets, and business trends

• Produce Investment Memos and support Partners in presenting opportunities to the Investment Committee

• Review and comment on legal agreements negotiated by the deal’s lead

Portfolio Management & Support

• Assist Partners in managing efficient ongoing relationships with executives of investee companies, promptly responding to all inquiries in a courteous and efficient manner

• Monitor portfolio performance, comparing performance to forecasts and models, and relaying potential opportunities and issues to management

• Assist portfolio companies with introductions (e.g., potential suppliers, investors, employees), governance, financing, strategic planning, marketing, and other operational topics

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• 5 to 7 years of experience in a role involving structured thinking, financial analysis, and technical expertise. These profiles are likely to come from, but are not limited to:

  • Finance roles: venture capital, private equity, investment banking, accounting firms

  • Operator roles: technology startup, industry-leading corporation, industry specialist

  • Advisory roles: consulting, law, corporate strategy, corporate development

• Experience in an industry outside finance can be particularly valuable in some teams

• Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Economics, Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM). Other degrees are viable, if the professional has strong analytical skills

• A post-graduate degree or equivalent certification is valuable. Typical post-graduate credentials are likely to be, but are not limited to:

  • Master’s degree in business administration (MBA)

  • Other STEM Master’s or PhD degree

  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

• Technical Knowledge

• Thorough understanding of the deal process, from sourcing to due diligence, to portfolio management

• Strong skills in Excel, particularly in building robust financial models that include sensitivity analysis and scenario modeling, as well as performing complex data analysis. Any other analytic tools and techniques are an asset

• Good ability to use other MS suite applications efficiently, mainly Word and PowerPoint

• Good ability to problem-solve using structured thinking and communication techniques

• Ability to write an Investment Memo that is clear, concise, and eloquent

• Technology skills with wide application, such as coding, chemistry or electronics can be an asset

• Operational knowledge of any technical industry is an asset

Behavioral Traits

• Supportive, helpful attitude – sensitivity to identify what the fund needs, take ownership of team performance, and relieve Partners from operations so that they can focus on the deal pipeline

• Ability to work collaboratively and build positive relationships with stakeholders within and outside BDC, with a sensible approach to vertical and horizontal relationships

• Interpersonal polish, ability to influence pertinently in the context of business settings, including operational and executive audiences

• Motivation and ability to leverage work as a team, by taking a leadership role

• Enthusiasm to support and coach more junior colleagues, sharing knowledge and advice

• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment, where objectives must be met within tight deadlines

• Willingness to shift from the main role, taking up any task that is necessary to get the job done

Proudly one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible environment where all employees can thrive and feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work. If you require an accommodation to complete your application, please do not hesitate to contact us at accessibility@bdc.ca.

While we appreciate all applications, we advise that only the candidates selected to participate in the recruitment process will be contacted.