Job Drop 004

Week of 7/23/23 // Platform & Venture Ops, Weekly Jobs Roundup

INTERNSHIP // Operations Intern @ Plug & Play Tech Center // 3-5 yrs exp preferred // LA

6-MONTH OPP // Operations Associate @ Techstars Physical Health // 1-3 yrs exp // Fort Worth, TX // $2.8-$3K/mo // August-December

EA/Fund Ops Manager to Founding CEO @ [undisclosed Deep Tech VC Firm] // Remote // $130-$150K

Operations Analyst @ Exor Ventures // 1-2 yrs exp // NYC // $75-$85K

Platform Manager @ Framework Ventures // 2+ yrs exp SF // $110-$130K

Deal Analyst / Chief of Staff @ a16z // 2-4 yrs exp // NYC // $176-$250K

Investor Relations @ CAZ Investments // Houston

Operations Manager @ [Confidential New VC Firm] // SF // email [email protected] with your resume to apply

Chief of Staff @ Able Partners // 3-5 yrs exp

PE // Chief of Staff @ Camber Partners // 5+ yrs exp // Remote

Program Manager @ Techstars // 5+ yrs exp // DC // $75K

Human Capital Operations Project Manager @ Techstars // 5-7 yrs exp // NYC/NJ/CT // $135-$150K

Investment Operations Manager @ Alumni Ventures // 5-7 yrs exp // Boston // $130-$140K

Senior Associate/Principal Builder @ AI Fund // Remote

Community Manager @ [undisclosed VC Firm] // LA // $150K

Head of Community @ E14 // Boston

Director of Business Development @ CAZ Investments // Houston

Head of Operations @ Wisdom Ventures // 5+ yrs exp

Managing Partner @ [New Venture Studio] // 8+ yrs exp // SLC/Austin/Miami // $250K

Community Lead, Games @ a16z // 8+ yrs exp // SF // $245-$287K

Content Producer, Games @ a16z // 8+ yrs exp // SF // $237-$277K

VP, Strategic Partnerships @ Alumni Ventures // 8-10 yrs exp // Boston

PLATFORM ADJACENT // Startups Ambassador @ Brex // 2+ yrs exp // Boston/SF/NYC

PLATFORM-ADJACENT // Partnerships Manager, Private Equity @ Deel // 4+ yrs exp // Remote

PLATFORM ADJACENT // Community & Event Manager / Podcast Producer @ LAUNCH // 2-3 yrs exp // SF // $80K

PLATFORM-ADJACENT // Director, Portfolio @ Republic // 5+ yrs exp // NYC // $90-$110K

INTERNSHIP // LATAM // Partnerships Intern, Latin America @ seedstars // Latin America/Remote

INTERNSHIP // EUROPE // VC Fellowship Program @ Foundamental // Berlin

ASIA // Junior Business Development @ Plug and Play // 1-4 yrs exp // Seoul, Korea

EUROPE // Ecosystem Manager@ Techstars // 3-5 yrs exp // London // £44-£51K

👉 Missed last week’s Job Drop? Read it here

Platform Spotlight 🔎✨ 

⚡ FAST FACTS

# Years in Platform: 4
Size of Platform Team (including you): 1
# Years in VC prior to current Platform role: 4

1 // How do you define Platform?

The platform function within VC is to provide support and resources to portfolio companies, some in more obvious ways and other ways that are more subtle (functions like founder well-being programs, being an ear for founders when they need an outlet to vent, etc.). This can include things like helping with recruiting and hiring, providing strategic advice, connecting with other investors and partners, helping with marketing and sales, providing operational support, internal firm operations, and investor relations. The goal of the platform function is to help portfolio companies succeed and grow. By providing these resources, firms can help their companies reach their full potential.

Here are some examples of how I view “providing support” to portfolio companies:

• Help with recruiting and hiring: Platform roles help their portfolio companies recruit and hire top talent. This can be done by connecting them with potential employees, providing resources on the recruiting process, or helping to negotiate salaries and benefits.

• Provide strategic advice: Platform can provide portfolio companies with strategic advice on a variety of topics, such as marketing, sales, product development, and operations. This can be done through one-on-one meetings, board meetings, or informal conversations.

• Connect with other investors and partners: We connect portfolio companies with other investors and partners who can help them grow their businesses. This can be done by introducing them to potential investors, partners, or customers.

• Help with marketing and sales: A huge aspect of growth is supporting portfolio companies with marketing and sales. This can be done by providing them with resources on marketing and sales, helping them to develop marketing and sales plans, or connecting them with potential customers.

• Provide operational support: An overarching area of support is also providing operational support. This can be done by providing them with resources on operations, helping them to develop operational plans, or connecting them with operational experts.

• Operations and Investor Relations: Some platform roles also dive into internal firm operations (think Airtable, Zapier, etc. connections), fund operations, and investor relations with the firm’s Limited Partners.

Platform is a highly varied “function” within each firm; each firm has a distinct outlook on the core function of Platform and the support it can provide both the firm and portfolio companies.

2 // What was your Path to Platform?

My path to Platform was pretty non-traditional (but the more you chat with other folks in Platform roles you’ll find a lot of us came from non-traditional paths - which makes for a fun community to lean on for advice!). I started my career at the United Nations Foundation, which focused on gender equity programming that included grants and investments into first-time female founders. That’s when the spark hit of realizing the power of capital allocation - and I was all-in on breaking into the traditional VC space. From there, I joined Envision Accelerator (an accelerator focused on investing in underrepresented founders) as Head of Platform, focused on accelerator programming, community, and founder experience. From there, I joined the founding team of Digital Currency Group’s subsidiary focused on founder support. I created the firm’s platform function and built out a stellar team focused on founder community, portfolio support, events, and marketing. Currently, I’m at Citi Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Citi Bank - where I lead Platform for our portfolio companies.

3 // Favorite part of the Platform role?

My favorite part of the platform function is the creativity incorporated into the role - every day I feel so incredibly lucky to work with inspiring founders building the next frontier and I get to iterate and support them through growth. Every day looks different in a platform role - whether it’s a capital call, running an internal operations meeting for the firm, to launching a founder community - it makes for such an exciting job and career.

4 // What part of the Platform role surprised you?

The biggest surprise of Platform is how deeply you can support founders. As I mentioned earlier, functions of Platform are more obvious (sales support, growth, BD, etc.) but the more nuanced portions of Platform were a welcomed surprise. I’ve built deep relationships and friendships with founders by being a support system. Founders are dedicating their lives to their idea - it’s a deeply personal endeavor. And being there for the highest of highs and lowest of lows has been a humbling experience. It’s a reason why founder well-being is a core tenant of how I view the platform function - if we supercharge our founders, we supercharge their companies.

5 // Break down your Platform role by function.

• Legal/Compliance 20%

• Marketing 30%

• Operations and Platform 50%

6 // Pitch a founder on the value of your firm’s Platform in 280 characters or less.

If you’re building in Fintech, Enterprise SaaS, Security, Proptech, and the future of commerce and are eager to take advantage of the global Citi ecosystem (of customers, partnerships, etc.), reach out to our team.

7 // What is your advice to Platform job seekers?

Network, network, network baby! Venture is unfortunately still a mystified industry - but newsletters like this one are creating a more transparent and equitable ecosystem for the platform function. When I first wanted to learn more about the industry, I asked my friends if they knew anyone (literally anyone) in the industry or tangentially related to the VC ecosystem. From there, I always made it a point to ask each informational interview to connect me with someone they thought would be helpful for me to talk with. I’d advocate to reach out (cold) to those in Platform you admire or want to learn more - Platform folks are some of the friendliest in the industry and have a strong community. Put yourself out there and the universe will reward you, be persistent!

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