Position: Research Director

Location: San Francisco, CA or Washington, DC

Date: 2/7/2022

Note: Title and compensation are commensurate with experience

SUMMARY

The National Venture Capital Association (“NVCA”) and Venture Forward are seeking a Research Director to lead their research and data strategy to support the venture capital (“VC”) industry.

As the voice of the U.S. VC and startup community, NVCA advocates for public policy that supports the American entrepreneurial ecosystem. Serving the venture community as the preeminent trade association, NVCA arms the venture community for success, serving as the leading resource for VC data, practical education, peer-led initiatives, and networking.

Venture Forward, NVCA’s 501(c)(3) supporting organization, drives the human capital, culture, values, and narrative of VC to promote a strong and inclusive community that will fuel the economy of tomorrow. The organization’s work revolves around four key areas of focus: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); education; research and data; and industry history.

The Research Director is responsible for creating, managing, and executing on the research and data strategy for both NVCA and Venture Forward to ensure they fulfill their respective missions. The research and data strategy supports VC advocacy efforts; informs VC investors on trends and activity; keeps team members apprised of important industry developments; and provides education on the impact and importance of VC on the U.S. economy and innovation.

Responsibilities & DUTIES

• Create, manage, and execute the research and data strategy and pipeline for both NVCA and Venture Forward, including policy priorities, DEI, and VC impact
• Educate stakeholders, including policymakers, VC investors, academia, and the media, on critical industry trends and startup activity
• Work with academics and other organizations to partner on industry research
• Lead the research and data partnership with PitchBook
• Lead the production of NVCA’s annual Yearbook publication and quarterly Venture Monitor publications
• Create content for and publish/share VC insights via reports, articles, white papers, blogs, webinars, conferences, and presentations
• Lead the VC Human Capital Survey, powered by NVCA, Venture Forward, and Deloitte
• Provide data support for ad hoc projects (e.g., press requests, one-pagers, member requests, comment letters)
• Manage content and update research-related information publicly displayed on the NVCA and Venture Forward websites
• Evaluate opportunities and implement ways to bring VC research and data to life through dashboards, graphics, and presentations
• Develop strong understanding of industry trends, research, and data that impact the entrepreneurial ecosystem

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• 5+ years of experience including venture capital/private equity research and data analysis skills you have gained through working at a commercial data provider, consulting firm, investment bank, venture capital/private equity firm, non-profit, startup, academic institution, or similar organization.
• Synthesizing data trends and insights—both written and verbally—for decision makers of different knowledge levels is a must. A strong understanding of the VC industry, good analytical skills, and experience working with venture capital data/databases are also important, as is the ability to understand research and issues related to the VC industry.
• Budgets and Projections: You have experience setting research budgets and developing data-driven projections.
• Intellectual curiosity and project management with a desire to dive into complex topics relevant to VC investors and entrepreneurs, and an interest to develop both qualitative and quantitative research to educate industry participants and outsiders on the impact of VC.
• Strong analytical and communications skills to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing to external groups, partners, funders, sponsors, staff, and Board of Directors.
• Spirit of service and commitment to serve the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem across the U.S. You have an interest in seeing a healthy and thriving venture industry, including the ability to effectively address the needs and concerns of an industry.
• Advanced knowledge of VC/PE databases such as PitchBook, and Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint Outlook, and Word; working knowledge of Salesforce or other CRM, Slack, Zoom, WordPress, and Tableau or other data visualization software
• Education: You have a Bachelor's degree (required); an advanced degree is preferred.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants should send a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and links to relevant work examples to careers@nvca.org. Please include “Research Director Position” in the subject line.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion

NVCA and Venture Forward are committed to creating a work environment in which everyone on our team is engaged and performing at high levels, and where differences in outlook, perspective, and background are seen as adding value. We strive to attract, invest in, and develop the talents of people of diverse backgrounds who reflect the society and community in which we live and do business. We believe that enhanced business relationships, greater innovation, increased productivity, and better decision making are among the benefits of the diverse and inclusive culture we seek to foster.