Associate, Strategy

Title: Associate, Strategy (Sapphire Ventures) 

Start Date: Immediate Start  

Location: Austin 

Salary: Undisclosed 

 

Company:

Sapphire Ventures, LLC (“Sapphire”) is a leading global technology-focused venture capital firm with ~$10 billion in AUM⁽¹⁾ and team members across Austin, London, New York, Menlo Park and San Francisco. For more than two decades, Sapphire has partnered with visionary management teams and venture funds to help scale companies of consequence.  Sapphire is a technology-focused Venture Capital firm that focuses on helping growth-stage technology companies become category-defining leaders. The firm enjoys an open-door, collaborative culture - and spirited intellectual debate is encouraged!

 

Role & Qualifications 

Sapphire Ventures is hiring an Associate, Strategy, to work in the Office of the CEO, reporting directly to Sapphire’s VP, Strategy. The Associate will work with Sapphire’s leadership and other Strategy team members to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing across all Sapphire investment units and with Sapphire’s largest LPs. 

For the candidate with a strong interest in technology and venture capital, this is a unique opportunity to help develop research into potential new investment areas (including, for example, highly relevant topics such as digital transformation, sustainability and AI). The output of this strategic research (including reports and presentations) will help shape investment strategy and will provide feedback to the broader Sapphire network, including our LPs, on key trends in the software industry. 

Sapphire Ventures has a unique history as an independent VC firm with (1) a differentiation as an expansion-stage investor focused on enterprise technology, (2) an active value-added engagement model focused on building Companies of Consequence, and (3) a continued important relationship with our investors. As part of our engagement model, the Associate will interface with the investment team and our Portfolio Growth team to provide insights for our portfolio companies.  

As part of our deep approach to LP engagement, the Associate will also engage with LP executives to provide insights into the start-up ecosystem, including perspectives on M&A activity in enterprise SaaS, FinTech and related sectors. In order to gain the perspective necessary to provide actionable insights, the Associate will engage with portfolio company and pipeline company C-level executives, and various industry and sector experts, as well as with GTM, product and strategy executives at leading public cloud companies. In addition, the Associate will work closely with firm leadership on strategic projects and new business initiatives. 

The successful candidate will combine enterprise technology expertise, critical thinking skills and analytical abilities to both be able to work independently as required and be a sounding board in the Office of the CEO for new ideas, strategies and initiatives.  Other specific responsibilities will include conducting strategic analyses, which may range from quick to deep-dive research into markets, technologies and internal strategies; preparing high quality presentations and reports for both internal and external audiences; and authoring blogs on various topics relating to enterprise technology. This role is not an investment role. 

  

Professional Qualifications 

• 2+ years of successful experience in some combination of management consulting, corporate strategy, Investment Banking, Private Equity, or Technology Start-up roles, ideally with some exposure to enterprise software and related markets 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience writing executive-level decks and memos 
• Some experience in “client facing” roles with exposure to Senior Executive stakeholders 

• Ability to analyze data, synthesize key information and requests, and effectively communicate with stakeholders 
• Ability to establish strong relationships with senior executives and exercise good judgment  
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and succeed in a fast-pace, high-growth environment with continual change 
• Experience in and/or around the enterprise technology start-up ecosystem and familiarity with the venture capital business 
• Bachelor’s degree required 

 

Other Skills 

In addition to having the right skills, experience and motivation for this role, s/he must also exhibit: 

• Strong passion problem-solving and “cracking the case” (ability to think strategically, develop and test hypotheses, and create frameworks to evaluate courses of action) 
• Strong interpersonal skills (superb at building strong, lasting authentic interpersonal relationships; effective networking across all audiences; very high EQ) 

• Strong bias towards execution (actively support a culture of accountability for execution and results, prioritize work effectively and provide excellent and timely communication) 
• Strong credibility (presence in a room of senior executives, operators and investor peers; the ability to effectively establish influence with Sapphire’s senior leadership) 
• Excellent judgment (track record of strong personal and professional judgment and the pursuit of excellence in all endeavors)  
• Impeccable integrity (high ethical standards with a deep sense of authenticity and character; treating others with respect and care) 

 

Culture is critical to us, and we are transparent about our vision and principles:  

• Team Player - Experience with and passion for teamwork and cross-functional collaboration 
• Dedicated to Winning - Having the guts to take on a new challenge and the risk to be successful 
• Intellectual Curiosity - Exhibits an entrepreneurial and creative ethos and is continually compelled to learn and explore new ideas 

• Authentic Relationships - Relationships are the key to driving our collective success. Superb at nurturing authentic, diverse, and congenial long-term relationships  
• Excellence - Put your passion for Technology investing to work! 

 

Every day our team is honored to work with entrepreneurs and innovators from every corner of the globe, and we aim to build a team that reflects the diversity of our portfolio. We aren’t looking for someone who ticks every single box on a page; we’re looking for lifelong learners who can bring their own perspectives and unique experiences to make us better. If you think you’d be a great fit, then please get in touch and tell us about yourself. 

 

Our Benefits 

• Sapphire offers a competitive salary and bonus plan 
• 100% paid Health/ Dental and Vision plans for employees and dependents 
• 401(K) Plans/ Profit sharing 
• Collaborative, transparent, and fun-loving culture 

• Various employee development and training opportunities to participate in 
• Applicants must have valid work authorization to apply 
• Sapphire is committed to a firm policy of equal employment opportunity for all employees and job applicants. 

 

How To Apply 

Interested candidates should apply through our careers website.  

 

About Sapphire Ventures:

Sapphire is a leading global technology-focused venture capital firm with ~$10 billion in AUM⁽¹⁾ and team members across Austin, London, New York, Palo Alto and San Francisco. For more than two decades, Sapphire has partnered with visionary management teams and venture funds to help scale companies of consequence. Since its founding, Sapphire has invested in more than 170 companies⁽²⁾ globally resulting in more than 30 IPOs and 45 acquisitions⁽³⁾. The firm’s investment strategies — Sapphire Ventures, Sapphire Partners and Sapphire Sport — are focused on scaling companies and venture funds, elevating them to become category leaders. Sapphire’s Portfolio Growth team of experienced operators delivers a strategic blend of value-add services, tools and resources designed to support portfolio company leaders as they scale.

 

 

 

NOTE:

• “AUM” — Assets Under Management (AUM) represents Sapphire’s Regulatory Assets Under Management as of 12/31/2022 per ADV filed March 2023.
• “Figures represent all Sapphire direct growth investments made since the firm’s inception in January 2011 thru March 2023.
• Figures represent all Sapphire direct growth investments that have had an IPO or public listing from the firm’s inception in January 2011 thru March 2023. The specific companies identified may not be representative of all of Sapphire’s investments and no assumption should be made that the investments identified were or will be profitable. A complete alphabetical list of Sapphire’s investments made by its direct growth investing funds is available here.

 

For more information about Sapphire please visit www.sapphireventures.com