Ventures Talent Lead - Early Stage

Octopus Ventures invests in earlystage tech companies with a mission to back the people business and ideas that will change the world.  We have backed the founders in industries that we believe will drive transformative change: health fintech climate and beyond.  Our typical investment ranges from preseed to Series B with the ability to continue supporting our portfolio companies all the way to IPO.

Since 2008 we have supported nearly 120 teams including renowned names like Zoopla SwiftKey WaveOptics Elvie Many Pets Permutive Pelago Vitesse and more.

Joining the Portfolio Talent team at Octopus Ventures means playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of these innovative companies. You will be at the heart of a dynamic and forwardthinking environment where your efforts directly contribute to the success of ground breaking ventures. If youre passionate about fostering talent and driving growth within a vibrant and visionary portfolio Octopus Ventures is the place for you.

Whats in it for you

At Octopus Ventures we believe that people are core to every business and as such work closely with founders and CEOs to build great teams.  As a Talent Lead Early Stage you will work closely with the Founders CEOs and leadership teams of companies across the tech landscape allowing you to contribute to the success stories of companies that are shaping the future. 

In your role as Talent Lead Early Stage you will support portfolio companies at the early stage (pre seed to series A) helping them to build the foundation of their teams and cultures. You will partner closely with the founders leadership teams and investor directors to define and deliver talent initiatives that lead to high performing teams and positive business outcomes. In this role you will own the delivery of the earlystage talent product and as such will be responsible for the reporting of the impact on the initiatives.

You will build and maintain a strong network of stage relevant candidates and service providers.
You will also spearhead our Mentorship Program which aims to connect high quality
mentors/advisors with early stage founders. Working alongside the Talent Team you will
contribute to the overall product and experience that we develop and deliver.

The Team

You will be part of the Portfolio Talent Team working alongside 3 other Talent Leads.

Responsibilities:

Build foundational teams

• Work with founding teams of earlystage companies (preseed to Series A) advising on how to construct and building their critical early teams
• Share best practices and insights on org design hiring process management and leadership
• Support the design of critical roles from scoping the job recruitment approach interview process and beyond
• Act as advisor and confidant to leaders when faced with people puzzles pointing them to the appropriate resource as/when is necessary
• Partner with investor directors to address people needs in portfolio companies

Product Delivery and Development

• Deliver the Talent Product working to continuously develop and improve the impact on business and experience for founders
• Stay up to date and informed on shifting market dynamics related to hiring and org construction including on new tools and partners that companies are leveraging to build their teams
• Lead the Mentorship Program which aims to connect great operators with early stage companies

Build a Strong and Relevant Network:

• Build a network of relevant earlystage candidates across the most common roles that arise such that you can make relevant introductions
• Develop deep network of service providers including exec recruiters and LD specialists that you can easily deploy into relevant projects Project Management and Reporting:
• Clearly document and articulate the measurable impact of talent initiatives to internal stakeholders and portfolio companies
• Work with the OV team to manage and track projects contribute to consistent reporting of the impact delivered through talent initiatives

Project Management and Reporting:

• Clearly document and articulate the measurable impact of talent initiatives to internal stakeholders and portfolio companies
• Work with the OV team to manage and track projects contribute to consistent reporting of the impact delivered through talent initiatives

Qualifications :

Core Competencies:

• Building early stage teams you have operated in tech start ups at the early stage and
• have an understanding and perspective of what early stage teams need in order to build
• successful companies
• Org design you have a view on and understanding of typical org designs at early stage
• tech companies
• Heart and mind you take a human centric approach to your work and equally apply
• commercial logic/rational to plans/decisions
• Partner to founders you approach problem solving and hiring with curiosity and
• actively practice coaching techniques to best understand challenges and deliver
• solutions
• Organization and planning you are able to effectively prioritize and plan your
• workload such that you can execute in an efficient and autonomous manner
• Proactive and executes you act without being told what to do bringing new ideas to
• the team. And once you start a project or initiative you see it through consistently and
• completely

Essential Qualifications:

Has worked within early stage companies going through scale

Additional Information :

What we offer

A competitive salary bonus pension and share incentive plan 
Untracked holiday 
Hybrid working our people spend 3 days a week in the office 
Anchor (our wellness hub) which includes Headspace one to one coaching through Wellness Cloud Digital GP Shout & more 
Up to 6 months paid parental leave regardless of gender 
Life insurance critical illness cover and income protection 
Private medical insurance for you and your family 
Electric vehicle leasing 

Our Values 
At our core we believe that how a company behaves is just as important as what it does. Thats why we chose to become an accredited B Corp (the equivalent of a Fairtrade coffee stamp but for companies) and to change our Articles of Association so that the interests all our stakeholders employees customers communities environment and shareholders are considered in every decision we make. 

We are committed to building a workplace where diversity is valued and inclusion is a priority. By providing equal opportunities for growth and development we embrace and celebrate all races genders religions sexual orientations ages disabilities and socioeconomic backgrounds. We believe teams achieve their best when every member feels safe respected and empowered to be their authentic selves.

Were proud to be disability confident and are committed to supporting candidates with a disability including neurodiversity and mental health conditions throughout the recruitment process. Applicants are welcome to optin to the disability confident scheme as part of our application process. If you require any adjustments to the interview process well be happy to accommodate where possible.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Fulltime