About Simple Ventures
We founded Simple Ventures (SV) with the mission of building great Canadian companies. Our thesis is simple: Canada is overlooked and under-appreciated. Most companies around the world ignore Canada because of perceived market size, regulation, language, and powerful oligopolies. As a result, Canadians miss out.
But we know better. Canada is a top 10 global economy with many of the same consumer and business pain points as other markets. This creates an opportunity to bring the best product ideas to Canada - to see what’s working around the world and be first to execute for Canadians.
We’re funded and supported by Canada’s top leaders including the founders and leaders of Wealthsimple, Shopify, Ada, MindBeacon, TD and many more. We are expanding our leadership team and looking for a leader that is excited to contribute to our mission!
Our Approach
We are experts in sourcing, vetting and launching new companies. Once we have conviction in a specific concept, we find the best fit CEO for the company and partner with them to accelerate and scale the venture.
For CEOs, we significantly de-risk the prospect of starting a company. In particular, we help by: (a) vetting the idea, (b) funding the concept, (c) unlocking a distribution advantage, and (d) bringing an extensive support network of advisors for design, engineering, product, marketing, business development, and growth.
For LPs, we seek to drive returns on every investment. By de-risking product-market fit and focusing on capital efficiency, we can drive attractive returns at significantly lower exit valuations vs. traditional venture capital. Our approach is industry agnostic. Instead we focus on (a) market validation, (b) capital efficiency, (c) attractive unit economics, and (d) moats around the Canadian market.
The Opportunity
This is a key leadership role on the team which includes a mix of strategy, finance and operations. There are two main aspects to the role:
1. New Venture Origination:
- Ideation: Building the engine that provides top of funnel concepts via unique sources such as your network, unique data channels, and leveraging our LPs.
- Vetting: Evaluate top of funnel concepts and write detailed memos on high potential ideas including interviewing industry experts, customer discovery and market research.
- Investment Case: Develop a "CEO-ready package" and work with the newly hired leaders to build a financial model and investment case to bring to our IC (investment committee).
2. Finance & Fund Operations:
- FundOperations: Partner with our external fund administration partner to ensure accuracy and compliance of all Fund Admin activities.
- New VentureCo Set-Up: Lead the new VentureCo back office set-up including FP&A, bookkeeping, banking, etc.
Delivering on both aspects of the role will require strong financial acumen, strategic prowess and a ‘roll-up-your-sleeves’ do-er attitude.
About You
We’re looking for a seasoned operator & finance professional to join us as a key leader at Simple Ventures. The ideal candidate has experience in corporate development, investing and/or leading a finance function at a scale-up. You are energized by being an early team member of Simple Ventures Fund I and the potential to scale-up efforts in Fund II and beyond.
You have an entrepreneurial mindset and pride yourself on being an achiever with a relentless desire to win. You're energized by the goal and freedom to build new companies navigating ambiguity and endless opportunity! You should have:
1. Relevant Experience: 10+ years of work experience in relevant fields such as:
- Experience investing (ideally, at a family office or PE firm, with experience outside of venture capital)
- Corporate development, in-house finance
- Consulting or investment banking advisory focused on tech products / businesses
2. Expertise Supporting & Partnering with a CEO
- Demonstrated experience working closely with a CEO, translating strategic vision into a compelling 5-year go-to-market plan.
3. Project Management
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects, set timelines, and allocate resources efficiently, using agile or similar methodologies with strong attention to detail.
4. Cross-Functional Team Leadership
- 10+ years leading diverse teams (e.g., finance, product, operations) with a focus on accountability and high performance.
5. Operational Strategy & Execution
- Skilled in creating and implementing processes to improve scalability and efficiency, with a focus on measurable impact.
6. Financial Management
- Experience managing budgets and utilizing financial data to support decision-making and optimize resource allocation.
7. Problem-Solving & Decision-Making
- Strong analytical skills, with a proactive approach to removing obstacles and driving continuous improvement.
8. Communication & Stakeholder Management
- Excellent written and verbal skills, with experience building relationships at all levels and managing expectations clearly.
Benefits & Perks
- Impact - Drive change in the Canadian ecosystem making a dent in the productivity problem that the country is facing
- Learning - Accelerate your career by learning from some of Canada’s most successful founder-operators.
- Fun - Focus on the best part of venture building 0 to 1.
- Compensation - As an early member of the studio team, you’ll receive a base salary + equity in Simple Ventures studio and carry in the fund.
- Recharge - Work hard, play hard with 20 days vacation plus office closure from Christmas to New years.
- Benefits - Part of a group health & dental benefits package.
