Venture Associate - Exploratory Analysis

Gary Community Ventures is a philanthropic organization that combines the power of business, policy and philanthropy to increase opportunity for Colorado kids and families. We use our resources to make impact investments, fund policy and advocacy initiatives, provide philanthropic grants, and incubate new social change solutions through our venture Lab. In partnership with our community, we bring these tools together to break down systemic barriers and build breakthrough solutions that improve outcomes in the areas of School Readiness, Youth Success and Family Economic Mobility.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Ventures Associate will work closely with our internal team, external partner organizations, and directly with community members to source new ideas and conduct exploratory analysis into their feasibility. This position will play a critical role in building out our ventures pipeline and bridging the gap between concept and practical execution, ensuring that each idea is strategically aligned, well-researched, and positioned for success. The ideal candidate must be comfortable with administrative tasks as they arise, and demonstrate excellent communication, organizational, and collaborative skills.

This role does not have direct reporting managerial responsibilities.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Concept Sourcing (10%)
  • Collaborate with the Ventures team to identify, research, and qualify potential concepts that align with organizational strategies.
  • Act as a liaison with external partners, community stakeholders, and experts to gather insights, feedback, and validation of new concepts.
  • Represent the organization at community meetings, conferences, and networking events to identify emerging opportunities and potential collaborations.
• Exploratory Analysis & Research (45%)
  • Conduct preliminary discovery on new concepts, including phone calls or brief interviews with potential customers, experts, and stakeholders.
  • Work with concept owners to prepare for initial feasibility meetings, using our ventures playbook to define clear next steps.
  • Compile and analyze qualitative and quantitative data to understand demand, threats, and opportunities.
  • Assist in estimates of total addressable market, potential value for customers at scale, and hypothesis testing methods.
  • Develop financial models and projections to inform budget recommendations and assess venture feasibility.
• Project Coordination & Facilitation (20%)
  • Organize and facilitate meetings to discuss opportunity alignment, potential solutions, and strategic fit within the organization.
  • Assign and track tasks, timelines, and resources required to move ideas from concept to prototype stage.
  • Support the development of hypotheses and coordinate input from cross-functional team members, ensuring clear priorities and responsibilities.
• Administrative Support (15%)
  • Manage calendars, schedule meetings, and coordinate logistics for internal and external stakeholder discussions.
  • Prepare presentations, reports, and meeting summaries for the Ventures team and leadership as needed.
• Communication & Reporting (10%)
  • Maintain clear and consistent communication channels with internal teams, partner organizations, and community members.
  • Document key findings, lessons learned, and best practices from each exploratory analysis to continuously improve our ventures playbook.
  • Prepare regular updates for senior leadership regarding ongoing exploratory analysis, partnership activities, and emerging opportunities.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Skills & Competencies
• Strong Research & Analytical Skills: Ability to gather and analyze data to inform decisions on feasibility and market potential.
• Excellent Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Comfortable speaking with diverse stakeholders, including community members, industry experts, and internal teams.
• Project Management: Capable of juggling multiple tasks, setting priorities, meeting deadlines, and coordinating cross-functional collaboration.
• Administrative Aptitude: Willingness to handle administrative tasks such as scheduling, budgeting, and documentation with accuracy and efficiency.
• Adaptability: Flexible and open to pivoting based on feedback and new insights; thrives in a fast-paced, iterative environment.

Team Player: Able to work collaboratively and respectfully with a variety of internal and external partners.

• Education & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree required; Business, Marketing, Social Science, or a related field preferred.
• 2 -5 years of experience in project coordination or innovation/ventures-related roles preferred. Salary commensurate with experience.
• Preferred
• Experience in social impact or startup organizations.
• Familiarity with lean startup principles, innovation frameworks, or early-stage product development methodologies.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This role operates in a typical business environment working in our office location located in downtown Denver at Union Station. This role routinely uses a computer and its voice or video call capabilities. This role requires sitting and staring at a computer and talking via voice and video calls.

This position will be staffed through the 33rd Talent Corporation, which is an affiliate of Gary Community Ventures. The 33rd Talent Corporation is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.