Sr. Investment Director (1437)

Aramco Ventures - Houston, TX - Full Time

JOB PURPOSE:

Aramco Ventures (AV) is the corporate venturing arm of Aramco, a world leading integrated energy and chemicals company.  The mission of the strategic venturing program – our $1.5 billion sustainability fund and $500MM digital/industrial fund – is ‘to invest globally into start-up and high growth companies with technologies of strategic importance to Aramco, to accelerate their development and deployment in Aramco’s operations’.  Established in 2012 with an initial investment capital allocation of $500MM, AV is a leading corporate venturing program globally and within the energy industry, and aims to be seen as a leading value-adding strategic investor in the global venture capital community. The Sustainability fund, announced in October 2022, supports Aramco’s ambitions to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions across its wholly-owned operated assets by 2050, development of new lower-carbon fuels businesses, and furthering Aramco’s broader environmental objectives. The original $500 million fund from 2012 is now expected to be evergreen and has been refocused on digital and industrial technologies that can add value to Aramco’s operations.

AV’s investment team is responsible for identifying, executing and managing investments for the program, ensuring strategic relevance of technologies to Aramco and generating an attractive financial return on investment.  AV is headquartered in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, with two key regional investment teams located in North America and Europe, in proximity to global energy innovation and venture capital hubs.  AV has adopted an activist investment strategy, commonly leading and structuring its investment transactions, and commonly taking board seat or board observer positions in its portfolio companies. The investment team also supports AV’s business development team in driving the adoption of technologies in Aramco. AV focuses on Sustainability investments in the following sectors;  Carbon management, utilization, and storage, including direct air capture, Renewables and energy storage, Greenhouse gas emissions detection and reduction, Energy efficiency, Nature-based greenhouse gas mitigation, Digital solutions, Greenhouse gas tracing and trading, Hydrogen and ammonia value chains, Synthetic renewable fuels, and Water and air quality.  For investments in the Digital/Industrial sectors, the focus is primarily on digital solutions that can provide operational benefit in terms of cost savings, capital efficiency, safety, workforce and human capital development, or competitive advantage. We also selectively invest in disruptive technologies, hardware solutions, as well as technologies which could allow for alternative uses of hydrocarbon-based materials.

The Senior Investment Director is a senior deal lead responsible for managing and overseeing all aspects of individual venture capital investments; including investment strategy, sourcing, evaluation, development of investment memoranda, negotiation, execution, portfolio management, performance reporting, and exits of deals. This will include holding multiple Board positions in AV portfolio companies and actively contributing to portfolio company governance, strategy and performance, and managing relationships with co-investors and company management. Responsible for high-profile, larger or strategically important investments within the regional portfolio.  Mentors staff at all levels and potentially supervises a subset of junior staff within a geographic location.
 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Role- Origination

• Develop and maintain deep networks within the start-up and VC communities, industry, and innovation centers.
• Source deal flow through multiple channels.
• Prioritize deal flow based on quality, fit, strategic value considerations and economic soundness.
• Represent AV in industry events and via speaking engagements.

Role- Investment

• Lead opportunity assessment, development of negotiating strategies, transaction structuring, due diligence and transaction execution for complex, strategic, or high-profile corporate venture capital investments.
• Recommend stage-gating decisions for new investments and present opportunities toAV management.
• Build relationships with start-up management, co-investors and board members to effectively position AV as a leading investor and to develop and lead transactions.
• Drafting of termsheets and investment memoranda for new investments.
• Interface with legal counsel and advisors during diligence and development of transaction documents.
• Ensure compliance with AV investment process guidelines.
• Build a portfolio of investments meeting AV financial and strategic objectives.
• Contribute to regional investment strategy development and lead the development of investing themes.

Role- Portfolio Management

• Participate as deal responsible and AV board appointee for multiple complex, strategic, or high-profile investments.
• Maintain relationships with co-investors, board members, and investee management.  Provide value-add to portfolio via strategic and operational guidance, networking, fundraising, and business development support.
• Recommend stage-gating decisions & negotiation for follow-on investments and exit transactions, and recommendations on shareholder actions, to meet AV financial and strategic objectives.
• Draft termsheets and investment memoranda for follow-on investments and exits.
• Ensure effective transaction execution for follow-on investments and exits.

Role- Teamworking & Mentoring

• Contribute to global and regional teambuilding.
• Train and mentor investment personnel from junior to senior levels.
• Effectively delegate and oversee workstreams to mid-level and junior personnel.
• Supervisory responsibilities of junior investment staff may be required within a geographic area. 

Role- Reporting & Communication

• Provide visibility and objective reporting of portfolio company performance to regional and HQ AV management via verbal and written communications.
• Ensure transaction documents are on file and maintained.
   

CAPABILITIES:

Qualifications:

• Bachelors and Masters Degrees preferably combining engineering/science and management/finance disciplines.
• Strong academic performance from leading institutions.
• Professional certifications in desired skills areas is an advantage i.e. CFA or equivalent.

Competencies:

• Ethics - Honest and trustworthy and a model of high integrity.  Understanding of ethics as it relates to investment and corporate governance.
• Problem Solving - Analyze problems in a logical manner and recommend solutions, consider both the long- and short-term impact of proposed solutions and develop workable solutions.
• Technical and Commercial Acumen – ability to rapidly and skillfully assimilate the commercial potential of new technologies and identify opportunities and risks, assess investment opportunities, and manage complex negotiations.  Apply core concepts in competitive and market strategy, technology commercialization, intellectual property, financial analysis, investment analysis, valuation, negotiation, due diligence, start-up management and governance. 
• Communication – Demonstrate strong oral and written communications skills. Provide support and challenge ideas and be able to recommend solutions.
• Teamwork - Promote achievement of team goals, inspire self-confidence in others, promote high priority of team performance, motivate and support team members, display ability to resolve conflicts and remove obstacles.  Able to build and maintain relationships across cultures and geographies. Display leadership skills to be able to supervise/manage junior staff.
• Accountability - Take responsibility for actions and make decisions on best data available as well as follow through with focus on delivering goals and managing risk.

Experience:

• Minimum 15-20 years experience combining venture capital, corporate venture capital, corporate development, consulting, investment banking, private equity, start-up leadership or related fields.
• Minimum 10-12 years in venture capital or corporate venture capital throughout market cycles.
• Demonstrated track record and extensive hands on investment experience across the full venture investment life-cycle, including exits and investee board experience.
• Extensive understanding of technical and market trends in the energy sector.
• Extensive networks with the regional energy venture capital community.
• International experience desirable.
   

NO THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES ACCEPTED