Manager Corporate Venturing & Open Innovation (maternity cover)

About the role

This is a maternity cover position for a duration of 6–9 months. Responsible to drive investments and technical and commercial collaborations with external innovation stakeholders (start-ups, scale-ups, established companies, universities) from identification to completion. Ensure a strong fit for all activities with both external customers, through understanding real needs for innovation and potential engagement models, but also in close collaboration with internal key stakeholders (R&D, procurement, etc.).

Key Job Accountabilities

Create business value along investment areas and deliver financial returns

• Maintain high-quality pipeline of potential investment targets with strong strategic innovation component together with financial returns
• Leading “Amcor Lift-Off” initiative (investments up to €500k), including establishment of topics, scouting, establishment of internal collaboration plans (e.g. MoUs with R&D and Commercial), structuring and coordinating investments
• Driving planning and execution of all remaining investments, including due diligence, establishment of internal collaboration plans (e.g. MoUs with R&D), structuring, coordinating reporting of investments.
• Coordinate with external service providers for required services (e.g. tools, consultancies etc.)
• Suggest and drive new formats and ideas for investments and sharing of innovative companies across AmcorInvestment Areas & Sustainability Development:
• Manage the performance and growth of investments owned by CVOI
• Maintain a strong understanding of Amcor’s strategic priorities and ensure alignment with investment processes and investment areas
• Be a thought leader and central point of contact for multiple stakeholders (internal and external) for the assessment and monitoring of innovative and potentially disruptive technologies, trends and brands
• Ensure key innovations / start-ups are shared within the key stakeholders within Amcor (e.g. via Amcor Lift-Off program)

Drive to be the Corporate Venturing partner of choice for packaging customers and stakeholders

• Represent CVOI at relevant forums and conferences
• Network with key customers, suppliers, government / legislative stakeholders to promote corporate venturing activities and ensure an exchange to explore potential for collaboration
• Prepare internal and external communications (e.g. press releases, blogs, media interviews)
• Promote CVOI activities, deals and joint collaboration agreements via online communications (e.g. press releases, LinkedIn etc.)
• Present and promote existing portfolio and potential targets to Amcor Customers, to ensure joint innovation projects  / collaborations
• Identify, by relationship building, areas of further growth and decision making power of the CVOI function to support Value creation
• Ensure CVOI portfolio presence in Amcor Innovation Centers, during innovation events with Amcor customers (e.g. “Innovation Days”) and other opportunities  

Qualifications/Requirements

• Graduate degree from a business school
• Fluency in English; any additional language being a plus
• 8+ years of experience within an in-house corporate development / M&A team, a consulting or accounting firm or in an investment bank
• Investment and Innovation expertise
• Strong decision making and leadership skills
• Technical know-how related to packaging (barriers, production processes etc.) to effectively understand value proposition of investment targets
• Strong analytical, financial, legal skills supported by excellent communication capabilities
• Be ambitious, motivated and possess a desire to succeed and outperform
• Good customer value proposition skills
• Good relationship manager (make and maintain professional contacts with different people at different levels in and outside the company)

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