MMV's Head of Platform will be tasked with working with startup companies to generate a handful of early opportunities to present their product to the appropriate audiences. This individual will leverage MassMutual’s global network to help these startups find the right audience within insurance and financial services companies for their products and services, and in doing so, will help to create significant value for the MMV investment fund. This individual will also expand MMV’s corporate presence and outreach efforts by planning and hosting industry gatherings, attending conferences, and managing the fund’s website and social media profile.

Objectives of this role

• Own the MMV relationship with the 2000+ significant global companies operating in financial services, including life, property & casualty, and health insurance
• Understand the product offerings of current and potential MMV portfolio companies, and which financial services companies might benefit from these solutions
• Broker introductions between MMV portfolio companies and the potential clients and partners of those companies.
• Act as key commercial liaison between executives at MassMutual and other Fortune 500 financial services companies and the CEOs and sales teams at MMV portfolio companies.
• Serve as MMV brand ambassador and manage website, social media, and corporate sponsorships.

Daily and monthly responsibilities

• Developing and maintaining relationships with key operating and corporate strategy personnel within MassMutual and other financial services companies. This will require:
  • understanding these companies’ 1-3 year corporate and technology strategy in detail
  • determining who the key individuals are within these companies, and which parties have decision-making authority and which are decision influencers
  • introducing appropriate potential vendor companies of interest alongside a knowledgeable explanation as to why these may benefit the financial service company’s strategy
• Recording and updating the current status of these MMV corporate relationships in MMV’s customer relationship management (CRM) system, Affinity.
• Continually interacting with the product and sales organizations of MMV portfolio companies to ensure that MMV is able to accurately represent their products and services to interested parties.

Skills and qualifications

• Possessing or able to quickly build strong market knowledge:
  • Ability to understand the high-level description of a software product; e.g., how it integrates with other software, its impact on user workflows, and the return on investment (ROI) from its use.
  • Strong domain knowledge (but not necessarily personal network) of companies, entrepreneurs, key investors.
  • Familiarity with leading products in MMV’s investment focus areas.
  • Able to contribute to evaluation of new markets (e.g., customers, purchase process, market size, channels, acquirors)
  • Increasing ability to gain and corroborate market, tech, and company data using diligence calls with GLG and other experts

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills:
  • Ability to clearly write MMV portfolio company introductions to business technical audience
  • Ability to interact with and present to MMV’s Investment Committee and senior members of MM Executive Leadership Team

• Extroverted and outgoing professional demeanor.
  • Develops commercial relationships for MMV portfolio companies.
  • Develops broad network of investors, entrepreneurs, and relevant experts.
  • Ability to be trusted contact and primary commercial partner for entrepreneurs at MMV
  • Builds relationships with senior corporate executives who might be interested in evaluating leading-edge venture capital backed technologies. 

• Portfolio company management
  • Contributes to decision making regarding portfolio company product strategy, marketing approach, and sales operations and spending.
  • Provides feedback and insight into the performance of MMV portfolio company sales organizations, helps to evaluate and recruit appropriate talent for these organizations.

• Fund operations
  • Manage internal reporting processes with MMV, MassMutual executives, portfolio company CEOs and sales teams, and other stakeholders
  • Continuously improve MMV marketing, messaging, processes and materials
  • Experience directly managing junior members of the MMV team, overseeing external MMV marketing and communications vendors
• Must be authorized to work in the United States, without requiring sponsorship, both now and in the future

Preferred qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (finance or computer science a plus, but not required)
• Communications experience, e.g., professional writing and presentation
• Prior entrepreneurial experience a plus, but not required
• Prior sales experience a plus, but not required.