We are Salt Flats, an innovation platform where those driven to go beyond the status quo gather in person and virtually to prove what is possible; to go beyond what is known and establish expectations for the future. We are a diverse team of 21st century problem solvers with deep experience in entrepreneurship, data and library sciences, design, manufacturing, portfolio management, corporate strategy, communications, change management, and solution engineering. We work with the best talent, we collaborate and discover together, and we think and move at speeds beyond the conventional to create lasting value. We are a creative and inclusive workplace, where contributors are welcome and encouraged to bring their authentic, whole selves. Salt Flats is a key component of a broader portfolio of solution providers which includes Optimity Advisors LLC and Jumpgate Solutions LLC.

PURPOSE

Our Studio Venture Executive Leader are world-class business leaders, corporate strategists, product specialists, and designers. They carry the tall order of defining the field of opportunity and scope of our ventures and must wear many hats to develop the marketing, pricing, and operational structures needed to commercialize new products and businesses. As project leaders, they manage ventures from beginning to end, and may even transition to running these new businesses in the market.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Innovation

• Analyze start-up deal flow to understand imminent disruptions and identify tech acceleration opportunities
• Establish key performance indicators for venture outcomes while also defining the business model and case for new ventures, products and services
• Define the business model options and case for new ventures, products and services
• Develop the economic model and business plan for new ventures, products and services
• Test and validate assumptions while creating a sensitivity analysis for key drivers
• Quantify business value and funding models
• Define the commercial launch and go-to-market strategy
• Create the framing report, an overview and explanation of the project scope, objective and hypothesis, for new initiatives
• Collaborate with the Strategic Design and Product Development leads, as well as clients, to define a minimum viable business build, or product/service

Incubation

• Plan and deliver new ventures, products and services
• Mobilize new venture models by defining the target state, commercial partnership construct and success criteria
• Build a minimum viable business and go-to-market strategy for products and services
• Outline key team roles and responsibilities across work streams
• Identify required partners for regulatory requirements or support needs
• Define the investment business case and outline key performance, measurement and reporting frameworks
• Explore and define commercial partnership options with the client, considering alternative fee arrangements as appropriate
• Work with Strategic Design and Product Development leads, as well as clients, to align feature prioritization with go-to-market testing

Commercialization

• Facilitate the build and testing of operational processes, systems and reporting capabilities
• Implement an early feedback loop to enable continuous feedback, learning and iteration for ventures, products and services
• Monitor and report key business and customer success measures to clients, including regulatory reporting, celebrating successes and balancing opportunities for improvement
• Mobilize follow-on release plans with consideration to both the run and change aspects of the venture, balancing value creation with quality of product and service
• Foster an environment of innovation and customer centricity, institutionalizing agile innovation practices and a customer insight to action culture

Client Management

• Help strike the balance between clients’ needs and business requirements
• Ensure all perspectives are appropriately represented

Business Development and IP Creation

• Contribute to business development ahead of, as well as throughout, client engagements
• Create intellectual property, points of view, and industry/ topic platforms
• Contribute to the development of thought leadership across a range of emerging business, technology, and design topics
• Design and facilitate co-creation sessions with multi-disciplinary client teams
• Supervise a project team to deliver client value
• Manage budget and plan projects

Company and Internal Growth Contribution

• Lead business development efforts including preparing client proposals, RFP responses, and statements of work.
• Be an active member of the consulting senior leadership team including responsibility for business development and sales
• Collaborate with other leaders and team members to develop marketing materials including creating social media posts, blogs, whitepapers, webinars, and case studies
• Regularly lead and contribute to internal team meetings
• Support training and development opportunities for staff
• Lead and contribute to internal work groups and project efforts

NECESSARY SKILLS

• Strong working knowledge of operational infrastructure areas including customer onboarding, payroll and compensation, accounting, and how to develop scalable processes
• A proven track record of implementing successful systems for people and business operations, preferably in an early-stage startup environment
• Experience and interest in all aspects of building a high growth company including concept, value proposition, strategy, business models, funding, technology, branding, GTM, and building high functioning teams
• Exceptional people leadership skills and the demonstrated ability to gain confidence, build rapport and drive consensus with client team members, senior managers, and Operating Committee
• Ability to deal with ambiguity in a fast-paced, fluid environment
• Strong background in forming and coaching high-performance cross functional teams
• Hands-on knowledge of, Customer Development, or customer led innovation
• Working knowledge of corporate structure, governance, and the legal side of building a business

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years in a senior Operations Lead, People Management, Project Management or Product Management role, preferably in an innovation environment that could include startup or new venture / new business unit within a large organization
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Business, Engineering, Innovation, or other relevant field of study
• Experience in design or product development
• Experience with strategy development, business planning, and future visioning, as well as quantitative and economic modeling
• Experience in corporate innovation and/or venturing, internal and/or external venture development and realization
• Expertise in building financial models assimilating the ambiguities of a new venture
• Authorization to work in the United States on a permanent basis

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 15+ years in a senior Operations Lead, People Management, Project Management or Product Management role, preferably in an innovation environment that could include startup or new venture / new business unit within a large organization
• MBA or Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a relevant field of study
• Experience in a high-pressure start-up environment with exposure to multidisciplinary teams and/or involvement with a top-tier consulting firm
• Experience in product prototyping and testing
• Experience in commercial real estate, private equity or financial sector
• Experience in agile development and design thinking methodologies

Salt Flats, LLC is an EEO/AA/Veteran/People with Disabilities employer.