COMPANY BACKGROUND:
Mercia is known as one of the country’s leading regional investors able to drive significant and profitable growth through our Complete Connected Capital model. Our mission is to find great domestic businesses with global potential. Because of our strong local footprint, deep understanding and knowledge of the regions, we have been successful in finding such businesses through serial founders that trust us to invest and behave responsibly. Some of these are in quite discrete sectors which we are only able to access through our specialist expertise and established networks, many of which have performed well in this current environment. An exciting time for the company despite what has been an unprecedented year in terms of the disruption of COVID-19, Mercia has emerged a year ahead of plan and has already grown its team by 24 people over the last 12 months.
Our strength has come as a result of our people and culture that has Mercia’s values at its core. We are now looking to further grow our EIS Fund Investment Team.
ROLE PURPOSE:
As a member of the Mercia EIS Fund Investment team you will be supporting with the investment in and monitoring of companies across the United Kingdom. The Mercia EIS Fund is an early-stage technology fund that provides investment from £100,000 to £2m to technology businesses across a range of sectors. The Mercia EIS Fund has a portfolio of over 70 assets and the fund plays an important part of the Mercia connected capital strategy.
ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Investment Manager is responsible for:
- Keeping abreast of business developments, trends and business opportunities.
- Developing a network of introducers to demonstrate own potential deal flow.
- Carrying out research and financial modelling to assist the Investment Director in identifying suitable investment opportunities.
- Carrying out due diligence analysis on potential investee companies, involving all relevant stakeholders.
- Making recommendations for structuring a transaction, taking into account the specifics of the deal.
- Writing investment papers to a high level of quality and within Investment Procedure guidelines.
- Presenting at Investment Committee meetings, showing a well-researched proposal and handling objections.
- Dealing with legal negotiation on investments with support from the Investment Director or Fund Principal.
- Carrying out all work in accordance with legislative, regulatory and statutory requirements, and articulating the potential consequences of non-compliance.
- Reviewing investee company performance and ensuring compliance with the Investment Agreement and ensuring good corporate governance.
- Supporting and advising investee companies on the need to change where appropriate.
- Managing any conflicts of interests.
- Monitoring the performance of an investment against the business plan and KPIs.
- Monitoring the delivery of the 100 day plan and escalating issues.
- Attending investee company board meetings.
- Shortlisting of potential exit routes, assessing factors that may affect the choice of exit route and implementing an agreed exit plan.
- Researching appropriate co-investors and structuring deals with potential new investors.
- Reporting on the performance of investments and reviewing monthly management accounts and reports against agreed criteria.
- Promoting the benefits of socially responsible ways of working to portfolio companies.
- Sharing industry and technical knowledge with more junior members of the team.
- You may be asked to provide input in to the development reviews of more junior members of the team.
- Keeping Group CRM system updated to ensure records are accurate and current.
EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
- We are a collaborative team and so it’s important that you share our Mercia Core Values (Growth Focused, Responsive, Knowledgeable, Trusted).
- Track record of making early stage technology investments in a venture capital fund or similar (at least three years).
- Solid knowledge and experience of the UK venture landscape.
- Experienced in early stage investments and building a solid network with advisers, deal introducers, HNWIs and NXDs across the United Kingdom.
- Experience of working with Boards of investee companies.
- Evidence of managing multiple investment projects to tight deadlines.
- Solid business acumen and analytical skills.
- Strong work and team ethics.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
- Experience of financial analysis and modelling.
- Experience in writing good quality investment papers and presenting effectively at Investment Committee meetings.
- Experience of reporting on portfolio company performance.
- Experience of working in a regulated environment, with an understanding of the potential consequences of non-compliance with legislative, statutory and regulatory requirements.
- Strong Excel skills are essential, together with a good working knowledge of other Microsoft Office products.
- Evidence of academic achievement – a relevant degree is strongly preferred.
- You must be able to drive and be prepared to travel to our other Mercia offices and client sites.
- You should have the right to work in the UK.
If you would like to apply for this position, send your CV and a covering letter, detailing your availability to join us: careers@mercia.co.uk
Mercia Asset Management PLC is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We value diversity at Mercia and are committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment equally and fairly, regardless of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or religious beliefs, gender or gender realignment, sexual orientation or marital status, disability, responsibility for dependants or age.