Venture Capital Valuation Manager – 14 Month FTC – Octopus Ventures

At Octopus, we’re entrepreneurs and we’re investors, on a mission to back the people, ideas and industries that will change the world. 

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About the Role

What’s in it for you?

You’ll play a key role in shaping our valuation process, reporting, and analysis. Working closely with the Head of OV Valuations, you’ll prepare portfolio valuations, analyse company data, and contribute to investment track record analysis. You’ll gain exposure to the full investment lifecycle, work with senior stakeholders, and help drive innovation in how we value and report on our portfolio.

Octopus Ventures, part of Octopus Group, is one of the largest VCs in Europe. We back founders who are changing the world for the better. We invest where we can make the greatest positive impact, getting behind businesses that put people, community and the environment first. Our teams are sector experts focusing on seven exciting and meaningful areas: B2B Software, Bio, Climate, Consumer, Deep Tech, Fintech and Health. We build long-lasting relationships with founders, investing as early as an idea on a page and supporting at every stage of growth – with funding, but also with humility and hands-on support for founders and their teams. 

The Team

The valuations team was set up in 2022 as an independent function within Octopus Ventures and continues to grow and develop into an integral part of the fund operating and management processes. Part of the wider Octopus Ventures Operations function, this team is is responsible for valuing all the portfolio companies we are invested in the Ventures’ funds. The team currently consists of four valuation professionals, including two valuation managers and two associates reporting into the Head of OV Valuations. 

What you'll be doing?

You'll play a key part in shaping the valuation process, reporting and analysis. Reporting into Head of OV Valuations, you'll help with the preparation of portfolio valuations, engage in the collection and analysis of portfolio company data, and be a key contributor to investment track record analysis.  

The ability to engage well with various stakeholders and core colleagues will be important from the outset. Our ideal candidate will have experience in and passion for valuing private companies, be highly proficient with Excel, have strong attention to detail and enjoy working with data.  They will have a bias towards efficiency and take pride in the quality of their work output.  

Key Responsibilities:  

 Portfolio Valuations

• Lead the preparation of individual company valuations on a bi-annual or quarterly basis
• Gather and analyse portfolio data, market comparables, and build valuation models (including waterfall modelling)
• Draft valuation papers with commentary on company performance, methodology, and triangulation
• Present valuations to the Valuation Committee and support sign-off processes with the Fund Board and auditors
• Manage the audit process and ensure documentation is audit-ready

 Fund Performance

• Produce regular analysis on fund performance and its key drivers
• Benchmark fund performance against relevant peers to support portfolio management decisions

 Investor & Board Relations

• Support the preparation of investor reports, providing insights into portfolio performance
• Collaborate with Investment Partners and Marketing to develop materials for fundraising, AGMs, and board meetings

Core Competencies:

• 5+ years’ experience in valuations, ideally within VC, PE, or a consulting firm
• Familiarity with IPEV (International Private Equity and Venture Capital Valuation) Guidelines 
• Strong commercial acumen and critical thinking, with the ability to assess uncertainty in early-stage, high-growth companies
• Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to explain complex valuation topics to non-technical stakeholders and build strong cross-functional relationships
• Attention to detail, high standards for accuracy, consistency, and audit-readiness in all outputs 
• Organised and efficient, capable of managing multiple valuation workflows across a broad portfolio
• Advanced Excel skills, including financial modelling, scenario analysis, and working with large datasets

Qualifications

✅ Valuation experience essential - most likely in a consulting firm, some of which will have been spent working on portfolio valuations for private equity, venture capital or alternative investment space. 

✅ ACA / ACCA qualified or CFA charter holder (preferred but not essential) 

✅ An understanding of International Private Equity and Venture Capital Valuation Guidelines. 

✅ Superior Excel skills. 

What we offer:

💰 A competitive salary

✈️ Untracked holiday 

🏡 Hybrid working – our people spend 3 days a week in the office 

⚓ Anchor (our wellness hub) which includes Headspace, one to one coaching through Wellness Cloud, Digital GP  & more 

Our Values 
At our core, we believe that how a company behaves is just as important as what it does. That’s why we chose to become an accredited B Corp (the equivalent of a Fairtrade coffee stamp but for companies) and to change our Articles of Association so that the interests all our stakeholders – employees, customers, communities, environment and shareholders – are considered in every decision we make.   

We are committed to building a workplace where diversity is valued, and inclusion is a priority. By providing equal opportunities for growth and development, we embrace and celebrate all races, genders, religions, sexual orientations, ages, disabilities, and socio-economic backgrounds. We believe teams achieve their best when every member feels safe, respected and empowered to be their authentic selves.

We're proud to be disability confident and are committed to supporting candidates with a disability, including neurodiversity and mental health conditions, throughout the recruitment process. Applicants are welcome to opt-in to the disability confident scheme as part of our application process. If you require any adjustments to the interview process, we’ll be happy to accommodate where possible.