VP - Managing Director, Ventures Investing

Government Employees Health Association, Inc. (G.E.H.A) is a nonprofit member association that provides health and dental benefits that millions of federal employees and retirees, military retirees and their families have counted on since 1937. Offering one of the largest health and dental benefit provider networks available to federal employees in the United States, G.E.H.A empowers health and wellness by meeting its members where they are, when they need care.

 

G.E.H.A has one mission: To empower federal workers to be healthy and well.

As the VP - Managing Director, Ventures Investing this role assumes full responsibility for the Innovation Fund and Innovation Partnership program’s strategic direction, operational management, and overall success. The Innovation Investment & Partnership team plays a critical role in advancing strategic innovation investments and partnerships, ensuring access to cutting edge healthcare technology and early-stage innovations that support G.E.H.A’s vision for the future of the health and well-being of its association members.

Reporting to the Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer (CISO), the Vice President & Managing Director is pivotal in driving the program’s alignment with G.E.H.A’s strategic framework and the corporate investment policies. The position demands proactive leadership in managing the program’s agenda, identifying, and actioning relevant innovation investment and innovation partnership opportunities, and representing these to the Board of Directors, as necessary.

This role offers a significant opportunity to lead and transform G.E.H.A's Innovation Investment & Partnership initiatives, driving new value and culture change in alignment with the company's vision and core values.

SKILLS

Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Executive Management:

• Define and implement program strategy to enable G.E.H.A's overarching strategic framework.
• Serve as the Fund’s primary interface with the G.E.H.A Fund Governance Council, presenting sector and deal analysis and offering points of view on strategic opportunities relative to venturing activities.
• Lead coordination of investment approvals and related documentation through both the Fund Governance and Audit Committees of the Board of Directors.
• Develop and maintain the Innovation Partnership “idea to impact” framework to optimize a culture of experimentation while ensuring innovations translate into real-world impact.
• Routinely present Innovation Fund (Fund) performance updates to the Board of Directors, including ad hoc insights and reporting as required.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with senior leadership and Audit Committee members, delivering high-quality presentations and reports that inform strategic investment decisions and ensure compliance with governance. 
• Represent G.E.H.A externally with the startup and venture capital investment community, including in approved media interviews.

Market Analysis and Thought Leadership:

• Systematically engage the start-up and VC ecosystem, providing early visibility into emerging trends to enable more informed strategic decisions.
• Champion emerging solutions and markets within G.E.H.A, contributing perspectives and trends as part of the strategic planning process. Develop influential materials, including white papers and sector analyses.
• Lead internal activities in coverage areas by creating and disseminating synthesis of industry trends, organizing meetings with G.E.H.A management and startup roadshows.
• Drive awareness internally of early-stage and growth-stage companies that may be of strategic relevance.
• Identify aligned high-potential collaborators, including Entrepreneurs in Residence, for targeted engagement.

Innovation Investment Oversight and Portfolio Management:

• Develop and maintain Innovation Fund investment themes to complement G.E.H.A’s strategic framework, long-term goals and strategic roadmaps, and business capability maturity gaps.
• Partner with CISO, Senior Leadership Team, Corporate Planning & Performance, and Business Architecture to understand long-term goals and strategic road maps to inform G.E.H.A investment themes and focus areas.
• Oversee the entire Innovation Fund (Fund) investment process from sourcing, investment structuring, due diligence, to portfolio management and exit strategies.
• Build a robust pipeline of leading startups that fit with strategic investment themes. Meet regularly with VCs and innovation partners and attend conferences to maintain a pulse on market developments.
• Administer the G.E.H.A Fund Governance Council, serving as a non-voting member and administrator of the Innovation Investment Policy.
• Develop and provide comprehensive investment analysis and recommendations.
• Perform end-to-end due diligence activities and recommendations, including market analysis, modeling, due diligence, structuring, legal documentation, negotiations, and investment committee presentations alongside partners. Prepare all necessary documents for the Fund Governance Council and the Board for investment decisions and ongoing portfolio management.
• Develop and present regular updates on Fund’s strategic objectives, portfolio health, operations, and financial parameters with CISO to the Fund Governance Council, Board, and key stakeholders.
• Grow and maintain our internal tools and knowledge database (e.g., relationship management platform) and create standardized operational processes to enable the team’s growth.
• Serve as a Board Director on portfolio company Board of Directors as the G.E.H.A representative as required.
• Serve as a Board Observer on portfolio company Board of Directors as the G.E.H.A representative as required.
• Serve as an active advisor to portfolio company leadership in capacities related to early-stage company operations, strategic projects and fundraising additional capital as needed.
• Drive value creation for G.E.H.A through both insights via investment activity as well as financial returns via portfolio value assessments.
• Collaborate with G.E.H.A subsidiary leaders as value-add resource to enable value creation.
• Measure and track cultural impact of program, optimizing engagement employee strategy to improve outcomes.
• Develop in conjunction with Senior Leadership corporate development initiatives as requested.

Innovation Partnerships Oversight and Portfolio Management:

• Identify strategic innovation partnership opportunity areas, leveraging the investment portfolio, long-term goals and strategic roadmaps, and business capability maturity gaps.
• Drive related partnership opportunities as permitted and accelerate the adoption of key capabilities in collaboration with G.E.H.A business sponsor.
• Oversee the entire Innovation Partnership “Idea to Impact” process from intake, diligence, pilot design, legal/VMO coordination, launch, assessment, learnings, and post-pilot decision gates.
• Ensure value creation for G.E.H.A through insights, member impact via partnerships, and culture change.
•  Generate innovation champions and advocates internally, creating a flywheel effect between partnerships and internal innovation advocates.
• Produce in collaboration with the Innovation Investment & Partnership team key employee engagement touchpoints such as Spark Sessions, Innovation Partnership Day, and like activities to amplify the organizational reach and impact of innovation advocates and the program.
• Develop and present regular updates on Innovation Partnerships strategic objectives, pipeline, active partnership portfolio health, operations, and outcomes with CISO to the Fund Governance Council, Senior Leadership Team, Board, and key stakeholders.

Team Leadership and Capacity Building:

• Direct & mentor the Innovation Investment & Partnerships team to strengthen G.E.H.A’s market intelligence and innovation capabilities.
• Streamline internal operational processes to facilitate team growth and operational excellence, leveraging Agile methodology.
• Foster a culture of high performance, ensuring quality output across diverse workstreams.
• Coordinate multiple workstreams across the extended Innovation Investment & Partnerships team, ensuring the highest quality output on deliverables.
• Mentor G.E.H.A colleagues to build and strengthen G.E.H.A’s market intelligence and innovation capability.

Ethics and Compliance:

• Uphold high ethical and professional standards in all business interactions.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and company policies.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business management, or a related field; MBA or other master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years of relevant experience, including at least 7 years in full-cycle venture investing, ideally in a corporate environment.
• Demonstrated success in corporate venture capital investments, partnerships, and portfolio company value addition. Experience in corporate development preferred.
• Strong network in the venture capital and healthcare entrepreneurship ecosystem.
• Exceptional skills in analysis, relationship management, and communication.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities, business needs, and market dynamics with an initiative-taking and purposeful mindset.
• Proficiency in MS Office and database applications.
• Significant travel required, including overnight stays.

Work-at-home requirements

• Must have the ability to provide a non-cellular High Speed Internet Service such as Fiber, DSL, or cable Modems for a home office.
• A minimum standard speed for optimal performance of 30x5 (30mpbs download x 5mpbs upload) is required.
• Latency (ping) response time lower than 80 ms
• Hotspots, satellite and wireless internet service is NOT allowed for this role.
• A dedicated space lacking ongoing interruptions to protect member PHI / HIPAA information

How we value you

• Competitive pay/salary ranges
• Incentive plan
• Health/Vision/Dental benefits effective day one
• 401(k) retirement plan:  company match – dollar for dollar up to 4% employee contribution (pretax or Roth options) plus a 6% annual company contribution   
• Robust employee well-being program
• Paid Time Off
• Personal Community Enrichment Time
• Company-provided Basic Life and AD&D
• Company-provided Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Tuition Assistance Program

While this is a remote opportunity, at this time G.E.H.A does not hire employees from U.S. territories or the following states: Alaska, Hawaii, California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Maine.

Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only.  G.E.H.A considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and business considerations when extending an offer.

The hiring range for this position is $226,560 - $297,360 USD. At G.E.H.A, the current maximum salary for this role is $339,840 USD. While initial compensation may vary based on experience and qualifications, there is a path to work toward this top rate through performance and continued growth within the organization.

G.E.H.A is an Equal Opportunity Employer, which means we will not discriminate against any individual based on sex, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, age, military status, genetic information, veteran status, pregnancy, marital status, gender identity, and sexual orientation, as well as all other characteristics and qualities protected by federal, state, or local law. G.E.H.A will not discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their compensation or the compensation of another employee or applicant. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

G.E.H.A is headquartered in Lee's Summit, Missouri, in the Kansas City area. We recognize the importance of balance and flexibility and offer hybrid and work-from-home options for many of our roles.