Overview

Job Location:
TX, Austin – Global Support

Job Description

General Summary

Works on the Business Development (BD) investment team with a primary focus on 1) advancing and supporting the direct equity investing and portfolio management activities of Whole Foods Market (WFM), 2) growth and development of equity warrants Innovation Partnerships in collaboration with suppliers and the WFM Merchandising team,3) BD investment support, including portfolio support, for the WFM Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP) in partnership with the WFM Merchandising team and 4) BD investment and portfolio management support of the Whole Foods Market Foundation donor-advised fund (WFM DAF). Works with BD team members, WFM merchandising and operational teams, and WFM and Amazon accounting, tax and legal teams to perform data acquisition, analysis and presentation required to support complex simultaneous investment, warrant and acquisition projects. Responsible for organizing data and conducting analysis to explain and support business decisions in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders and third-party business partners of WFM. Support data and analysis needs of WFM and Amazon BD and corporate development, accounting, tax and legal teams and collect, organize, analyze and prepare information needed for portfolio company evaluation as well as periodic reporting to WFM and Amazon leadership.

Will Do:

Investing and Equity Warrants Partnerships

Manage a deal log of investment and warrant prospects, and prepare materials for weekly deal team meetings and other periodic updates. Work respectfully and proactively with potential investees and partners to collect, organize, analyze and refine company data and to present the information needed to build consensus for BD decisions to pursue or not pursue deals and communicate decisions internally and externally. Coordinate with WFM merchandising and operating teams to learn of new Business Development opportunities and gain insights on deals in order to make decisions on deals to pursue. Gather and analyze data from WFM databases, business intelligence tools (Tableau, Everclear, Workday Financials etc.) and other sources to evaluate potential partners for risks and potential at WFM in alignment with strategic goals of the company. Lead and otherwise support the development of financial returns analysis and work with the BD team to design deal structures that will produce strong financial results for WFM. Prepare materials in partnership with the BD team to support the investment approval process internally including investment rationale, strategic and financial implications, and investment risks. Coordinate term sheet negotiations with investees and fellow investors and seek term sheet approval from appropriate parties, manage signature process, and work in collaboration with BD leadership and internal and external legal counsel to complete the associated deal documents. Work with internal and external stakeholders to pursue pre-closing due diligence as necessary to support investment decisions and ensure adequate rights, preferences and protections. Engage WFM resources where appropriate to provide expertise, direction, or support to achieve agreed upon goals and provide needed expertise to investees and partners. Clearly and quickly communicate issues, concerns, and financial challenges and impact to WFM and provide well-supported recommendations. Organize information on portfolio companies and direct the collection, review and analysis of financial data in assessing portfolio company health and warrant vesting and exercise metrics. Support WFM colleagues in preparing periodic reporting to WFM and Amazon leadership. Take an active role in equity portfolio supervision including serving as an observer and/or representative on portfolio company board of directors. Collect and analyze portfolio company retail performance data as needed for to prepare for board of directors and other meetings and work with internal WFM teams to address upside opportunities as well as concerns. Work with WFM accounting, tax and legal team to collect and organize information on equity and warrant positions. Evaluate portfolio of equity and warrant positions, in partnership with BD leadership, for the potential to donate investments to the WFM DAF in alignment with the strategic and financial goals of WFM. Lead process to approve and document donations, as they occur. Work with WFM colleagues to provide analysis, insights and updates on equity and warrant positions held in the WFM DAF to the DAF administrator. Serve as a point of contact and advocate for portfolio companies’ WFM merchandising questions and concerns. Support BD involvement with the WFM LEAP program including taking a leadership role in negotiating investments in LEAP cohort participants and participation in cohort workshops Maintain standard term sheet and deal document templates and update as needed to create revised templates as agreed by leadership.  Actively participate in relevant business trade shows and other meetings and events to gain insights and further discussions that enhance deal flow and ability to help portfolio companies to succeed. Perform other Business Development related duties as assigned.

Must Have:

Passion for enhancing the strategic position of WFM through the structuring of equity-enhanced win-win partnerships with suppliers and other WFM business partners. Familiarity with the natural foods/body care business as well as an inquisitive nature and desire to learn more. Bachelor’s degree required, and MBA preferred, plus 6 or more years work experience focused on venture capital investment and/or private placement investment banking, ideally including experience with CPG, food & beverage deals and the natural and organic food sector. Understanding of the fundamental concepts of venture capital deal structures, terms and conditions including an understanding of the various elements of the venture capital term sheet and investment deal documents. Understanding of and experience with venture-backed company leadership and board of directors governance. Ability to review, interpret, understand, run scenarios and otherwise analyze company financial statements and capitalization tables, an understanding of finance and accounting practices and terminology, and a basic understanding of the equity capital markets. Ability to build and review complex financial projection and cap table models and run scenario and ROI analyses. Ability to develop and deliver executive level proposals, presentations and summaries. Ability to collaboratively work with diverse functional groups across WFM to support insight gathering, reporting, decision-making and actions related to portfolio companies. Strong analytical skills, follow-through, attention to detail and an ability to multi-task to bring multiple simultaneous complex projects to completion in a timely fashion despite considerable uncertainty. Strong command of Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint and mastery or ability to quickly learn WFM applications and data mining tools including Tableau and Everclear. Excellent communication skills, written and oral, a good listener, and an instinctive collaborator. Appreciation for WFM policies, Core Values and Leadership Principles and the desire and ability to effectively represent the interests of the company.

At Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.

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