Director

📍 Location: New York, NY | In Office

HearstLab is a mission-driven venture arm of Hearst Corporation, investing in early-stage, female-founded & led startups. We invest from Pre-Seed through Series B across the U.S., Europe, Middle East, and Japan, with a focus on software-driven businesses in strategic sectors aligned with Hearst’s 360+ businesses in the media, e-commerce, healthcare, transportation, financial services, and real estate sectors.

We are hiring a Venture Director to join our U.S. later-stage investment team. This is a high-impact role based in New York City, where you'll help shape the future of women-led innovation by sourcing and leading investments, supporting a portfolio of 60+ companies, and expanding our strategic investor and partnership network.

This position reports to the HearstLab Venture Co-Lead.

Core Responsibilities

🧠 Sourcing & Investment Execution

• Proactively source high-potential, revenue-generating startups led by female CEOs, with business models aligned to Hearst’s strategic focus areas.
• Lead end-to-end investment diligence, from initial screening through deal close, including financial analysis, market research, technical evaluation, and negotiation of investment terms. Collaborate with the HearstLab team on technical and legal diligence.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with founders throughout the diligence process, embodying HearstLab’s “founder-first” values through transparent communication and clear expectation setting.
• Activate the HearstLab Scout network (200+ women across Hearst’s businesses who volunteer their time to support the Lab) and broader Hearst community to deepen diligence and assess strategic alignment; engage internal stakeholders as needed.
• Develop and deliver clear, compelling investment recommendations and memos for HearstLab leadership and the Investment Committee.

🚀 Portfolio Support

• Serve as primary relationship manager for portfolio companies, as needed, including filling board observer positions. Help founders connect to and benefit from HearstLab’s platform, community, and Hearst resources.
• Provide strategic and operational guidance on financials, competitive positioning, go-to-market, and fundraising (pitch prep, data rooms, metrics, and investor introductions).
• Advise on M&A/exit opportunities, including market mapping, comps, and strategic positioning.
• Facilitate connections to potential customers, partners, advisors, talent, and recruiters.
• Identify portfolio challenges/opportunities and collaborate with leadership on tailored support strategies.

🌐 Platform, Brand and Community Engagement

• Represent HearstLab at industry events, speaking engagements, and in media to elevate our brand, source deal flow, and expand networks.
• Build strong relationships across Hearst, including the Scout network and business unit leaders, to drive engagement and unlock portfolio value.
• Develop and nurture connections within the VC ecosystem (e.g., investors, founders, and partners) to support portfolio growth and pipeline quality.
• Collaborate with the platform team and leadership to shape scalable portfolio support, cross-cutting investment themes, and internal strategy.
• Mentor junior team members.

📊 Fund & Finance Operations

• Own the tracking and accuracy of investment data, including cap tables, ownership percentages, capital deployed, valuations, and realized/unrealized returns.
• Maintain up-to-date portfolio company financials (e.g., ARR, burn, runway, fundraising status) to inform internal decision-making and reporting.
• Prepare and present investment and portfolio financial reports to HearstLab and Hearst corporate leadership.
• Ensure data consistency and integrity across internal systems (Airtable, Tactyc, Excel/Google Sheets); proactively identify and implement improvements to data workflows.
• Support budgeting, planning, and fund forecasting in collaboration with HearstLab leadership and finance partners.
• Respond to ad hoc internal and external data requests, including those from Hearst legal, tax, corporate development, and senior leadership.
• Help develop and maintain internal dashboards, templates, and reporting tools that improve visibility into fund and portfolio performance & exits.

Who You Are

• 7-10 years of experience in venture capital, private equity, investment banking, or as an operator at a startup—ideally with exposure to early-stage companies.
• Passionate about supporting women-led businesses and committed to adding value beyond capital.
• Adaptable, collaborative, and energized by variety; comfortable working in a lean, agile environment where priorities shift and teamwork is essential.
• A self-starter and natural leader who gets things done, navigating the pivots, pace, and ambiguity that come with startup investing.
• A true team player who keeps HearstLab’s mission and collective success front and center.
• Proficient in startup financial modeling and forecasting (Excel/Google Sheets).
• A relationship-builder with a venture-relevant network and a desire to expand and nurture it.
• Analytical, curious, and data-driven with a strong interest in emerging technologies, especially AI.
• A clear and confident communicator, both written and verbal, with the ability to form and express a point of view.
• Skilled at creating compelling presentations and reports (PowerPoint/Canva) for internal and external audiences.
• Enthusiastic about mentoring and supporting colleagues across Hearst and contributing to a collaborative culture of growth.

Perks & Benefits

• A front-row seat to the startup journey, with the ability to directly accelerate the success of women-led companies.
• A high-trust, low-ego team environment focused on meaningful impact.
• Competitive salary + networking/continuing education stipend.
• Hearst benefits, in addition to those listed below: in-office gym, executive coaching, therapy access, gut health programs, and more.
• Pathway to leadership with increasing autonomy over time.

HearstLab is an equal opportunity employer, and we embrace diversity in race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, and age.

In accordance with applicable law, Hearst is required to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role if hired in New York City. The reasonable estimate, if hired in New York City, is $175,000-225,000. Please note this information is specific to those hired in New York City. If this role is open to candidates outside of New York City, the salary range would be aligned to that specific location. A final decision on the successful candidate’s starting salary will be based on a number of permissible, non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to skills and experience, training, certifications, and education. Hearst provides a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, 401(k), paid holidays and paid time off, employee assistance programs, and more.

This role is also eligible for a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; 401(k) retirement plan; flexible spending savings account; paid holidays; paid time off; employee assistance program; and other company benefits.

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