Principal, Investments & Strategy

Job Description:

About ETS:

For more than 75 years, we have amplified products and services based rigorous research and our belief in the power of learning. Driven by our mission to advance quality and equity in education, ETS provides learning solutions, pioneering research and trusted assessments that help guide learners around the world on their path to new possibilities.

Our portfolio of trusted measures include TOEFL, TOEIC, GRE and Praxis. Along with research, development and innovation that explores new frontiers in learning and measurement our educational measurement solutions and research contribute to the development of new methods and tools, inform important dialogue with education policymakers, and shed light on critical issues and potential solutions - all with the aim of creating a world where all learners can improve their lives through education.

With new senior leadership at the helm, ETS aims to continue changing the lives of all learners as we expand our organization's global footprint. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of assessment and measurement efficacy within the education and ed tech space as it continues to grow and evolve.

The Principal, Investments & Strategy, will provide support for transactional investment activities across the business enterprise, with core activities including corporate strategy, competitive analysis, financial planning and investment management. The position will be part of the Corporate Development team and will work with Strategic Business Unit (SBU) leadership and Finance to develop, support and execute strategies and actions that enhance growth opportunities and ensure long-term sustainable competitive advantage for the company and its business units via external strategic business partnerships, and investment transactions. The successful individual will have a key role in all aspects of Investment Transactions including deal sourcing, due-diligence, structuring, negotiations, legal documentation, transaction closing, portfolio Board of Director representation and financial exits/liquidations. Transactional Investment & Strategic Planning Activities will include both domestic USA and international/global regions.

• Source deal flow & generate new transactional investment leads based on corporate strategy or identified new markets
• Develop and manage relationships with outside parties (investor syndicates, industry consultants, potential financial and strategic co-investors, customers, channel partners and distributors etc.)
• Evaluate strategic opportunities and make recommendations to senior management concerning tactical plans/strategies (including risks) to implement new business growth activities
• Lead and manage the transactional investment deal processes (market analysis, prospecting, deal sourcing, due diligence negotiations, legal documentation, financial modeling, financial advisory and valuation of strategic alternatives, risk assessment, scenario analyses, etc), including deal execution, transaction closing and post-transaction portfolio company monitoring
• Track strategic business trends & market research, track key industry players, identify new market opportunities and lead thesis/strategy definition, help develop/track metrics for assessment of growth opportunities,
• Mentor, supervise, lead and manage team of associates and junior staff
• Adhere to ethical standards and comply with the laws and regulations applicable to your job function
  
  

Required Experience:

• Experience in Strategy Consulting strongly required
• Experience managing transactional investment deals strongly required
• Transactional experience, including (i) M&A, convertible debt; minority and/or majority equity financings, (ii) Portfolio Board Director and Observer duties (iii) valuation & return on investment (ROI); (iv) M&A exits, liquidations and IPOs
• Strong interpersonal skills (written and verbal); Ability to manage conflicting deadlines; Critical thinker but with sense of urgency and bias for action; Strong convictions & emotional intelligence
• Ability to critically analyze and process high volumes of information and adapt to changing demands all while managing priorities; Good listener who can glean value from differing viewpoints
• Effective presentation abilities; strong analytical and evaluation skillset; ability to process differing ambiguous data and synthesize value metrics; Comfort with uncertainty
• Strong understanding of financial analysis and modeling and innovative problem-solving mentality
• Deep and growing professional network of business relationships to support deal sourcing
• Good knowledge of business contracts and experience working with legal and finance professionals
• Commitment to team-based environment and capable of working within cross-functional/multi-functional matrix organization; Ability to mentor, lead and manage diverse cross-functional teams
• Proven ability to manage priorities and maintain integrity in fast-paced challenging environment
• Strong credibility, candor and good ability to speak directly even when posing dissenting viewpoint
• ability to be adaptable and manage competing responsibilities and deadlines
• Strong communication, interpersonal and networking skills; ability to write and present effectively, instill trust and drive engagement
• Knowledge of EdTech ecosystem/Education market preferred but not required
• Bachelor's degree in Business or Engineering or Science or any relevant quantitative subject
• MBA or graduate degree preferred
• Strong proficiency in MS Office business applications (PowerPoint, Excel, Word etc)
• 5 years of professional work experience
• Previous experience in one or more of the following: Strategy Consulting, M&A, Private Equity, or Venture Capital, Corporate Development/Business-Development or Strategic Marketing, is required
  
  

ETS believes in a Total Rewards philosophy for our employees, and they include:

• Health, Vision, Dental insurance plans to choose from
• Generous continuous learning support, from individual learning grants to up to 6 classes a year for tuition reimbursement as well as on-line learning access!
• Generous PTO and vacation time to balance your work and life
• Additional 8 hours of PTO for volunteer work
• Retirement plan (401(a)) and traditional Roth (403b) with company contribution
• Commuter Benefits, Pet Insurance, 1 year subscription to Calm App
  
  

ETS is mission driven and action oriented

• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is at the forefront of the ETS employee's daily work. To further foster an inclusive environment ETS is home to a wide variety of Affinity groups that celebrate the diversity of our talented employees.
• How about cultivating growth, innovation, and continuous transformation for the next generation of rising professionals as leaders? ETS offers multiple Business Resource Groups (BRG) for you!
• Are you passionate about volunteering and being active in your career and community? ETS offers our Center for Advocacy & Philanthropy (CAAP) where we encourage ETS employees to become active volunteers in their communities and schools through the ETS Cares Giving Campaign. Our employees can support any 501c3 or eligible charity of their choice.
  
  

ETS is an Equal Opportunity Employer comprised of people with different experiences, strengths, and backgrounds who share a passion for advancing quality and equity in education. We are dedicated to building teams that reflect the various backgrounds, experiences, and identities of those we serve. The Talent Acquisition team strives to ensure candidates enjoy a fair and equitable hiring process. We believe our differences empower us to be a better team, making better decisions and delivering better results.

Keyword: market analysis, prospecting, deal sourcing, due diligence negotiations, legal documentation, financial modeling, financial advisory, valuation of strategic alternatives, risk assessment