Investments Lead, Open Innovation

Location: London Headquarters, UK

Reports to: Head of Investments, Open Innovation

Contract: 12-month fixed term contract, maternity leave cover

CHANEL

At Chanel, our values are grounded in creating the conditions for people to perform at their best and feel fulfilled and confident in their work.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Open Innovation team is a future-forward innovation ecosystem for CHANEL. Operating at the intersection of the organization and the wider world, we envision the road ahead for luxury and for CHANEL, fast-tracking potential responses through our network of investments and partnerships. We pressure-test these ideas both inside and outside CHANEL, enabling the House to create positive impact from leading-edge learnings and capabilities and to prepare its businesses for the future.

The Open Innovation Investments team manages our corporate venture capital activities, working closely with the Startup Programs Lead and across the wider organization. The team is looking for an Open Innovation Investment Lead in London, reporting to the Head of Open Innovation Investments. This is an execution-focused role responsible for driving the end-to-end investment process from diligence through closing, as well as ongoing portfolio management and reporting. Our ideal candidate will have experience in an early-stage VC, CVC, or corporate development environment with a strong track record in investment execution.

IMPACT YOU CAN CREATE AT CHANEL

In this role, you will serve as the operational backbone of our corporate venture capital activities, working in close partnership with the Head of Investments, Open Innovation and the Startup Programs Lead. Your work will touch on the realms of Investment Execution, Portfolio Management, Investment Strategy, and Cross-Functional Coordination. Responsibilities include:

Investment Diligence & Execution

• Lead end-to-end investment diligence on direct early-stage deals, including financial analysis, market assessment, competitive landscape review, and technology evaluation.
• Build and stress-test financial models to validate business assumptions, unit economics, revenue projections, and funding requirements.
• Prepare comprehensive investment memoranda for internal approval processes.
• Coordinate transaction execution with internal Legal and Finance teams, managing term sheet negotiations, due diligence workstreams, and closing documentation.
• Ensure timely and compliant completion of all investment processes, from initial screening through to funding and post-close integration.

Portfolio Tracking & Management

• Design and maintain a robust portfolio tracking framework covering key performance indicators, valuation milestones, and strategic alignment metrics.
• Prepare periodic portfolio performance reports for senior leadership and relevant stakeholders, synthesising quantitative data with qualitative strategic insights.
• Monitor portfolio company health, proactively identifying risks and opportunities to maximise value creation and strategic return.
• Track and analyse fund commitments, including fund-level performance.
• Leverage Generative AI tools and automation to enhance portfolio dashboards, streamline reporting workflows, and generate data-driven insights at pace.

Investor & Fund Engagement

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with co-investment partners, venture capital firms, and fund managers across our investment ecosystem.
• Represent the organisation in investor meetings with professionalism and strategic acumen.
• Evaluate fund investment opportunities, conducting performance analysis and due diligence on early-stage fund managers.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Collaborate closely with Legal, Finance, Tax, and Compliance teams to ensure investment activities adhere to corporate governance frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with the Startup Programs Lead to identify synergies between portfolio companies and internal business units, driving strategic value beyond financial return.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of internal investment processes, tools, and frameworks.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING/HAVE

• Demonstrated track record of executing early-stage investment transactions.
• Experience analysing fund performance and conducting due diligence on early-stage venture funds, including assessment of fund economics, portfolio construction, and GP track records.
• Experience in financial modelling with the ability to stress-test assumptions, build scenario analyses, and evaluate capital structures.
• Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional deal execution across Legal, Finance, and external counsel.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with the confidence to engage credibly with senior investors, fund managers, and C-level startup founders.
• Strong written communication skills with experience preparing investment memoranda, board papers, and portfolio reports.
• Proficiency in leveraging Generative AI tools to accelerate research, analysis, reporting, and operational workflows; a proactive mindset toward adopting emerging technology to drive step-change improvements in productivity and insight generation.
• Comfort with complexity, ambiguity, and shifting priorities with strong attention to detail.
• A relationship-driven mindset, strategic thinking abilities, and a systemic approach to driving investment outcomes across diverse stakeholders.
• Prior experience in a Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm or Innovation unit within a large corporate organisation is highly preferred.
• Familiarity with venture data platforms (e.g., PitchBook, Crunchbase).
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written.

YOU ARE ENERGIZED BY

• Executing investment transactions end-to-end—from first analysis through to signed term sheets and closed deals—in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Deep analytical work: building financial models, stress-testing assumptions, and producing rigorous investment memoranda that inform high-stakes decisions.
• Engaging regularly with external investors, fund managers, and startup founders, building a network that creates mutual value across our investment ecosystem.
• Translating portfolio data into clear, compelling narratives for senior leadership, connecting individual investments to the broader strategic picture.
• Working cross-functionally with Legal, Finance, and business teams to navigate complexity and drive processes to completion.
• Exploring emerging technologies, market trends, and the evolving venture capital landscape with genuine intellectual curiosity.
• Leveraging Generative AI and new tools to continuously improve how the team operates, analyses, and reports.
• Being part of a small, high-impact team where your work directly shapes the organisation’s innovation and investment agenda.

POSITION LOGISTICS

• 7+ years’ experience with at least 3 in an early-stage VC, CVC, or corporate development/innovation investment environment.
• University degree required.
• Position based in London (~60% in office, ~40% remote, flexible).
• Some travel required, at least every other month

WHAT SKILLS WILL YOU LEARN, WHAT EXPERIENCES MIGHT YOU HAVE

• Regular connection to senior company leadership and external innovators (e.g., start-ups, VCs, entrepreneurs)
• The opportunity to shape and scale an investment portfolio with meaningful strategic and financial outcomes.
• Opportunity to work entrepreneurially within CHANEL on innovation and future-forward topics

At Chanel, we are focused on creating an inclusive culture that nurtures personal growth, contributing to collective progress. We believe the uniqueness of each individual increases the diversity, complementarity, and effectiveness of our teams. We strongly encourage your application, as we value the perspective, experience, and potential you could bring to CHANEL.