[Hiring] Vice President, Catalytic Capital @Food System Innovations

Role Description

The sustainable protein sector is undergoing a significant capital reset. Valuations have fallen, investor participation has contracted, and promising companies and technologies face financing constraints even as the underlying science and commercial opportunities continue to advance. FSI believes this creates an unusual opportunity for patient, mission-driven capital.

FSI is seeking an experienced investor to build and lead its catalytic investment function. The Vice President, Catalytic Capital will:

• Develop FSI’s investment strategy and pipeline.
• Source, evaluate, structure, and execute investments.
• Manage FSI’s portfolio following close.
• Identify opportunities where FSI’s capital can have an outsized catalytic effect.

Unlike a traditional investment mandate, FSI can invest across a wide range of risk profiles, time horizons, and capital structures, including equity, debt, guarantees, recoverable grants, and other catalytic structures.

The initial strategy will emphasize balanced proteins, advanced fermentation, and cultivated meat, with a broader mandate to identify and address capital constraints limiting the sustainable protein transition.

Key Responsibilities

• Investment Strategy, Sourcing & Pipeline Development:
  • Refine FSI's investment theses across priority areas and translate them into a robust pipeline of companies, technologies, infrastructure projects, and other investment opportunities.
  • Proactively source and cultivate high-quality investment opportunities through FSI's network and the VP's own relationships.
  • Identify financing gaps where patient, flexible, or catalytic capital from FSI could unlock progress.
  • Develop portfolio-level perspectives on how FSI should allocate capital across technologies, stages, risk profiles, and financing structures.
• Investment Diligence & Underwriting:
  • Lead comprehensive diligence and underwriting of potential FSI investments.
  • Develop and oversee financial models and scenario analyses.
  • Work with FSI's scientific and technical experts to assess technology readiness and scale-up challenges.
  • Translate diligence into clear investment recommendations and rigorous investment memoranda for FSI leadership.
• Investment Execution & Portfolio Management:
  • Lead the structuring, negotiation, and execution of FSI's mission-aligned investments.
  • Design investment structures that appropriately balance financial risk and return.
  • Maintain relationships with portfolio company leadership and monitor financial performance.
  • Develop recommendations regarding follow-on investments, restructurings, exits, and other portfolio decisions.
• Organizational Leadership & External Leadership:
  • Work across FSI's scientific, market, philanthropic, and capital capabilities.
  • Collaborate closely with FSI's Capital Solutions function.
  • Advise FSI leadership on when investment capital is the appropriate tool.
  • Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders.
  • Represent FSI externally and share insights through public reports and presentations.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant investment experience, including significant principal investing experience.
• A demonstrated track record across the full investment lifecycle.
• Strong financial and investment judgment.
• Experience evaluating technology-driven businesses.
• Exceptional analytical and communication skills.
• The judgment and credibility to work effectively with various stakeholders.
• High intellectual independence.
• An entrepreneurial, hands-on approach.

Preferred Experience

• Direct investment or operating experience in the alternative protein ecosystem.
• Investing in adjacent science- and capital-intensive sectors.
• Evaluating technologies and businesses through commercialization and scale-up.
• Strong relationships across the alternative protein ecosystem.
• Experience with nontraditional and catalytic financing structures.
• Experience deploying patient, catalytic, or impact-oriented capital.

What Success Looks Like

• Developed and implemented a clear investment strategy.
• Built a strong investment pipeline and repeatable investment process.
• Led rigorous diligence and deployed FSI capital into compelling opportunities.
• Established effective portfolio-management practices.
• Built strong relationships across the investment and sustainable protein ecosystems.
• Demonstrated strong investment judgment.
• Built FSI into a disciplined, sophisticated catalytic investor.

Benefits

• Full medical, vision, and dental coverage.
• 401(k) plan.
• Work phone and internet reimbursement.
• Companion animal benefits.
• Unlimited PTO.
• 11 paid holidays.
• Paid sick leave.
• Flexible work hours.

Salary Range

The anticipated base salary range is $225,000–$275,000, based on location and experience.

Location

This is a remote position within the United States, with a preference for someone located in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Domestic travel and occasional international travel are expected.

Eligibility

The successful applicant should be legally able to work in the United States. We participate in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Equal Opportunity

FSI is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer, fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

Application

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resumes and cover letters through Workable. We appreciate all applicants' interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Application Deadline

FSI will accept applications until 5:00pm PST on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.