Operating Partner

GROWTH EQUITY OPERATING PARTNER

5 November 2025

Venn Partners background and partnership philosophy:

Founded in August 2024, Venn Partners is a growth equity fund focused on partnering with profitable, growing, owner operated Australian private businesses. Venn's investor base understands what it takes to grow a successful Australian business, and comprises current and former business owners, executives, board members, well-connected investment professionals, M&A advisors, high net worth individuals and family offices. Venn Partners Fund I is a committed capital fund, and reached first close in March 2025, with the first investment completed in October 2025.

Venn is not a typical private equity or venture capital fund. We do not seek to control a founder, run the business, drive an unsustainable pace or replace existing management; we back founders and their management teams to grow their business. We do not optimise for this year's profit; we favour the disciplined and aggressive pursuit of long-term growth opportunities. We do not just provide capital; we provide strategic growth planning support and hands-on operational advice. We do not believe we have all the answers; we leverage our extensive network to bring relevant specialist expertise to the table to support an owner operator to make the best decisions for their business.

Venn's investment mandate is to invest in profitable, growing businesses in the industrials, education, healthcare, services and technology sectors.

Operating Partner role description:

The Operating Partner will lead hands-on value creation across Venn Partners' concentrated portfolio of private businesses, working with ~2-4 businesses at any time. The Operating Partner will work with Venn Partners' investment team, portfolio company founders and management teams to define and execute growth opportunities, and assist with enabling investments such as organisation structure development, systems and processes. The role is focused on practical operational execution, with board-level oversight, advisory and talent coaching to drive measurable EBIT and enterprise-value improvements. Typically, the Operating Partner will work with a portfolio company for ~2-3 days a week post investment, scaling down to ~1 day a week as capability is hired into the portfolio company.

Responsibilities:

• Portfolio strategy and value-creation planning: Co-design multi-year value creation roadmaps and execution plans and with founders, management teams and Venn Partners' deal team
• Transformation delivery: Sponsor and sometimes lead initiatives (go to market strategy, sales process, marketing channels, pricing, cost-to-serve, supply chain, technology/digital/AI enablement, operating metrics and management dashboard development, new business unit development, M&A integration)
• Talent and leadership development: Assess capability requirements, recruit or interim-manage senior roles, design incentive structures and mentor management teams
• Interim executive roles: Play interim executive roles (e.g. Chief Financial Officer, Chief Commercial Officer, Head of Sales, Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Operating Officer) as required until permanent roles hired
• Pre-deal and diligence support: Lead operational due diligence, identify value levers, sizing of synergies and integration risk, and produce execution plans
• Network activation and sourcing: Leverage network contacts to support commercial partnerships and customer or supplier introductions
• Board and executive advisory: Present to the board on performance against the growth plan. On a case-by-case basis, serve as board member or observer

Objectives:

• Relationships: Trusted relationships with founders and management teams, being sought out as a mentor / coach / 'sounding board'. Direct conversations challenging the status quo, in a positive and optimistic manner. Elevate founder and management team performance rather than replacing it, with humility and a collaborative style.
• Operational: Work with management to ensure strategic priorities are understood, accepted and executed throughout the organisation. Delivery of execution plan milestones.
• Talent: Successful placement, performance and retention of critical portfolio company management team hires.
• Financial: Realised uplift in revenue and profit margins. Improvement in quality of revenue.

Time commitment and compensation:

• Engagement model: Flexible full-time or part-time retained Operating Partner reporting to Venn Partners' co-founders and portfolio company founders.
• Location: Venn Partners' office in Melbourne preferred, however role could be based on the east coast with access to major Australian airports. Regular travel to portfolio sites (first portfolio company in Greater Brisbane).
• Compensation: Base salary and carry allocation in Venn Partners funds. Reimbursement for travel costs. Potential to hold ~1-2 board or advisory roles separate to Venn Partners.
• Co-investment: Consistent with investment team members, Venn Partners expects the Operating Partner to make a personal capital commitment to Venn Partners Fund I.

Preferred background and experience:

The Operating Partner will have a successful track record in defining and executing growth strategies, building trusted relationships with key stakeholders and creating shareholder value. The Operating Partner will have relevant experience:

• in a similar role at a growth equity, private equity or venture capital fund for 10+ years (preferred), or
• as a CEO/COO/CRO/CFO or management consultant working with private businesses to implement growth strategies.

Experience with private equity, owner-operated businesses and Venn's target sectors are preferred.