Penn State University · 1 month ago
Financial Specialist - Ben Franklin Technology Partners
Penn State University Park
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$68K/yr - $115K/yr
6+ years expPenn State University is seeking a Financial Specialist to join Ben Franklin Technology Partners, a leading early-stage investor in technology-based startups. This role involves conducting financial due diligence, developing financial models, and providing insights that inform investment decisions and strategy for a diverse portfolio of companies.
Higher Education
No H1B
Responsibilities
You will conduct comprehensive financial due diligence on prospective portfolio companies, evaluating early-stage ventures that may be pre-revenue, partially funded, or preparing for Series A/B financing. This includes analyzing three-year financial projections, cash flow statements, burn rate analyses, revenue models, and capital requirements. You will examine business models, assess unit economics, identify financial risks and opportunities, and prepare detailed financial analyses that present your findings and recommendations to the investment committee. You will also conduct financial reviews of acquisition, merger, or secondary investment opportunities, analyzing the highest and best return-on-investment potential. Your analysis will include evaluating manufacturing operational efficiency metrics where relevant, and you will develop standardized due diligence frameworks and checklists to enhance consistency and rigor across all investment evaluations
You will maintain ongoing visibility into the financial performance and capital position of portfolio companies, identifying early warning signals of financial distress, runway constraints, or scaling opportunities. You will track burn rates, cash runway, funding milestones, and compliance with financial covenants or reporting requirements. Where portfolio companies are underperforming financially or facing cash constraints, you will work with Portfolio Managers and company leadership to analyze root causes, model scenarios, and recommend corrective actions. You will provide financial guidance and advisory recommendations to help portfolio companies improve forecasting, optimize working capital, manage burn rates effectively, and prepare for future fundraising rounds. Where appropriate, you will help portfolio companies understand key financial metrics specific to their industry (whether technology or manufacturing) and benchmark performance against comparable companies at similar stages
You will prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial forecasts, reports, and analyses for internal use by Ben Franklin/CNP leadership and our board of directors. This includes portfolio performance summaries, investment pipeline analyses, cash flow forecasts, variance reports, and trend analyses that identify patterns or emerging risks across the portfolio. You will develop ad hoc financial models and analytical tools as needed to support strategic decision-making. You will work with portfolio companies to improve the timeliness and quality of their financial reporting, establishing expectations, providing templates, and conducting reviews to ensure data consistency and accuracy. You will verify funding sources to ensure appropriate spending and billing practices; analyze and monitor spending against restricted and unrestricted funds to ensure compliance with requirements. You will maintain a centralized database of portfolio company financials, ensuring records are organized, auditable, and readily accessible for internal review or external audit
You will prepare and manage project and grant-specific budgets. You will track and report on grants, contracts, and program expenditures. You will perform data entry and database management related to portfolio company financials and investments, maintain accurate records of financial transactions and supporting documentation, and assist with accounts payable and accounts receivable functions as needed. You will support the annual independent audit process by creating and maintaining documentation that enables external auditors to verify financial accuracy and compliance. You will attend staff meetings and board meetings as appropriate, remaining fully prepared to provide financial analysis, answer questions, and respond to requests for additional data or analysis. You will handle sensitive financial information with discretion and maintain strict confidentiality of proprietary company data and investment deliberations
You will assist in the preparation and compilation of periodic forecasts and budget processes for Ben Franklin/CNP operations. You will prepare financial summaries, specialized reports, and presentations for board review. You will support regulatory reporting requirements as directed. You will participate in special projects that support organizational financial strategy, operational cost savings and/or improvements, or portfolio company financial health initiatives as assigned by leadership. You will assist in financial training for administrative staff and ensure compliance with the university’s policies, procedures, and financial requirements
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's Degree
8+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted (if filled as Financial Specialist - Principal Professional)
6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted (if filled as Financial Specialist - Senior Professional)
Direct experience in any four of the areas: Analyzing and evaluating early-stage or startup companies for investment potential, Conducting financial due diligence on venture capital or private equity investments, Managing or monitoring a portfolio of early-stage company investments, Forecasting and managing cash flow, burn rate, and capital runway for growth-stage companies, Financial analysis and advisory work in technology or manufacturing sectors, Building financial models for valuation, scenario analysis, or investment decision-making, Working with early-stage company founders or financial leadership to improve financial management practices, Conducting financial audits or supporting audit processes for private companies or non-academic entities
Exceptional ability to build, interpret, and communicate complex financial models
Proficiency in spreadsheet applications (Excel) at an expert level
Strong understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), financial statements, cash flow analysis, and valuation methodologies
Strong business orientation and entrepreneurial mindset
Ability to understand business models, competitive dynamics, market opportunities, and operational challenges
Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
Ability to think strategically about the financial implications of business decisions
Demonstrated experience conducting financial due diligence on early-stage or growth companies
Ability to assess financial risks, identify red flags, and evaluate capital requirements and runway
Comfort working with incomplete or inconsistent financial data and making reasonable assumptions to complete analysis
Exceptional ability to communicate complex financial and technical information in clear, simple language to diverse audiences
Demonstrated skill in translating analysis into actionable business recommendations
Strong written, oral, and digital communication skills
Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team-based environment and forge strong working relationships across a diverse management team
Skill in influencing decisions through analysis and recommendations rather than formal authority
Ability to serve as a trusted advisor to Portfolio Managers and company leadership
Ability to work independently on complex assignments and exercise prudent professional judgment in the absence of direct supervision
Strong organizational and time management skills
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple concurrent analytical projects
Day-one expert-level proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)
High comfort with database systems and the ability to learn new software tools quickly
Absolute commitment to maintaining confidentiality of sensitive financial information and investment deliberations
Demonstrated integrity and professional judgment in handling proprietary business information
Preferred
Direct experience working with venture capital, private equity, or early-stage startup investment environments
Experience analyzing and advising manufacturing companies on financial metrics, operational efficiency, and capital allocation
Familiarity with term sheets, equity structures, and investment-stage financing
Prior experience supporting portfolio monitoring, investment due diligence, or financial advisory services in a growth-capital context
Benefits
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
Robust retirement plans
Substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time
Generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children
Company
Penn State University
There’s a reason Penn State consistently ranks among the top one percent of the world’s universities.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Hamza Jamjoom
Co-Founder - Arts & Architecture Student Council
Kara Pytko
Co-founder of Virtual Scientist Webinar Series
Company data provided by crunchbase