Portfolio Manager

About the Position

Defence Builder is a Ukrainian defence-tech ecosystem built on three integrated pillars - accelerator, early-stage VC fund, and capabilities unit - designed to serve every major stakeholder in the defence market through one entry point at the intersection of capital, expertise, and infrastructure. We're looking for a Portfolio Manager to take ownership of portfolio communications, progress tracking, and support across active and alumni cohorts.

Responsibilities

Portfolio Communications & Tracking

• Own regular touchpoints with portfolio companies - structured updates (monthly/quarterly), check-ins, calls
• Build and maintain a portfolio tracker: KPIs, milestones, fundraising status, key risks
• Prepare consolidated portfolio reports for fund investors and the board
• Flag issues early, escalate blockers to the President

Portfolio Support

• Facilitate introductions to investors, corporates, and strategic partners when needed
• Coordinate support requests: legal, accounting, HR, product - route them to the right resource
• Assist founders with investor materials, grant applications, and program participation
• Maintain an up-to-date database of portfolio company profiles and news

Cross-ecosystem Coordination

• Identify portfolio companies eligible for grants, partnerships, or capabilities engagements
• Coordinate with the right resource on deal flow and grant support
• Share portfolio highlights and stories with the communications function for socials, reports, and events

Portfolio Operations & Coordination

• Serve as the operational hub for all portfolio-facing processes - own the full coordination layer between Defence Builder and its companies
• Send, track, and follow up on all outbound requests to portfolio companies: information requests, document submissions, deadline reminders, survey responses
• Manage newsletter and update distribution to portfolio companies - ecosystem news, programme opportunities, relevant calls-for-applications, partner announcements
• Maintain a master operations tracker across the portfolio: open requests, pending responses, deadlines, owners

Requirements

Background

• 2+ years in a portfolio management, investor relations, startup operations, or program management role
• Experience working with early-stage startups as a founder, operator, or accelerator team member
• Familiarity with the venture or defence-tech ecosystem (Ukraine or international)
• Fluent Ukrainian and English - written and spoken

Skills & Style

• Structured and proactive - builds systems, doesn't wait to be asked
• Strong written communication - can synthesize updates and write clearly for different audiences
• Empathetic but accountable - founders trust you, but you hold them to commitments
• Comfortable with ambiguity and a fast-moving environment

We Offer

• Front-row seat at the intersection of defence tech, venture, and national security
• Direct access to Ukrainian and international defence-tech founders and investors
• Participation in international events, delegations, and ecosystem activations
• High autonomy and the opportunity to build the portfolio function from scratch

About the Company

Defence Builder is a Ukrainian defence-tech ecosystem built on three integrated pillars - accelerator, early-stage VC fund, and capabilities unit - designed to serve every major stakeholder in the defence market through one entry point at the intersection of capital, expertise, and infrastructure.