Portfolio Engagement Director

Company: Toyota Research Institute
Location: Los Altos
Posted on: December 30, 2025

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Founded in 2017, Toyota Ventures is a San Francisco Bay Area-based venture capital firm with approximately $800M AUM that invests in early-stage startups around the world in frontier and climate technologies. We are on a mission to discover what’s next for Toyota by helping startups bring groundbreaking technologies and business models to market quickly. We’ve invested in over 90 companies to date, including AM Batteries, Bipi (acquired), Blackmore (acquired), Efficient Computer, Joby Aviation (NYSE: Joby), Living Carbon, May Mobility, Orbital Materials, Revel and Stoke Space. Our portfolio companies are our customers. Their success is our success, and we’re looking for a customer-focused professional who is passionate about helping startups. This role will support portfolio companies across both our Frontier and Climate funds in areas such as AI, mobility, autonomy, robotics, space, materials, hydrogen, renewable energy, and carbon solutions. As a portfolio engagement director on the platform team, you will work closely with startup executives to champion their needs and support their growth in areas like customer discovery and business development, while also working to deliver strategic value to Toyota. Our team values acting with integrity, being humble but bold, and keeping it weird. We’re also committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within our team and the larger VC industry. If you enjoy teamwork and are looking to make an impact, we look forward to hearing from you. This role is based in the San Francisco Bay Area (we have offices in both San Francisco and Los Altos, CA), but remote work within other U.S. cities is possible. Responsibilities Working directly with startup teams to understand their needs and prioritize how we can best support them. Assisting with ongoing development of products and services to help portfolio companies. Hosting kick-off meetings and recurring check-in meetings with portfolio company executives. Creating opportunities for portfolio companies to engage with Toyota and Toyota Group companies. Facilitating introductions to mentors, customers, partners, suppliers, and others as needed. Tracking portfolio company KPIs and reporting on progress towards strategic goals. Documenting best practices and creating resource libraries. Qualifications 5-7 years of experience in business development, client management, corporate development, or a similar role. Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent. Proven ability to collaborate across teams/organizations to deliver on shared objectives. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Self-starter who works well independently but enjoys being part of a team. Exceptional organization and project management skills. Previous experience working in the VC industry or at a startup is a plus. Passionate about emerging technologies and working with entrepreneurs. Ability to travel periodically. The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $140,000 and $190,000/year for California-based roles; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Note that TRI offers a generous benefits package (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave) and an annual cash bonus structure. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. Please reference this Candidate Privacy Notice to inform you of the categories of personal information that we collect from individuals who inquire about and/or apply to work for Toyota Research Institute, Inc. or its subsidiaries, including Toyota A.I. Ventures GP, L.P., and the purposes for which we use such personal information. TRI is fueled by a diverse and inclusive community of people with unique backgrounds, education and life experiences. We are dedicated to fostering an innovative and collaborative environment by living the values that are an essential part of our culture. We believe diversity makes us stronger and are proud to provide Equal Employment Opportunity for all, without regard to an applicant’s race, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, religion, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state or local laws. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Keywords: Toyota Research Institute, Vallejo , Portfolio Engagement Director, IT / Software / Systems , Los Altos, California