The Idea Village is seeking a Program Manager who has a passion for startups and wants to make a big difference in New Orleans through direct support of early-stage entrepreneurs. The Program Manager is responsible for leading the entrepreneur recruitment efforts for The Idea Village’s early-stage and pipeline programs by building and maintaining an efficient process for sourcing companies along with coordinating, managing, and providing startup coaching through our pre-accelerator. The PM should have a strong interest in technology, startups, entrepreneurship, venture capital, and their fingers on the pulse of what is happening in and outside of the New Orleans startup community. 

Core Duties

• Identify and track promising early-stage companies and develop and maintain a pipeline of entrepreneurs for Idea Village programming across stages
• Research promising entrepreneurs in other markets and opportunities to engage them in the  New Orleans startup community
• Support program design and development 
• Develop and cultivate an internally shared institutional rolodex of highly engaged stakeholders related to company sourcing and company facing resources
• Maintain “exceptionally high” brand standards related to mentor and stakeholder engagement critical to developing a highly engaged and growing organizational network
• Support the evaluation of companies and work with The Idea Village Team to finalize selection of companies
• Organize, coordinate and implement early-stage programming events and cohort activities while maintaining an exceptionally high Net Promoter Score
• Provide direct coaching and advisory assistance to early-stage companies during early-stage programs, specifically our pre-accelerator and related efforts, to help startups develop meaningful initial traction
• • Determine weekly metrics to measure company progress
  • Establish/manage delivery of value driving priorities and related milestones
  • Track company progress and ensure timely reporting of milestones and metrics by company
  • Facilitate stage and industry appropriate connections within The Idea Village network and broader startup community
• Work with The Idea Village Team to provide companies access to a wide range of resources as needed to help successfully achieve milestones
• Help design and implement programing to engage early-stage program alumni and help them matriculate through The Idea Village programing or access other resources within the startup community. 
• Manage program calendar and assist with scheduling as needed

Program Reporting

• Manage follow up and track progress for participating companies
• Track all mentor and staff hours and participation for program
• Support for follow-up, reporting, and post-program communication on coordinated programs
• Facilitate the collection of program success data and create post-program impact and organizational continuous improvement report
• Support reporting to grant funders, including quarterly impact and activity reports for managed programs
• Manage, track and prepare reports on managed program expenses

Other Duties

• Research and stay up to date on accelerator/mentor best practices and identify thought leaders in select entrepreneurship, leadership, venture and funding topics
• Share new best practices with the team as you identify areas for innovation and improvement
• Assist in development and implementation of marketing and promotions plans for program
• Attend New Orleans startup community events
• Support administrative tasks as needed
• Recruit and manage interns supporting programs
• As needed support for organization-wide events
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field required
• Master’s degree preferred
• Proven track record working in or with growth oriented technology enabled startups
• At least 2-5 year in a sales, marketing, business development, or related program management role
• Demonstrated ability to coach and provide direct value to startup founders
• • Ability to see the larger strategic picture, absorb large amounts of data, draw out key findings and insights and quickly synthesize thoughts in easy to follow, logical and coherent manner
  • Ability to coach, mentor, and advise entrepreneurs from relevant experience
  • Ability to manage multiple companies and manage time across them
  • Ability to hold people accountable
• Ability to  build sales or recruitment processes and manage client relationships
• Familiarity with database systems and ability to organize pipeline
• Working knowledge of entrepreneur community inside and outside of New Orleans 
• Proven ability to create connections and relationships with a variety of potential contributors
• Ability to clearly articulate the value proposition for entrepreneurs of the organization
• Detail oriented and highly organized
• Demonstrated ability to keep large groups of people organized and on task
• Customer service oriented with a relentlessly positive attitude
• May require some travel 

Organizational Environment:

• The team is startup in nature, which requires you to move quickly, and that all staff to be flexible and operate well in teams 
• Expected to work independently and be given significant responsibility
• Able to keep, maintain, and coordinate multiple schedules and projects

Benefits and Compensation

• Compensation commensurate with experience
• Exceptional candidates may be considered for elevated Program Director role in recognition of a deeper ability to provide coaching and a greater level of program ownership
• Deep exposure to top caliber entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and corporate partners

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Retirement plan
• Paid time off
• Flexible schedule

Our Values

• Win without ego — Remember where you started and never stop improving
• Celebrate Resourcefulness — The road to success is difficult and demands relentless innovation.  That’s why every win, big or small, is cause for celebration
• Future-Oriented — We believe in those who are passionate about innovation because we believe in the future of (an exceptional) New Orleans
• Village Mindset — It really does take a village.  We mobilize a specialized network that is committed to you and to building industry leading companies.
• Opt-in Culture — We work overtime to provide our entrepreneurs, colleagues and community the opportunities to be successful…all you have to do is say yes.
• Love New Orleans — New Orleans is our why. This city breathes authenticity into every aspect of life.  We embrace anyone who chooses to call New Orleans home.

Apply @ https://bit.ly/IVEmployment